surviving cold temperatures

Question
Hello,
We have a one yr old PBP who lives outdoors. She has a very large dog house with blankets but we have recently had very cold weather (for here, at least - Mallorca, Spain) - high 30's at night, average 45 during the day. But it has also been very rainy and with the humidity it feels very cold. I supply her with dry blankets but she manages to get them wet quickly, I am guessing from roaming outside in the drizzle and then getting back into her house all wet. Today I noticed that she seems to be shivering....irregular breathing with a very cold belly, ears and snout. How do I know it she is, in fact, shivering or if there is some other problem? From what I have read the temperatures here are not cold enough to put her in danger. Please help! Any information would be very much appreciated. Anja

Answer
The big problems with cold weather are wind and water. If the pigs home is drafty, it won't stay warm enough. If the bedding is wet or the shelter is damp, it won't stay warm enough.

Another part of the problem is what your pig is used to. I am assuming the temps you mentioned are in F, (35 C = ~ 95 F). These temps alone are not cold enough to be a problem for a pig that is used to those temps. But if your pig is used to warmer temps, these will feel quite cold.

A pig walking around out in the cold and damp or plowing through a snowbank will feel cool to the touch. Check her when she's in bed and sleeping, her belly should be quite warm then. If it's cool when she's in her bed, then she's too cold.

Put a little warm water on her pellets so she gets warm meals, and give her slightly warm (not hot) water to drink. Hot water bottles or those chemical heat packs that go inside gloves can provide a little extra heat.

Is it possible to shut her in her shed for most of the day, letting her out when you can put fresh dry blankets in her shelter, and dry her off with a towel before she goes back in?