Conditions Piggie infection spread?

Cwt622 · Mar 16, 2013

I'm super worried!, First off, Let me introduce my self, My name is Cwt622, im from Vermont, usa, I have 3 piggies. Gus, Bella and Mama. I got Gus and bella 2 days ago. Bella is a long haired female, I got her from petsmart. Gus is a abby I got him from a local breeder, Mama I got 1 month ago from a local breeder, She is pregnant and is due any day now, She is in her own nursery. all the pigs are in seperate cages but in the same room. I didnt think of airborne infections or diseases, I looked at bella this morning and she is wheezing, has crusty eyes and has a clogged up runny nose. Gus is perfectly fine, Mama is perfectly fine. Gus is about 15 feet away from Mama and Bella. Bella is about 20 feet away from Gus and Mama.. I'm very worried, I called petsmart and they said tomorrow morning first thing I would take her in for treatment (cost covered by petsmart) I let gus and bella meet on the floor for 10 or so seconds. standing over them, making sure they dont mount. That was before I noticed bellas infection. I believe its a URI.. Should I be worried about Gus and Will bella being in the same room as my other piggies be a issue? are URIs spread through air? Thanks in advance.. My local vet is very pricey. So I dont want to act fast. but I will if needed.

Hhbean · Mar 17, 2013

Yes, yes and yes. The fact is quarantine only works if you keep the piggies in separate rooms, change clothes and wash hands between handling each pig. Having them "meet" on the floor at all negates quarantine also. Standing over them to ensure mounting doesn't happen is like playing Russian roulette with breeding. You could be distracted for a split second and the deed could be done.
Your other piggies may get sick so you might want to ask the vet about treating them all. Are you prepared for the babies and if they also become sick?
I'm sorry that you got yourself into this situation and I hope everything turns out o.k. for your piggies.

bpatters · Mar 17, 2013

Your pigs are all thoroughly exposed to whatever is causing the URI. If it were me, I'd move Mama and Gus to another room entirely, and hope that they don't catch whatever Bella has.

Quarantine is for the protection of your existing pigs and your pocketbook. Pigs, especially those from pet stores, often come with respiratory infections and parasites, and then you've got to treat your whole herd if you let them get together.

Also, if they live in different cages, there's no point in putting them together at all. Pigs don't play with each other like puppies and kittens do. Every time two pigs meet, they'll try to establish dominance, which is very stressful for them. If you repeatedly put them together and then separated them, you're only causing distress, not helping them at all. If you want them to live together (Gus needs to be neutered), then you introduce them in a large neutral area and put them in a large, thoroughly cleaned cage afterwards.

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Conditions Piggie infection spread?

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