What would make pig come off feed?

[gatorsgirl27]

I need help! Got a hamp x barrow that up until last week has been gaining nicely. About the middle of last week he quit cleaning his pan. The last two days he's barely eaten anything at all. We hand feed 3 1/2 lbs per feeding of Sunglo, supplement with 12 oz per feeding of Powerfuel. He has free access to water. Wormed last week. Yesterday when he didn't eat hardly anything, we pulled the Powerfuel and just gave him the Sunglo. We've put probiotics in his feed but if he isn't eating, he isn't getting them. His stool do appear to be a little harder/firmer than normal. Could he be constipated? He doesn't have a temperature and is still drinking. My daughter is able to get him out and work him but once back in his pen, he just lays around. Shows no interest in eating. Anyone have any ideas? Is it looking like a call to the vet is needed? I appreciate any advice anyone can offer. We're getting nervous as we've only got about 55 days left to the fair and he's needing to put on around 100 pounds.

[Farmerman90]

Sounds like it could be an ulcer.

[kgb]

Have you checked the water. A function of not eating is constipation.

[gatorsgirl27]

He has an automatic waterer and is still drinking well. We started giving him 5 cc's of Mylanta in case it was an ulcer. He was a little more active today but still not eating much. Maybe a pound or pound and a half. Does it take a few days for the antacid to kick in (if it is an ulcer)? We've been checking his stool and it's not super hard. And he doesn't appear to be straining. We read that canned pumpkin would help with constipation so we fed him a little of that. We're just at a loss.

[mjstp]

That feed is sometimes hard on there belly. Most people I know that feed that brand, adds yaggie oats with their ration. You can try prilosec (omeprazole), yogurt, and yaggie oats for a few feedings and ease the feed back into ration. Also add some probiotics. Keep him on the prilosec for a few weeks if you can.

[gatorsgirl27]

I'm a little confused. I did a little reading on oat groats and it said they could upset the stomach/cause ulcers. I'm not sure I want to give him something that might irritate his stomach more. We've been giving him Sunglo since we brought him home in November and this is the first time he's had an issue. He was eating well, gaining good then right after we wormed him, he quit eating. We're trying probios but it's in his food. Since he's not eating much, not sure how much he's getting. Tried yogurt and that was a bust. So should we quit giving him Maylox and start Prilosec? Or what about pure B12? Thanks again for all the advice.

[mjstp]

Oat groats usually helps when our pigs go off feed. If I was in your shoes I would mix up a half cup of yaggie oats, some yogurt, and the probiotic with a prilosec. Put it in his feed trough with no feed.

[gatorsgirl27]

Thank you. I'll try this and post back. Fingers crossed. We're down to a little less than 60 days left till weigh in and we were pushing it as it was with his weight. Hope this hasn't made it impossible to get to where we need to be.

[dolfan31]

Feeding Yaggies will help stomach not hurt, I would definitely add them to the diet.