This is a very difficult topic and has been a “HOT” topic recently. This is not a post about a 10lb pig or anything even close to that, it is about the development and the health of our beloved family members. This even hits close to home for me and I will share with you my personal experience with this issue. First off pigs come in all different sizes, that is established. We also all know that pigs don’t finish growing until they are 3-5 years old. So even though your pig may be 10lbs at a year old they could go through a growth spurt in the next month or six and gain 40 lbs. We are putting aside the argument that there is no adult pig under 50lbs. We aren’t talking about that today. We are talking about what makes a HEALTHY PIG vs a SICK PIG. Please be sure to read our blog written 02/2016 that addresses this very concern by clicking the following link. http://www.minipiginfo.com/dear-pig-whisperers-blog/smaller-pigs-do-not-mean-better
Below are picture of both overweight and skinny pigs (yes there is even a photo of MY pig when my vet said she was healthy and no matter how much I fed her she didn't gain weight). Since we can all figure out what the overweight pigs are we aren’t going to talk much about them other than they can be equally at risk. Pigs that are overweight can have serious joint and internal problems due to the excess weight and can often times go blind due to excess fat deposits around the eyes. If you feel you need help getting your pig down to a healthy weight (IF OVERWEIGHT) please talk to your vet about what you can do to place your pig on an exercise routine and a diet.
Now, here comes the tricky part. I highly recommend everyone take the time to read these simple things that can identify that your pig might be underweight. Im going to share with you a personal experience to show you how easy it is to miss signs.
I have been a pig mom for almost 3 years. I am a part of several pig groups, admin to several, organize pig events, so yes I am clearly involved in the pig world. I never felt that my pig was “underweight” per se, but knew she could always gain a few lbs and it wouldn’t make her overweight. I remember the exact post in a piggy group that made me take a DEEPER look at my pig. I knew that I was following my vet and breeders (even though he is a joke) recommendation about what to feed my pig. I was feeding her the recommend 1/4 a cup twice a day with a salad, fruit, or veggies as a snack. Of course she got the cherrios and other special treats but, I never withheld food to try to keep her small. I thought I was doing the right thing by following my “well experienced, person who doctorates and specializes in pig” orders. So a post went up bashing someone in a group for having a pig that was clearly underweight. Looking back now I think everyone jumps all over each other because deep down we CARE. But something about this post hit home. I took a deeper look at my pig and although my vet says she is the perfect size, I made the decision as a pig parent to change how things were going with my pig.
It wasn’t about my pigs spine showing or hip bones, neither of those showed. It was the things I had to look deeper for that made me realize that I needed to do better for my pig. Here is a list of some of the things that you can look for for signs that your pig is under weight. If you see a pig, but the pig is constantly dressed in clothes, odds are the owner knows the pig is underweight, the pig is probably always seeking warmth because of the lack of body fat to keep them warm. It's sad, but we see it everyday, especially on Facebook.
-Head is too large for their body
-Sunken (hallow) eyes
-Gap under their chin (if you run your hand under their chin you will feel an indentation)
-Low energy (no zoomies)
-Pigmentation of their skin is off
-Legs tend to bow
-Resting their head on objects *this is a huge thing for me that made me think, wait, MY pig does that!
-Hair is thinner and rougher
-Hair doesnt lie flat
-Staggered gait or unsteady gait
-Poor skin and coat
-Pigs can also get super hairy when they're underweight too because the body is trying to compensate for the lack of body fat as well. So lack of hair or a lot of hair, both can point to a pig being underweight.
-Some pigs gait is affected by the malnourishment and they're not able to walk straight, often falling or they have a walking disorder such as goose-stepping due to vitamin/nutritional deficiencies.
-Eyes may have a glazed look or a sadness to them
-Backbone tends to curve upwards creating a hunched-over stance
-Bones visible through the skin. You should not be able to identify the skeletal structure just by looking at a pig.
Just because 1/2 a cup per day for every 25lbs of pig is the recommend serving size doesn't mean that that is the recommend serving size for YOUR pig. Just like humans some people need more food than other and some people need less food than other. Well I'm here to break it to you, this is true for our dear little piggies as well! Take into consideration their activity level also. Pigs that are underweight can have a shorter lifespan. Why not give your pig/pet/family member the best chance possible to live the longest and healthiest life? Don’t take offense to this post or think to yourself MY VET SAID SHE/HE WAS HEALTHY (my vet DID say this). Your vet sees your pig for 15-30 mins once or twice a year when you see your pig every day. Be the responsible pet owner and look for signs that your pig might need an extra 5+ lbs. Don’t hope that they will stay SMALL and overlook the unhealthiness of your pig! Your pig matters and if they could tell you how they don’t feel good they would! Smaller doesn't always mean better or healthier. If your vet is incompetent, find another one.
Written By Nicole Cox 2015
Below are picture of both overweight and skinny pigs (yes there is even a photo of MY pig when my vet said she was healthy and no matter how much I fed her she didn't gain weight). Since we can all figure out what the overweight pigs are we aren’t going to talk much about them other than they can be equally at risk. Pigs that are overweight can have serious joint and internal problems due to the excess weight and can often times go blind due to excess fat deposits around the eyes. If you feel you need help getting your pig down to a healthy weight (IF OVERWEIGHT) please talk to your vet about what you can do to place your pig on an exercise routine and a diet.
Now, here comes the tricky part. I highly recommend everyone take the time to read these simple things that can identify that your pig might be underweight. Im going to share with you a personal experience to show you how easy it is to miss signs.
I have been a pig mom for almost 3 years. I am a part of several pig groups, admin to several, organize pig events, so yes I am clearly involved in the pig world. I never felt that my pig was “underweight” per se, but knew she could always gain a few lbs and it wouldn’t make her overweight. I remember the exact post in a piggy group that made me take a DEEPER look at my pig. I knew that I was following my vet and breeders (even though he is a joke) recommendation about what to feed my pig. I was feeding her the recommend 1/4 a cup twice a day with a salad, fruit, or veggies as a snack. Of course she got the cherrios and other special treats but, I never withheld food to try to keep her small. I thought I was doing the right thing by following my “well experienced, person who doctorates and specializes in pig” orders. So a post went up bashing someone in a group for having a pig that was clearly underweight. Looking back now I think everyone jumps all over each other because deep down we CARE. But something about this post hit home. I took a deeper look at my pig and although my vet says she is the perfect size, I made the decision as a pig parent to change how things were going with my pig.
It wasn’t about my pigs spine showing or hip bones, neither of those showed. It was the things I had to look deeper for that made me realize that I needed to do better for my pig. Here is a list of some of the things that you can look for for signs that your pig is under weight. If you see a pig, but the pig is constantly dressed in clothes, odds are the owner knows the pig is underweight, the pig is probably always seeking warmth because of the lack of body fat to keep them warm. It's sad, but we see it everyday, especially on Facebook.
-Head is too large for their body
-Sunken (hallow) eyes
-Gap under their chin (if you run your hand under their chin you will feel an indentation)
-Low energy (no zoomies)
-Pigmentation of their skin is off
-Legs tend to bow
-Resting their head on objects *this is a huge thing for me that made me think, wait, MY pig does that!
-Hair is thinner and rougher
-Hair doesnt lie flat
-Staggered gait or unsteady gait
-Poor skin and coat
-Pigs can also get super hairy when they're underweight too because the body is trying to compensate for the lack of body fat as well. So lack of hair or a lot of hair, both can point to a pig being underweight.
-Some pigs gait is affected by the malnourishment and they're not able to walk straight, often falling or they have a walking disorder such as goose-stepping due to vitamin/nutritional deficiencies.
-Eyes may have a glazed look or a sadness to them
-Backbone tends to curve upwards creating a hunched-over stance
-Bones visible through the skin. You should not be able to identify the skeletal structure just by looking at a pig.
Just because 1/2 a cup per day for every 25lbs of pig is the recommend serving size doesn't mean that that is the recommend serving size for YOUR pig. Just like humans some people need more food than other and some people need less food than other. Well I'm here to break it to you, this is true for our dear little piggies as well! Take into consideration their activity level also. Pigs that are underweight can have a shorter lifespan. Why not give your pig/pet/family member the best chance possible to live the longest and healthiest life? Don’t take offense to this post or think to yourself MY VET SAID SHE/HE WAS HEALTHY (my vet DID say this). Your vet sees your pig for 15-30 mins once or twice a year when you see your pig every day. Be the responsible pet owner and look for signs that your pig might need an extra 5+ lbs. Don’t hope that they will stay SMALL and overlook the unhealthiness of your pig! Your pig matters and if they could tell you how they don’t feel good they would! Smaller doesn't always mean better or healthier. If your vet is incompetent, find another one.
Written By Nicole Cox 2015
Body condition: (By Dr. Van Amstel)
Although potbellied pigs are considered miniature pigs (compared to a normal farm hog) their average weight at maturity is between 90 – 150 pounds although overweight pigs can easily weigh 200 – 250 pounds. Common problems associated with obese pigs include fat blindness; arthritis particularly of the elbows; dropped pasterns; prolonged recumbency so the weight gain cycle continue; “casting” – some pigs once in lateral recumbency are unable to get their legs under their body in order to rise; changes in attitude and alertness make it more difficult to detect disease; difficulty in transporting the animal and inability to move up and down steps; exercise intolerance; technically more difficult to intubate for surgical anesthesia.
Body Condition Score (BCS) 2 recommended for pigs up to 8 years old and 2.5 for older pigs
Description:
BCS1: Emaciated
BCS2: Barely visible spine and hipbones. Ribs easily palpable but not visible. Flanks flat (not hollow). Tail head visible. Skin folds on face slightly rounded.
BCS3: Well rounded hips and back. Tail head flush with rump. Flanks somewhat rounded. Fat hump on shoulders becoming visible behind ears
BCS4: Flat back. Larger fat hump behind ears, which are being pushed forward resulting in fat pads between eyes and ears. Tail head recessed into rump. Flanks and abdomen becoming pendulous
BCS5: Extreme obesity. Fat blindness. Eyes not visible
Once a pig is overweight weight loss becomes a problem. Dietary adjustment and exercise are important and the only way to reduce body fat. Scattering low caloric snacks such as greens away from where they sleep will be very helpful in stimulating daily exercise.
~Dr. Van Amstel
Although potbellied pigs are considered miniature pigs (compared to a normal farm hog) their average weight at maturity is between 90 – 150 pounds although overweight pigs can easily weigh 200 – 250 pounds. Common problems associated with obese pigs include fat blindness; arthritis particularly of the elbows; dropped pasterns; prolonged recumbency so the weight gain cycle continue; “casting” – some pigs once in lateral recumbency are unable to get their legs under their body in order to rise; changes in attitude and alertness make it more difficult to detect disease; difficulty in transporting the animal and inability to move up and down steps; exercise intolerance; technically more difficult to intubate for surgical anesthesia.
Body Condition Score (BCS) 2 recommended for pigs up to 8 years old and 2.5 for older pigs
Description:
BCS1: Emaciated
BCS2: Barely visible spine and hipbones. Ribs easily palpable but not visible. Flanks flat (not hollow). Tail head visible. Skin folds on face slightly rounded.
BCS3: Well rounded hips and back. Tail head flush with rump. Flanks somewhat rounded. Fat hump on shoulders becoming visible behind ears
BCS4: Flat back. Larger fat hump behind ears, which are being pushed forward resulting in fat pads between eyes and ears. Tail head recessed into rump. Flanks and abdomen becoming pendulous
BCS5: Extreme obesity. Fat blindness. Eyes not visible
Once a pig is overweight weight loss becomes a problem. Dietary adjustment and exercise are important and the only way to reduce body fat. Scattering low caloric snacks such as greens away from where they sleep will be very helpful in stimulating daily exercise.
~Dr. Van Amstel