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There are many common ailments that affect pigs that we humans
are subject to as well. One of these common diseases is
arthritis, another is cancer. Then there are blindness and
hearing loss. Old age affects us all and here are some tips to
make the life of an aging pet pig more comfortable.
A pig's appetite may diminish as it gets older and it may become
thin. Being thin is never good for a pig and can cause serious
health risks. A change to a different or better hog feed with
more protein may improve your pig's appetite. Getting more greens
into your pig's diet will not only improve its diet but it will
help prevent disease and make it healthier. Leafy greens are
essential in a pig's diet and if it is getting older it may not
like to graze as long as it used to so you need to provide the
roughage that it isn't getting through grazing.
Nutritionist suggest feeding eggs to your pigs as they are high
in valuable protein, fat and oils and are very digestible. You
can also feed your pig nuts as nuts are high in protein, oils and
fats. Be sure to buy the unsalted nuts. The more vegetables you
can get into your pigs the better it is for them.
Don't feed you pig laxative pig feeds as they can cause
uncomfortable gas. Feeding your pig fresh vegetables should
provide the fiber he needs to be regular. Carrots, red or green
leaf lettuce, Romaine lettuce, and spinach are all well liked by
most pigs. You can also feed some fruit as a treat, but only
every now and again and in small quantities. Never feed your pigs
candy or other processed sugar sweets as it is bad for them.
Make sure that your pig is getting plenty of fresh water,
especially as it gets older. Water lubricates the joints,
improves digestion and promotes overall good health. Feeding it
plenty of fresh veggies will help keep your pig hydrated as well.
Again, it is essential that you provide plenty of fiber from
fresh green vegetables and fibrous fruits to pigs that don't
graze as much as they used to in order to encourage your pig's
immune system to keep functioning. But don't give your pig the
processed fiber that some humans ingest. This can cause a bowel
obstruction that can be fatal. There really is no substitute for
fresh veggies and fruits.
Constipation is often a problem in elderly pigs and changing
their diet to a fresh vegetable and more fibrous diet and
balancing it with good high protein hog feed will usually correct
the problem. Get the most out of life and the life of your pig
and your pig will be happier for it. But, of course, do nothing
without first consulting your veterinarian.
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