pig not weight bearing

Question
QUESTION: Abby our pig is an inside pig.  She will go out on days when it is warm and graze with the goats.  Last Sat.  she had been with the goats and I went to call her her and she came in almost screaming and non weight bearing on her right back leg.  She is still not weight bearing today.  I have pulled and pushed her leg, foot and can not find anything wrong, but she spends most of her day in her room.  She is going out to go to the bathroom, although she did not poop this am and I am getting concerned about constipation.  The vet put her on rimadyl and that seemed to help some and is not trying prednisone.  We are giving her something to coat her stomach.  She seemed to be doing better on the rimadyl.  Any suggestions you might have would be great.

Thanks
Shelly

ANSWER: Canned pumpkin is a great home remedy for constipated pigs. Most canned pumpkin comes in a large size can, give her about 1/2 can a day.

Her injury may be in her back, not her leg. It's easy for older or overweight pigs to strain their back. Back injuries often cause pain or weakness in one leg. They can also take weeks to heal. A gentle back rub may help her relax and move easier.

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QUESTION: Thanks you for your fast response. I will definately try the pumpkin.  someone also suggested beet pulp.  Would it be best to continue the prednisone? She has about 5 more days on it.  She got up this am, still non weight bearing, went out did her business and came back in and has been down since.  Do I just let her stay down or try to get her up during the day. Do we continue feeding her normal ration of food which if 1/2 cup elder pig food and 1/2 cup of oats a day or do we cut back and just give her the pumkin since she is not up allot?  Thanks for your time. Oh Abby will be 4 in April and probably weighs about 100 lbs or so.

Thanks
Shelly

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

I am assuming your vet saw Abby and prescribed the prednisone and rimadyl. So definitely follow your vets instructions and continue giving her the medicine as prescribed.

I am also assuming that your vet took x-rays to rule out a dislocated joint or broken bone. If so, then Abby probably has some sort of soft tissue injury, and it can take weeks for that to heal. It may be in the back or hip. Try giving her a massage, and watch her react as you press lightly along her spine and hip. If you touch a sore spot, she'll let you know. Make a note of the location, you vet might need this information.

If no x-rays were taken, and she shows no improvement in a couple of days, then she may need x-rays. I am also assuming that your vet trimmed her hooves, if necessary, so those are not interfering with her movement. If her hooves are long, now is a good time to trim them with a wood file.

Do make sure she gets up and goes potty and eats and drinks at least two or three times a day. Other than that, let her rest. When she starts to feel better she'll be more active.

Make sure it's easy for her to get around with out slipping. Put mats down on tile surfaces, and put ramps in place of any stairs.

Don't use a heating pad or mat. She may not be mobile enough to move off a too hot pad before getting burned.

Feeding pigs is more of an art than a science. If she's sleeping all day long, do cut back on her rations. It's important for Abby to get her nutrition, so I'd continue the elder pig food, replace the oats entirely with canned pumpkin, and eliminate any extra treats. Also, be sure to get plain pumpkin. Pigs love the pumpkin pie mix, but that's higher in fat, salt and calories. Do make sure she continues to drink water.

Chances are when she's finally off the prednisone she'll be feeling better and you can switch to oats and pumpkin mixed together, then to just oats.