[Gpdd] HEALTH: Hershey needs to gain weight!

[warmbreath]

Two things I know of can be done to restore gut flora, although I would 
advise first 2 things  1. treat for mites and internal parasites with 2 
doses of Ivermectin or Revolution. There are lots of parasites, including 
mites, (there are 5 kinds) that you will not find in tests  2. Do do a fecal 
float to check for obvious worms and such, its a simple test cant be done 
while you are there, skip any scrape tests for burrowing mites, it hurts the 
piggie, and it wont find the other 4 kinds, just treat as above then no 
worries. Wash down his living area real good at the same time he is treated 
and bathed, use vinegar or bleach and really hot water.  Vacuum his area 
with vacuum that has a single moth ball in the bag, then discard the bag or 
contents of the no bag canister right away outside, wash it or install a new 
bag, I dont recommend leaving moth balls in vacuum bags although they are 
great for disposing of dust mites, unless your vacuum is kept in a separate 
room kept closed off from normal activities, like a laundry room or garage

After his the 2 things you can do is go to a respected health food store or 
Whole Foods like grocery and check out their probiotics, usually 
refrigerated. Look for a product with many different kinds of bacteria as 
piggies dont need the kind that make yogurt, they come in capsules you can 
sprinkle on his favorite greens.

Make sure he is eating his own cecal poops, the ones he reaches down and 
snatches as they come out and has gobbled before his head is back to the 
full and upright position. In extreme case or if he lives with other pigs 
you can feed him one from another pig by smashing it with a little warm 
water. The trick is finding one.  Hopefully this would be from a pig who has 
had the ivermectin or Revolution in the previous month so nobody is being 
exposed to new parasites

lastly always make sure he is clean and not impacted down below either from 
his rectum (clean with a q-tip and nose plugs (for you) or the penis 
(slightly different subject) make sure it extrudes all the way and isn't 
gummed up so it wont extrude or pass urine, clean with vegetable oil and 
then a quick bath

Hope these measures help  Sandy and Shipwreck Sam who graced me with a rare 
visit from his pirating adventures and took a bite out of one of my computer 
keys and then gave me that "gee mom, it doesn't taste good look" as if it 
was my fault