Why is my piglet dragging legs and not eating? Contagious to dog?

As you probably already know if your pigs are sitting there quietly when you try to do something to them then it's safe to say that something is probably very wrong. I would first try and get us a temperature on them see if they are carrying any sort of fever and I would also look to see if they have any sort of skin lesions. Regardless of what the cause of the current problem is I'd say that it is probably not safe to eat or butcher these animals at the moment. You can contact a local veterinarian that deals with swine and see what they think but in all likelihood they will probably want to administer an antibiotic. If they do then you will have to wait the withdrawal prior to butchering and selling these animals for meat. I would also be curious to know if they have any sort of diarrhea as many swine illnesses cause this.

Bacon should be examined by your veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury. Once a diagnosis is made, the appropriate treatment can be administered. Do not wait to see if he improves. Dehydration is a very real concern that can complicate any underlying condition.

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.

There are many things that can cause vomiting in pigs. I suggest you just hold him off food until you can get her seen by your vet. That way his stomach can rest. Have water available for him to drink but don't force him to take in water.

Thanks for reaching out about Oliver. Parasitic and bacterial dermatitis are common problems in pigs, and can possibly be transmitted to dogs. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Both of these causes can be very itchy and uncomfortable but either anti-parasitics or antibiotics have a good prognosis. Good luck.

Sorry to hear that Stinky isn't feeling so great. The symptoms you are describing could be an indication of many different problems, or even multiple problems at once. If there is a primary gastrointestinal issue, it could be due to an infection, an inflammatory / immune mediated process, indigestion, hepatic / renal disease, parasites, or even a cancerous process ( not very likely or common in a puppy ). If there is a primary orthopedic issue, the most common thing to consider in a puppy would be a traumatic injury. Other causes of lameness can be infectious / inflammatory disease, congenital issues, and cancerous processes. Certain tick borne disease ( lyme disease in particular ) can cause both of the symptoms you are describing. Considering you live in an area of California high in ticks carrying this disease, this would be pretty high on my list of possible differentials. If Stinky is not currently protected against fleas and ticks, I would definitely get him on something. Get him to the vet when they are open tomorrow and see if they can help you figure things out. Hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. So sorry this happened to Jingle. Are you sure the paralysis is related to the fall? Dragging the back legs can be a sign of scurvy which is a vitamin C deficiency. Very common in guinea pigs if they are not on a supplement. Does he take a vitamin C supplement? If not, he needs about 50mg per day and you will usually see improvement in a week or so. I suggest this one: ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Science-Vitamin-Supplement-Count/dp/B00E0HQA7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522060364&sr=8-1&keywords=oxbow+vitamin+c ) It's common for injury to the spine, pelvis, or limbs to result in hind leg paralysis. Sometimes administering corticosteroids can help the guinea pig heal. You will need to get these steroids from your vet. Back injuries can occur very easily occur in guinea pigs. A twist the wrong way while playing or a fall can fracture the pelvis or some vertebra. X-rays would detect these conditions. Does he have feeling in the feet if they are pinched? The sporozoan parasite, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, is yet another possibility. It is treated with anti-parasitic medications, such as febendazole. Some bacterial infections can also result in paralysis. There are no tests to detect these. Some vets simply treat with febendazole and a safe antibiotic in case these conditions are to blame. You may want to speak to your vet about that possibility. Did you use a vet that is used to treating guinea pigs? If not, I suggest you find one. Guinea pigs are not small dogs or cats, they are different and have different conditions/diseases. A vet that is not used to treating them may not know what to look for or how to treat them. Hope this helps. Best wishes.