Maintenance
When properly cared for, most porcines tend to be hearty, healthy animals. Sanitary housing, clean pasture, nutritious food and plenty of sunshine will greatly reduce health problems. During daily contact with porcines, watch for any unusual physical or behavioral changes. Symptoms indicating a sick porcine include: poor appetite, weakness or staggering, labored breathing, or abnormal temperature. Consult a Beastcrafter immediately if of these symptoms are noticed. Porcines may need their hooves trimmed, particularly older porcines that are less mobile. A Beastcrafter teach the proper way to perform this procedure. Male porcines will also need to have their teeth trimmed every two to three months. This is important as teeth can cause severe injury to others during play and normal daily activities. A Beastcrafter can also teach the proper procedures for trimming teeth.

Common health problems
Colds - Porcines, like people, are susceptible to colds, particularly if their shelter is drafty or if they're exposed to rapid temperature changes. Symptoms include loss of appetite, listlessness, coughing, and discharge from eyes. A fever may also be present for a couple of days. If symptoms persist or grow worse, consult a Beastcrafter.

Limping - Due to their abnormally large weight, porcines will often suffer from stiff and sore joints. This is basically a form of joint ailment, and some porcines will grow out of it, others will only get worse with time. Unfortunately it is often incurable, but you can ease your porcines discomfort with pain relievers generally used with humans. If a porcine is limping, check to make sure there is nothing caught in his/her hoof. If it continues for more than a few days, consult a Beastcrafter for appropriate treatments and pain relievers.

Worms - Though good sanitation will greatly reduce worm problems, you should still have your porcines checked regularly for worms. Loss of weight and greatly increased feed consumption are signs of worm infestations. Medication to treat worms in geese can be obtained from a Beastcrafter.

Hoof Infections - Hoof infections are a very common problem among porcines because of their excessive weight. Symptoms include: limping, swelling of foot, foul smelling discharge and bleeding. If any of these symptoms are noticed, consult a Beastcrafter. If left untreated, infections will become progressively worse. It is very important that treatments be followed aggressively, as hoof infections can spread quickly and can cause serious problems for porcines.

Heat Exhaustion - Porcines suffer greatly from the heat mostly due to their inability to sweat. Symptoms of heat exhaustion would include: elevated temperature, weakness, muscle tremors, labored breathing, lethargic staring, vomiting, and collapse. Contact a Beastcrafter immediately if any of these symptoms are noticed. Meanwhile, it is important to cool the porcine off as quickly as possible. There are several ways to reduce a porcine's temperature: hose him or her down with cool water, apply cold packs around neck, chest and between back legs. Beastcrafters may recommend that the porcine be given a cold water enema, however this will prevent getting an accurate body temperature for the porcine. Be sure to move the porcine out of direct sunlight; if he or she cannot be moved, set up a temporary shade shelter with tarps or sheets.

See Also: No articles yet

Referenced By: No articles yet