Pregnancy Pregnant pig won?t walk.

[Wlovemeganmarie]

To start off, the pregnancy was not on purpose. I had bought two piggies from a pet store and they were in the same cage together as females. Once one of them started getting WAY bigger and changing eating habits, I was concerned and went to feel her stomach, and I could feel babies moving. I have separated them since finding out the other one was a male.

Shes far along in her pregnancy to where to where I can now see the babies moving just by looking at her. The last couple of days she hasn?t been walking normal. She sort of limps and won?t use her back legs properly. Her front legs are fine. Anyone know what this could be? She is pretty big and I?m thinking maybe she just can?t handle the weight but I want to be sure.

 

[Sofia claire]

You should take her to the vet and let them figure out what's wrong, it is hard to know through people on forums because we can't see her and observe, but your vet can. I wish you and her luck with the babies!

 

[pigmommy89]

I would increase her Vitamin C just in case that's part of the problem, but pregnant sows don't move around as easily when they're very far along because of the weight of the babies on their tiny legs. Is she able to move around to get to her food and water?

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

If she IS close to delivery, you can help her by keeping pellets, hay and water close to her so she doesn't have to move much. It will help keep her eating and hydrated if she can reach them easily.
Also, keeping other things close to her to aid in keeping her comfortable, such as some folded fleece to use as a pillow, or an old clean sock stuffed with fabric scraps and sewn closed.

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

I have increased it just to be safe. She does she get to where she needs to go, just drags and kind of limps her back legs while she’s getting there.

 

[bpatters]

@Sofia claire, please don't be in such a rush to get people off the vet. With a healthy pregnancy, there's no need, and most people would prefer to save their vet money for occasions when the pig is really sick.

It's normal for a pig to stop moving much as delivery approaches, particularly if her belly is very large. As @Guinea Pig Papa said, keep food, pellets, hay and water close to her, and don't let her lay in her own urine.

Can you post a video of her moving and not using her legs? Click the third icon from the right on the reply box to insert pictures.

Have you been feeding her extra calcium since you've known she's pregnant? Pregnant sows really need that extra, whether from alfalfa pellets or some added alfalfa hay. Vitamin C supplements wouldn't hurt, either.

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

She seems to not want to move anytime someone is watching her. I have been feeding her extra calcium once I found out she was pregnant. Some days she will walk fine, and some days she limps/drags.

On April 4th I took her to a vet because I noticed she was getting a lot bigger and pear shaped. I was 95 percent positive she was pregnant. They did an ultrasound and came back saying there were no babies. So I’m confused as to how now, 4 weeks exactly later I have been able to see them from the outside. How did they not see the babies in the ultrasound?

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

I have been able to see the movies move since April 23rd. Thought I would add that in there since somehow on April 4th, they told me there were no babies in the ultrasound.

 

[bpatters]

I'm a little confused.

How long have you had her?

When was the ultrasound done?

Have you been keeping a record of her weight gain?

Did you mean you haven't seen the pups move since April 23?

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

Sorry I know it’s confusing!

Ultrasound was April 4th. I could already tell she was pregnant by the shape of her, just wanted to get an ultrasound and make sure things were ok. The vet said they didn’t see any babies in the ultrasounds. Which I think they just didn’t know what they were talking about. They are mostly a cat, dog and bird vet but take other exoctics if asked.

About two weeks past and I could feel the babies while holding her, so I stopped holding her and didn’t understand how they didn’t see them in the ultrasounds.

i have been able to see them move just by looking at her since April 24th. I hope I explained throughly for you to understand!

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

I’ve had her since January 31st.

I havent kept track of her weight gain since the vet told me she wasn’t even pregnant.. but she was.

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

Here she is from earlier tonight.

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

Video from April 27th.

Watch “Untitled” on (broken link removed) https://vimeo.com/267948963?ref=tw-share

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

Just took this video tonight! Can anyone estimate how far along she is?

Watch “Untitled” on (broken link removed) https://vimeo.com/267956362?ref=tw-share

 

[Soecara]

She looks quite far along. I would guess she might give birth at any time in the next week or two.

 

[Janani.R.S]

Just took this video tonight! Can anyone estimate how far along she is?

Watch “Untitled” on (broken link removed) https://vimeo.com/267956362?ref=tw-share

Yes, you are right, we can see the babies wiggling inside the stomach. I think ​

Soecara

​

is right, she does look like she is about to give birth in a few weeks. Get ready! ​

​

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

Update- Still no babies. She’s still eating and drinking normally. I’m estimating at least 3+ by her size. I can’t really see the babies kick like I could a week ago, but I do check everyday to make sure they are still moving. Im guessing because she’s so far along there’s not anymore room for them to move as much like before.

 

[Wlovemeganmarie]

Update- Earlier when I got home I noticed she was hunched up in her bed and looked, there was one baby already cleaned up and staring back at me! I was able to watch her have the other two, and had to step in and get the sac off one as she was not paying attention to it. All the babies are running around, very active while momma is tired.

I only saw one placenta come out at the very end. Is this ok? I thought each pup was suppose to have its own. What signs should I be watching out for if momma is not ok and needs to go to a vet?

 

[Soecara]

Yes there is normally one placenta for every baby, however one time when I was able to witness one of my sows birth a larger litter I noticed that she typically delivered a placenta between every baby and she had mostly, or completely, eaten it by the time the next baby came. It looked like she was just reaching down and cleaning herself (same pose as when they eat their cecal poops) after mostly finishing cleaning that baby, but as she became more tired she gave up being discreet about it and just pulled it out then returned to a normal standing pose and either munched on it or, as with the last two, tossed it to the side.

I did have a sow retain a placenta once, her symptoms were all the typical signs of a guinea pig who is unwell (puffed up, very lethargic - in her case she wouldn't walk at all and would only move her head, no appetite, she also went quite cold) when I found her the babies were still a little wet but she was already showing signs that she was very unwell. I almost lost her but I kept her as warm as I could on the way to the vet, they gave her some medicine and she passed the placenta. She made a full recovery and was able to go back with her babies as soon as she came back from the vets (same day) and she did take excellent care of her babies.