GENERAL  HEALTH.......

 These are just a few tips for good Potbelly Pig health. If you have serious concerns about your pig's health consult a veterinarian immediately.

Potbelly Pig Normal Body Stats
Temperature 101-104 Degrees F
Pulse 70-110 per Minute
Respiration 20-30 per Minute
Puberty 2-4 Months
Estrus 19-25 Days
Gestation 106-113 Days
Average Litter Size 4-13 Piglets
Adult Size 60-175 Pounds
Full Growth Never 

Vaccinations:
Atrophic Rhinitis Annually
Erysipelas Annually
Leptospirosis Annually

Ivermectin 2x annually or more if severe manage infestation

We recommend these vaccinations yearly, whether you have 1 pig or a bunch. All vaccinations are given in 2cc dosage. We use the loose skin on the flank area. Sometimes a pea size lump will appear at the vaccination sight and remain for 2-3 weeks. This is normal.

Hoof Care
Potbellies need regular hoof pedicures. Some, more than others, depending on the type of surface they spend there time on. In most cases the front feet need more attention than the back. Be careful of the "quick". This can grow into an overgrown wall. If blood starts to ooze, stop immediately. Their foot trim is one of the most important parts of their health care, as proper hoof care will prevent most crippling as the pig ages.

Nutrition
Being involved in the rescue aspect of Potbelly Pigs, improper nutrition is one of the most common forms of abuse we see. Many people think pigs will eat anything and so they feed their pigs everything. Pigs should be fed Pig Food. A Potbelly Pig's weight should be monitored monthly. Their food should be rationed and the ration should be increased with age. Older Potbellies should be fed twice daily. Along with rationed food you may give your pig a children's chewable vitamin and a vitamin E.

Treats may be given in between meals but these should be limited to fruit such as raisins, grapes and bananas, or unsweetened cereal.

Overfeeding your Potbelly Pig is abuse! You know how your body reacts to excess weight; imagine theirs. Obesity may cause life threatening problems for your Potbelly Pig including eye problems, blindness, lameness, stress, heart problems, inability to exercise and an inability to escape physical danger. Obese pigs need extra amounts of fluid, such as water or juice, to survive but avoid drinks with added sugar. Proper nutrition is the only way to prevent obesity.

Internal Parasites
Symptoms: hair loss, coughing, low grade fever or bloody diarrhea.
Most Potbellies are worm free. If you are concerned about parasites, collect a clean stool sample and have your vet check it out. Ivomec and AtGard are excellent de-wormers.

Mange (treated with Ivermectin) may need several treatments with severe infestation.

Potbellies get two types of mange.
1. Demodectic-small nodules that look like small blisters or sores that may contain a creamy paste. This type does not infect other animals or humans.

2. Sarcoptic-caused by a mite, the symptom is severe itching. The pig may do more damage to himself by scratching than the mange itself. This type does infect humans and other animals.

 

POT BELLIED PIGS, CHILDREN AND PETS

Pot belly pigs and children sometimes do not get along well together. Pigs are a herd animal and need to establish dominance over those they see as weak, such as small children. They will even do this to adults, but figure out quickly that this is a losing proposition.

Pigs sometimes see small children as something they can dominate. This is not to say that some will not get along with children. They will. But, potbellied pigs do have a pecking order. If you have one pig and a child or children, the pig may attempt to become the 'dominant' pig of the house.

Another potential problem is that children sometimes tend to hit or mistreat pets either in play or because they think the pet did something wrong.

When it comes to pot belly pigs you should NEVER hit them. They WILL remember!

TIP: If you are trying to teach a pet pig something and you use the old approach of hitting them when they do not do what you want (sort of like what many people do with dogs or, unfortunately, their children) you can pretty much bank on them NEVER, EVER doing what it is you are are trying to teach them. When it comes to teaching your pig, patience and FOOD are what will win out!

POTBELLIED PIGS AND CATS

Pigs and cats make great companions. If you think your pet pig needs a companion, then a cat may be the answer. We have 9 pigs at the sanctuary and the cats are often found snuggling on top of the pigs in their beds..

POTBELLIED PIGS AND DOGS

Pigs and dogs can get along, but for the pigs sake they should NEVER be left alone together. They should always be supervised. Now why do we say this?

Dogs are predators by nature and pigs are prey. If something upsets the dog, and it is the pig, it is natural for the dog to attack. And normally it is the pig that startds things, but the dog will finish it.

They should NEVER be fed close to each other. If you are not going to be around, make sure you have your dog and pig separated.

My male, Ziggy, who was a throwaway, almost had his face ripped off by the dog of his previous family. This happened over food. So, if you are going to have a pig(s) and a dog(s), just know that you MUST supervise them constantly.

From our experience, pigs that have been around dogs tend to be more aggressive in their behavior around people.

NEVER LEAVE THEM ALONE TOGETHER!

Dogs and pigs should NEVER be unsupervised or left alone together. Again, it is the law of nature...dogs are predators and pigs are prey. While some dogs do well when pigs are young there comes a time when the dog has something the pig wants (like food) and pig will not back off like another dog. Then there is a problem.

While some dogs tolerate the pig they also get their blood in an uproar when or if that piglet starts screaming. Even the best natured dog can lose it with a pig. Not that the pig doesn't ask for it because they won't back off but that's of no help to the pig when the dog decides he has had enough.

Almost every week there are E-mail's of a dog somewhere who has killed or hurt a pig. Many times it is a dog and pig that have lived together for years. But, something happens and the pig pays the price.

Those of you that have dogs, please NEVER leave them alone with the pigs. Even the most well behaved dog can blow his cool and the pig WILL pay the price.

Then there are dogs that will run a fence with the pigs on the other side and literally run the piglets to death. That pig scream is an open invitation to a dog. There are people that have lucked out but the luck may not be everyone's and again its not worth the risk. Anytime you put two species together with one being predator and one being prey you can have problems.

POTBELLIED PIGS, HORSES AND GOATS

Goats and PBP's can get along, but in this case it really depends on the disposition of the goat and the pig. Some people that have Pygmy goats said that when fully grown they did get nasty with the pig(s).

Seems the Pygmy goats like to head butt and I have heard of several cases with serious results. In our experience the goats tend to be very agressive with the pigs and we usually separate our pigs from all other animals except the cats and baby goats without horns.

"Play" to a horse or large goat or dog can result in severe injury to the pig. We would suggest that the pig has plenty of places to easily escape any larger or more aggressive animal, Potbellies in general are very docile and submissive unless provoked to the point where they feel threatened.

As with any animal they do have their own personalities and it will depend on the individual animals as to if they will get along or not.