Pig just gave birth: What immediate care do newborn piglets need?

Pigs are natural rooters and puzzle solvers, so anything that involves nosing around with or digging in will be fun. Giant rubber balls (like the kind you see horses playing with) treats hanging from a chain, places to dig and more can all help encourage some playfulness and enrich the environment. Pregnant pigs should be up to date on any needed vaccines in your area prior to breeding, and should be fed a diet appropriate for enough nutrition for growing piglets and nursing them after birth. A growing or lactation diet is best for mom to prevent nutrient deficiencies during these high-energy periods. Signs of problems that warrant a call to the vet are lethargy, loss of appetite, failure to gain weight, or struggling to stand/move around. Depending on your production style, most pregnant sows are crated or kept in a special birthing pen that allows piglets to safely move away from mom without having her accidentally lay on or step on babies. Providing a heat lamp for the babies to come to and move away from is also useful after birth. When your sow is closer to labor you may see waxing from her nipples (a waxy, milky like substance that isn't milk) that indicate she is nearing labor. Making sure she has comfortable bedding, access to food and water, and safety for the piglets to get to is best.

Your sow may have a piglet stuck in the birth canal if she has not produced another within 30 minutes of the last one born. There should not be more than 30 minutes between piglets. It is likely she has more piglets waiting to be born, as it would be rare for her only to have 2 piglets. best to call a veterinarian for help. He would examine the cause for the dystocia (piglet could be too big to pass through the pelvical opening, or birth canal, it could be blocking the birth canal, etc.) The vet will then try to remove the obstacle and hopefully birthing can continue naturally. Your sow may also be exhausted and need an injection to be able to continue with contractions. If it is not possible to remove the obstacle your sow may need a cesarian section.Pl3ease call your large animal vet now.

Congratulations on your new guinea pigs! They are adorable! Pups should start nursing during the first 24 hours and will continue to do so for about 3 weeks. During this time they will also start to experiment with solid food, so offer the pups fresh alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets. You can also offer them regular timothy hay and fresh fruits such as oranges and bell peppers, which are high in vitamin C. The water bottle should be positioned so that the babies can easily reach the spout. Ensure the cage is large enough for all the adults and pups, and place it in a quiet area of the house, away from direct sunlight. Don't be afraid to start handling the pups early. This will help to socialize them with humans easier. Don't try to handle them when they are sleeping or nursing, but other than that you can try to handle them for a few minutes each day. I would advise taking them to a vet within the first 3 weeks in order to determine their sex. Boys and girls should be separated at the 3 week mark as accidental pregnancies can occur as early as 3-4 weeks. Similarly, I would separate the father now if you haven't done so already. I hope this helps! Enjoy your new babies!

Keep him warm and supplement him with a 50/50 solution owater and evaporated milk. You can use an eye dropper to offer milk every 2 hours around the clock for the first 5-7 days after which you can feed every 4 hours. Guinea pig pups should nurse from the mother for the first few days of life. Unfortunately, many pups who do not get mom's milk in the first 3 to 4 days of life do not survive. You can also soak guinea pig pellets in water and offer those to eat. Normally, pups will begin to nibble solid foods at day 2 but should get milk until weaned at 21 days of age.

Pigs tend to run hotter than people and a normal temp is around 101.5-102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If she's lethargic, not wanting to eat as much, and also has nasal discharge, I'd be worried about something underlying such as a respiratory illness which can affect piglets. Having a vet take a look, especially if she isn't improving, is best. In the meantime, keeping her eating her regular food, and keeping he warm may help keep her comfortable until the cause is found.

The piglets should be weaned by now. Do not let them suckle her anymore. By now they have teeth and will injure her teats which can then develop mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands). Redness, pain and not eating, weakness, are all signs of a severe mastitis and she will need to be seen by a veterinarian. Your vet will likely prescribe anti-inflammatory medication and, if there is a bacterial infection, antibiotics.

Hello and congratulations! My first recommendation to all guinea pig owners that may have a pregnant guinea pig is to visit the veterinarian to confirm the pregnancy. Knowing approximately how far along she is and how many pups to expect can be very helpful when it's time for mom to give birth. Additionally, guinea pigs have been known to have difficult births on occasion, especially if they're over 7 months old in their first pregnancy. Having a relationship with a veterinarian can be useful if there's a crisis during the birthing process. At the vet's office, you can expect that they will perform an ultrasound to see if there are babies present and if so, how many there are. If she's later in her pregnancy, they may be able to take an x-ray. Guinea pig litter sizes range from one to six pups, and the gestation period is 59 - 72 days. The fewer pups she is carrying, the longer the gestation will be. For example, if she has one pup, the gestation will be closer to 72 days. During the pregnancy, Jenny's belly may get very big. She should be provided with a high-quality pelleted diet that is made specifically for guinea pigs, Timothy hay, and regular supplements of fruits and veggies that are high in vitamin C (a small amount 3-4 times weekly). Guinea pigs, like humans, cannot synthesize vitamin C, and so it must be provided in their diet. Dark, leafy greens, orange slices, strawberries, and broccoli are great choices to provide Jenny with that extra vitamin C she needs. Starting at around 60 days, you should check on Jenny as frequently as possible. Guinea pigs tend to make interesting groaning noises when they are going into labor. The entirety of labor should not take very long once it starts - no more than an hour. When she's having a contraction, she might make a kind of "hiccuping" movement. From this point, if Jenny appears to be struggling to give birth for more than 15 minutes, if there is more than a tablespoon of blood, or if she becomes lethargic or is drooling, please bring her to the veterinarian immediately. These could be indicators of dystocia (difficult birth) or pregnancy toxemia, both of which are life-threatening conditions. Once a pup is born, Jenny should clean off the birth sac within a couple of minutes. Generally, we don't recommend intervening in this process, however sometimes first-time moms need a little bit of help. Be prepared to assist with this process, as well as with cutting the umbilical cord with a sterilized scissor about 1/2 inch away from the pup's abdomen. Only do this if Jenny does not. You may also need to stimulate the pup by cleaning it's mouth out and gently rubbing its body. This will hopefully encourage breathing and movement, at which time Jenny should take over. Be careful of the pups' eyes as they will be open. Of course, if she doesn't appear interested in the pups at all, you should contact your vet as soon as possible. Furthermore, if there is still a male in the same cage as Jenny, I highly recommend separating them before she gives birth. Guinea pigs have what is called a postpartum estrus - this means that she can get pregnant again right after giving birth. Additionally, the more adult animals that are in the cage with the pups, the more likely they may be accidentally trampled. A really wonderful thing about guinea pig pups is that they are precocious. This means that they are born fully furred with ears and eyes wide open, and they will start eating solid food within a few days of birth - sometimes on the very next day! Jenny will still nurse and care for the pups until weaning, which should be around 3 weeks of age. It's very important to separate babies from mom at this age as the males become sexually mature around this time, meaning that they could impregnate Jenny or their siblings. I realize that this is a lot of information - if you are at all concerned about Jenny's health at any time, give your vet a call! Good luck to you and mama Jenny!