Pig pregnancy length & labor signs: How to tell if your pig is due?

Sows will generally give birth about 114 days after becoming pregnant, so if you know when Dixie was bred you can use this to determine her due date. If she looks to be ready to go into labor, making sure you have the appropriate birthing facilities such as a farrowing crate and heat lamp set up can help ensure she stays comfortable and any piglets are kept safe.

Well, guinea pigs gestation period is about 65 days, and of course she has to have some contact with a male. In the past, I have been able to tell if they are pregnant by palpation. Also, if you gingerly placer your hands on either side of her belly you may be able to feel moving piglets. If she is an adult and has never had a litter please take her to see a veterinarian. Female guinea pigs can have a very tough tough me delivering if their pelvis has matured completely. Good luck to you and Rosey.

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.

So sorry to hear you are having this issue. There are a range of causes of abortion in the pig. Majority of abortions are non-infectious and some 90% are never diagnosed. Causes of abortion can be simply divided into four categories. If you have an abortion problem I suggest you discuss these issues with your veterinarian. 1. Seasonal effects: 70% of all abortions fall into this category. Remember it is normal for sows to farrow in the spring, and therefore, there is a natural tendency for pregnancies to be lost in the summer and autumn. There are many factors believed to be involved in the summer infertility/autumn abortion syndrome – reduction in light length, effect of heat, loss of appetite in the summer, etc. 2. Environmental effects: Sows may be subjected to stress factors relating to their environment: draughts, excessive heat stress, inadequate cooling, change in the feeding routines, changes in stock people, bullying when introduced into a new group and trauma from moving through narrow doorways. All of these factors singly or combined can result in abortion in the individual sow. Injections can also result in abortions at times. 3. Mycotoxins: Although difficult to prove, mycotoxins have long been suspected as being responsible for abortions. In any case of 2 or 3 abortions over a short period of time, clean out the feed bins and feed lines. Never feed moldy feed to animals. Moldy straw can also play a significant role in the causes of abortion. 4. Infectious causes: There are a range of infectious causes of abortion. Examples include swine influenza, erysipelas, swine fever and leptospirosis. PRRSv (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus) can also be responsible for severe abortion storms when a new stain enters a naive population of pregnant sows. So, as you can see, there are so many factors that come into play here. It is impossible for me to tell you exactly what happened. If you want to know 100% you would have needed the vet out to do a necropsy (autopsy) on the sow and send tissue samples out the the lab for analysis. Otherwise we are just guessing. My recommendation is to consult with a local vet to get the best outcome with the rest of the sows. I hope this helps. If you have more questions feel free to ask again. Best wishes!

You are right that the typical gestation of guinea pigs is 63-65 days. If she is showing no indication of entering labor, there could be a problem. The Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV.org) probably has a "Find the Vet" section. Otherwise, not sure where the closed veterinary school is to you. A small animal veterinarian with an ultrasound might be able to determine if there are any fetal heartbeats. Many small animal veterinarians could have oxytocin, which could be given to stimulate uterine contractions.

The gestation period for a rat is normally 22 days, but can vary from 21 to 23 (and rarely to 26). A postpartum pregnancy will last 28 days. Two weeks into the pregnancy the mother's abdomen will usually start expanding, but not always. As the birth approaches, you may be able to see the pups moving inside her, or feel them if you gently feel her abdomen. Her mammary glands will also start to enlarge two weeks into the pregnancy. The birth process normally takes about an hour or two. In general, the mother rat will deliver a new pup every 5-10 minutes. In rats, the average litter size is 6-13 pups. The first sign is a bloody discharge from the vagina. Next, the contractions will cause her to stretch out while her sides suck in, in a most amazing way. Once the babies start arriving, the mother will sit up and help deliver them with her hands and teeth. Then she will clean off the birth sac and lick the newborn. The mother will usually eat each placenta and the umbilical cord. During this process a healthy baby will wiggle and squeak, which inhibits its mother from eating it too. However, if a baby is weak or dead, this inhibition may not occur. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your Guinea pig. You will need to have her examined by a veterinarian to know for sure if she is pregnant or not. The gestation period is roughly two months. This should help you know as well depending on how long you have owned her. Go slow around her and offer small treats to help her build trust in you. I hope this information helps!