[Gpdd] HEALTH: Baby Truffles not really eating

[Penny Charlesworth]

I am sure that Baby Truffles is missing her mother but she must continue to 
eat or she will go into gut stasis.

Any Piggyfriend that is eating poorly by themselves is always given 
supplementary feeding either via syringe or by encouraging them to eat by 
giving tiny strips of veggies and, like ME posted, offering dry feed.

Quite often, after a syringe feed, they will carry on and take a few strips 
or some fine grass if I start them off.

I don't use Critical Care but make up a pellet slurry mixed in equal parts 
with either instant mashed potato or Readybrek for the roughage. Made up 
just stiff enough to hold together but still go down a 1ml. syringe with the 
end cut off, this is readily accepted by most piggies.

We have all been so worried about Blossom that I have forgotten why Truffles 
was not eating in the first place. I believe that you said that the vet 
checked her teeth? I remember that you have been giving her probiotics.

When it is hard to guess why a piggy is not eating, first I eliminate a 
tooth problem and then I often try some gas meds and painkiller whilst I am 
panicking what to do next. It will not hurt a piggy to be given either of 
these even if they are not required. It is no use me suggesting brand names 
as I do not know what is available in Hawaii but I am sure that Sandy and 
others will come up with suggestions.

Do keep up with the syringe feeding. Our friends in the US always recommend 
canned pumpkin as a supplemental feed and from their posts I gather it is 
available as a natural product i.e. unsweetened etc. I have never seen a can 
of pumpkin so I am no authority on this. I guess that my equivalent in 
England would be mashed banana, which is easy to syringe feed.

Best wishes and hugs for Baby Truffles.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.