[Gpdd] HEALTH: Food

[Sandra Oliver-Poore]

You might try mixing in some Alfalfa hay with their timmy hay if they are 
undernourished and do not have kidney or stone problems as alfalfa is higher 
in calories but also higher in protein and calcium than timmy which is 
normally not desirable, but that manna is sweet if I remember and that isn't 
good at all for them and that sweetness may be what is ruining their 
appetite for regular food, and can quickly lead to diabetes. Critter B 
Better comes pelletized and is very healthy and good for underweight 
piggies.  How much do they weigh?  Maybe they are a good weight, we are used 
to seeing chunky piggies. Also if they are getting no Vit C fresh food then 
they need a supplement 30 mg to 50 mg day, the Critter B better fixes that 
as does any high quality pellet if they eat enough of it, I supplement Sammy 
with C as he prefers hay to pellets.

Did you ever figure out the cause of the diarrhea? Check for Giardia or 
clostridium? Both have affected piggies on our digest.  Pleased make sure 
they get their parasite protocol every 3 months. With parasites accounted 
for, diarrhea is just not common esp food caused unless the odd ingestible 
fruit is present and I know you haven't used those.   That's why I bring 
this subject up again. We had one case where antibiotics masked the presence 
of giardia symptom wise, but the parasite ended up killing the pig as it 
wasn’t treated completely with the flagyl. These are the latest words I have 
from Ann Evans on the diarrhea subject "Diarrhea is caused by parasites, 
giardia being one of them but can also be caused by fungi and bloody 
diarrhea is almost always clostridium. But you are correct flagyl will kill 
bacteria and some parasites. Dose 40 mg/ml PO 0.4 ml  BID for 10-14 days. 
(the conversation was about flagyl for giardia, if giardia antibiotics and 
anti inflammatories like Rimadyl are also given to help repair the damage 
giardia does, these brackets are my words, but please keep in mind that 
antibiotics alone will not cure giardia)
Sandy with Sammy and AR at sea