extreme gas in my pig

Question
hi- Daisy my pig has been with me for 7 years, at times she will get gas if the grandkids feed her too many apples, but the last three weeks, her gas has been bad, she groans all night, it smells awful and nothing seems to help,  we do not have any vets here who have a clue about
these wonderful creatures, any suggestions

Answer
It can be difficult to find a good pot-bellied pig vet. The North American Pot-bellied Pig Association has a list of pot-bellied pig vets here: http://www.petpigs.com/vet_list/map.html  

If your vet is willing to learn, the Dutchess Fund  www.duchessfund.org   has lots of medical resources and contact information for vets who will work with your vet.

If you can't find any vet, try calling local zoos, ask if their vets see private patients or can recommend a vet.

Any number of things can cause the symptoms Daisy is experiencing. I'm not a vet and can not provide a diagnosis over the internet, but here are some suggestions.

I am assuming that she has pooped ordinary poop in the last 3 weeks. If she has not pooped, or pooped only very soft or liquid stools, then the problem may be an intestinal blockage and she may need surgery.

Black, tarry stools indicate internal bleeding, possibly from ulcers or injury. This is another very serious condition, and may also require surgery.

If her stools are normal and the problem is limited to bloating and gas, here are some ideas.

The problem might be a bad bag of food. Sometimes it happens; the food might be moldy or contaminated or just ground too finely. Throw it out and start with a fresh bag, check the expiration date and lot #.

The problem might be a new food in her diet. Not necessarily a food that you're giving her, it could be something she's discovered on her own. Perhaps she's started chewing on a new plant outdoors, or found something inside that she thinks is food (but probably isn't). Watch her closely over the next few days and look around her environment for things she might be eating.

She could have a dental problem. If you can, run your finger around inside her mouth and look for loose teeth, swelling and "junk" stuck in between the teeth & behind the last molar.

She could have an ulcer. Pigs are prone to ulcers. Ordinary Pepcid AC type medicines seem to help. It's recommended to use something like this along with supplements or medicines that can cause tummy upset, like Rimadyl, baby aspirin, vitamin tablets or fish oil capsules.

Fiber plays an important role in a pigs diet, but pigs who get mostly pelleted food are usually not getting enough fiber. A daily serving of fresh veggies topped with a little proto-biotic yogurt help keep the whole digestive system working smoothly.