baby piggie so itchy and shaking

Question
Hello,
We just picked up our baby teacup 4 days ago and he has been itching and scratching like mad. He is one month old and was the runt of the litter. Took him to the vet yesterday and they saw no mites on the skin scrapings but she is treating him with antibiotics and 2 injections that will be 2 weeks apart. He is continuing to tear his skin off and itching against his playpen. That is all he does is sleep and itch. I started Benadryl this morning to hopefully help but it hasn't. In addition, he is trembling and shaking. I'm super worried about this because the vet mentioned a virus that can't be treated that sometimes effects pigs but with her experience, she doesn't think this is what it is and the cases she has seen, they shake so hard, they can't hardly stand up. When he is being snuggled and falls asleep the trembling for the most part ceases but still has occasional jumpies, mostly in the rear part toward hind legs and bottom. Please help if you have any advice. We're extremely attached to our Stanley already and are really hoping nothing is really wrong. He's 3 lbs 3 oz and is also challenged in the weight department from what I understand. I've been adding unimilk to his softened pig food just to get him to eat well.He loves the milk but it was giving him "bathroom issues" if you know what I mean.   Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Super worried first time mom of a pig,
Andrea

Answer
I am not a veterinarian and can not make a medical diagnosis over the internet.

Pigs have dry skin and that makes them naturally "itchy" animals, they love to be scratched. But when the scratching is constant or piggy begins to rub himself raw, there's a problem. Usually, it's due to mange. Piggy is getting medication, so even if the skin scraping was a false negative  and mange is part of the problem, that part will be quickly fixed. The first sign of recovery is peeling skin. In mild mange cases, it looks like extra dry skin. In severe cases, thick sections of skin may peel away. This stage can be uncomfortable for the pig, but it doesn't last long.

Other possibilities are dry skin, poor nutrition, or allergic reactions. Adult pigs have thick, tough skin. Babies have soft skin and can suffer from rashes or skin irritations. You can use any lotion or ointment made for people on piggy, unscented ones are best.

Piglets need to be kept very warm. If your home is chillier than what he's used to it make take him awhile to adapt.

Any change in diet can cause digestive troubles. Stick to the unimilk and pig food. Get pot-bellied pig starter food if you can, regular pot-bellied pig food if you can't. Some farm hog feeds are ok for healthy adult pigs. Many of them are designed to make young hogs fat quickly, and are not nutritionally balanced for long term health. Others include unnecessary medication like antibiotics. Babies need good nutrition, so stick with a pot-bellied pig food. All the major brands, Mazuri, Manna Pro, etc, are fine.

Pigs twitch in their sleep, just as people do. That's probably what you're seeing in his back end as he sleeps.