Cold feet

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have looked all over the internet to find an answer for my pig, but I have not seen any other people having this same issue. He goes outside and does his thing, but I think the cold snow bothers his feet too much and while he is out he lifts them up none stop and sometimes falls from trying to keep them off the ground. When he comes in, he does the same thing but drools none stop, and falls over and curls his feet up under himself. It is extremely upsetting for me to watch because he looks like he is in pain, and nothing I do has helped him (blankets, holding his feet in my hands to warm them ect.)After he has his episodes though, it usually only lasts a few minutes, he is running around like nothing happened and is completley normal.
Have you ever seen this in pigs? and is there anything I can do to help him? any advice is greatly appreciated!

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

Is he staying outside long? Is the weather very cold? Is piggy under 1 year old? Young piglets can not handle cold weather, they need to be kept warm. A pig that's used to indoor temperatures can succumb to hypothermia quickly in very cold weather. A good rule of thumb is "How would a person feel?" If it's too cold for you to hang around outside for five minutes, barefoot and wearing only a t-shirt and pants, then it's really too cold for piggy to go outside to potty without a coat.

A piggy coat doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. Start by simply laying a piece of old blanket over his back. Next time he goes out, put the blanket on and fasten it under his chin with a safety pin.

Another option might be to close in the place where he goes potty. Picnic tables work pretty well for this. Just put the table where you want him to go, as close to your door as possible so he doesn't have to walk far, and cover it with a couple of old blankets so it forms a shelter underneath. Cover the blankets with plastic sheeting to keep them dry.

Pigs feet are usually not as sensitive as dog feet to the chemicals used to melt snow and ice. But, they can still lick the stuff up off the ground, and that can cause illness.

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QUESTION: He is not staying out for long, we have to fight to get him out but we only keep him outside until he does his business which is usually 5 or 10 minutes at the most. It is very cold though, and he is 8 months old. When he comes in though his body is usually still warm and his ears and nose are warm, its just his feet that get red. We shovel the area where he goes out, and he usually goes into straw we have out for him under our deck. I have also noticed that the pads of his feet are rough and some spots look like they have a little blood under the skin. We don't put salt or any chemicals on the snow in our yard, so I can't think of anything that would be bothering his feet so much other than the ice and snow. I have tried to give him boots but nothing fits; it all just falls off. Are there any boots made just for pigs? and can I put a lotion or something to sooth his feet when he is in the house?

Answer
The only boots for pigs that I've seen were attached to the pigs harness. A strap over the top of his body connecting the boots on each side might work, too.

You can use any lotion made for people on pigs. I don't know what is available in your area, but Corn Huskers lotion is widely available and inexpensive. If over the counter lotions don't help, you'll need to consult a veterinarian.