Please help, gilt is making me lose my mind

kkkjab · Post by **kkkjab** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:50 am

My gilt farrowed 1/30/10. She had an easy time, had them all on her own.
She has 10 babies (lost 2, down to 8 ), and for the first 5 days after farrowing she ate well. The last three days I am lucky to get 3 lbs in her. I am worried sick she is going to dry up. I already am having to supplement with milk replacer because the babies were acting so hungry. I let her out 2 times a day and she runs and plays so I don't think she is sick, but gave her 10cc of penicillin tonite just in case. She is on a 18% mix I get from my local feedmill, and she always ate great before farrowing. I've tried making a wet feed with a little milk replacer in it. I've even tried some show feed, which she ate a few bites and then lost interest.

Please, any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I am at a complete loss what to do with her. And all the vets around here are cow vets, so I get no help from them.

TEE · Post by **TEE** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:34 am

I would check her temperature to see if she is running a fever. She might have an infection and not be feeling well. If so, start her on penicillin. Has she had bowel movements after farrowing? If not then you will need to put some sort of laxative in the feed to help loosen her up. Epson salt or mineral oil are two things you could try that are easily available. Those are probably the two most common reasons that I see sows go off feed for.

SpotShowDad · Post by **SpotShowDad** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:40 am

I would bet the farm that she has not pooped yet LOL!!!!!!

If she will eat at all try some sort of fiber, rolled oats, bran, canned pumpkin, something. If she won't eat then the next best thing is an enima. Once she does deficate she should go back on feed in 2 - 3 days and milk production should resume pretty quickly as well.

Best of Luck

kkkjab · Post by **kkkjab** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:55 pm

Thanks so much for your help!!! She is having bowel movements everyday, so I don't think constipation is the problem. This morning she got up and ate about 1.5 lbs and laid back down. I noticed she had a creamy whiteish discharge from her vulva. I am thinking infection, so I am hopefully on the right track with the penicillin? Any thing else I can give her? If it is a uterine infection, will she be ok to breed again as long as the infection clears up ok? I dont plan on breeding her back until September.

Thanks for your help!

jlhogs · Post by **jlhogs** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:33 pm

It may be an ulcer. Just figured out that is why my first time gilt won't eat, even though she ate the first 2 days after farrowing. She wont even eat yogurt or watermelon.

CHOPSTER · Post by **CHOPSTER** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:30 pm

keep up the penicillin, she may not have cleaned out well. check here temp. i've not had many problems with uterine infection unless i had to pull pigs.

bren · Post by **bren** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:58 am

I had something a little similar a few years ago. This sow passed a small portion of afterbirth a few days after farrowing. I had her on penicillin prior and after that. About a week later, the sow became ill quickly with a high temp and was down. My vet had me use Naxcel for 3 days, as it was working well on uterine infections. I was also instructed to use small amounts of Oxy to help expel fluids.

The sow was up and eating well within 24 hours. You may want to check into Excede as well, which is a longer acting similar version of Naxcel.

You might check with Darin with regard to your problem as well.