Oxytocin, DrAmy- hog doc

[Jssp]

How much oxytocin can you use during farrowing?

[Windfall Farm]

I'm not Doc Amy but, I've been told by my cousin who is a large animal vet ( Penn State), and I've done it before 1 cc every 45 minutes to an hour near the vulva to move labor along hope this helps

[Jssp]

Thanks for the reply. Appreciate any input. Just wondering if there is a limit to the amount you should use in total during a single farrowing

[Windfall Farm]

He never mentioned a limit,what he did tell me was it's a time release drug ( more or less giving her 10 cc in one shot would do nothing,needs to go a cc at a time)one time we had one that we ended up giving 7cc in 7hrs finally she started, once they get going you should have a piglet drop every 20_30min, if not you probably got one stuck

[LzDy]

This is a good question and I hope HogDoc or Doc Amy chime in too. We will use Oxytocin and give 1/2 cc to 1ml depending on the size of pig. Gilts we use a lower dose. We never give a dose without checking the pig first. If there is something in the birth canal you need to correct the position first or manual remove it prior to Oxytocin. A question for the doctors, does repetitive oxytocin injection cause preplacental detachment as is possible in dogs? We generally wait 40 min and monitor the pig. We try to attend every farrowing and be present the entire time, but every now and then one surprises us.

[mict71]

I am still new to raising hogs, But I am a dairy herdsman on a large dairy. The one thing I can tell you about oxytocin in dairy cattle is that they can become addicted to it very fast, and will not let their milk down at all without it after only 2 or three consecutive doses. I don't know if pigs will react that way, but I would keep its use to a bare minimum. Otherwise you might get a sow who needs always have it all the time in order to let her milk down. That is just my opinion

[HogDoc]

As long as you stay in the 1/2 to 1 ml range every and not less than 40-45 minutes apart you are not going to get in too much trouble. I'd also wait before starting to keep the number of doses to a minimum. As long as she is presenting pigs into the birth canal every 20 minutes or less she doesn't need oxytocin. Detachment is a risk with repeated and or higher doses.