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Fresh Stuff
My pigs are given fresh stuff most nights, they
are given any or a combination of the following
Celery Curly Kale Carrot (not well
liked)
Spring Greens Spinach Beetroot
Brochilli Tomatoes Apple
Melon (most varieties) Cauliflower Leaves
One a
week they are fed on either Graze on or Readigrass, they seem to like
both of these products, they are available from most horse shops.
Hay
I get
my from a farm, a bale lasts me about a week, I have 2 suppliers and
both are a good quality hay.
Bedding
My lot
are bedded on Sawdust, some people say that his can cause respiratory
problems, hand on heart I have never experienced this, Recently I have
tried Dengie Medibed, the plus side to this product is that it is much
easier to clean, the negative side is that is doesn’t absorb as well as
so there for the pigs do get a bit wet. I have now started using a
mixture of both Sawdust and medibed and that seems to work quite well.
Dried
food
My lot
don’t have a set dry food, it is what ever I get, they have no problem
with swapping and changing foods, they just prefer on food sometimes to
another, I use a wide range of branded food and a few foods that are
mixed by suppliers.
Vitamin
C
Each
week I put ½ a vitamin C tablet in the water bottles, this does 2
things, one makes sure that they are getting the vitamins they need and
2 gives me piece of mind that they have had enough to keep them
healthy.
Ivomec
& Panacur
These products are used for cattle, cats and dogs
to prevent Worms,
fleas and ticks, it does the same for the guinea’s. I have never,
touchwood, had a problem with any of the following. Ivomec treats one
spectrum of fleas, ticks and worms, and Panacur treats a different
spectrum, it is important to treat them with both. I do my stock every
12 weeks. The dose for the Panacur is 0.4ml in a guinea pig over 12
weeks and Ivomec, I use a horse paste and give them a pea sized amount
again every 12 weeks. I also use it as an opportunity to weigh and clip
claws.
Products I use when I have a problem.
Colds
Like
us Guineas get cold and like us feel rough, the best way I have found
is to increase the vitamin C intake and give them o.4ml of Sudafed and
0.4ml of Calpol each morning and evening, this will make them feel a
bit better in the same way it would us, however if the symptoms
continue for longer than 7days please take the animal to the vets and
get it checked out, I had a pig that appeared to have a cold but had an
allergy to readigrass. Another thing you can do is a small amount of
Vicks Vapour Rub on their noses to make breathing a little easier.
Diarrhoea
If
your pig gets diarrhoea, this can be fatal to Guineas, the best way I
have found is to remove all fresh fruit and veg and give the pig a dry
diet, just hay and dry food, using a Diaclam tablet, take the powder
out of the table and put it into a syringe, mix with water, and feed to
the pig best way you can. If in 12 hours there is no improvement please
take the guinea to the vets for an examination. Also check that the pig
is eating and drinking. If they aren’t action should be taken before
the 12 hours.
Cystitis
This usually affects sow’s , but can affect
boars, this is identified by blood in the urine and squeaks been given
out when passing urine, treat as you would a human with cystitis,
dissolve on sachet of cystocalm or a similar product in water and get
the guinea to drink as much as possible, if there is no improvement in
24 hours please consult a vet as these symptom can indicate that the
pig could have a bladder stone, this is easily diagnosed and treated.
Cuts
& Bruise
Again
treat as you would a human, clean the wound, make sure there is nothing
in there, since you are unable to cove it or dress it the only way you
can do anything with it is to put cream on it, I use savlon, E45 and
Johnston’s Tea Tree Cream, it is available form pets at home.
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