By Daniel, Animal Care Manager
Fall at Odd Man Inn means weighing more than 150 pigs, giving seasonal medications and vaccines, and getting ready for the cold, wet winter ahead. Cooler temperatures make it easier to tackle work that is harder on everyone in the summer heat. Here’s a closer look at how we adapt that care to each pig’s needs.
One Ivermectin Donut Please!
Healthy adult pigs living in a clean sanctuary environment generally do well when it comes to parasites. Still, pigs who graze and root around in the soil will inevitably pick up some internal parasites, most commonly large roundworms.
Thanks to regular deworming and a clean living environment, we rarely see signs of parasite-related illness at Odd Man Inn. Twice a year, in spring and fall, we administer ivermectin to all our pigs as part of our routine preventative care.
We also keep an eye on which parasites are circulating among our pigs. When pigs visit the hospital for routine care, we sometimes have fecal exams done. These tell us about the individual pig and help us monitor parasite exposure throughout our pig community. So far, the parasites identified in these exams have responded well to ivermectin.
Whenever possible, we give the dewormer orally rather than by injection. Our pigs aren’t big fans of shots, and ivermectin injections can be particularly uncomfortable because of the volume involved, especially for our bigger residents. The catch? Ivermectin doesn’t exactly win any taste awards!
Thankfully, a little creativity goes a long way. Peanut butter sandwiches usually do the trick, though we’ve occasionally resorted to injecting cupcakes and donuts with dewormer for our pickier residents. Each pig’s dose is calculated based on their individual weight, so there’s a bit of math behind those treats too. Shout out to all the math teachers out there who told me algebra would definitely be useful one day. Who knew?
Seasonal Weigh-In: Move Over, Dog Scales!
Individualized care means knowing more than just who’s feeling under the weather. Accurate, up-to-date weights help us calculate medication doses for every resident, following guidance from our veterinary partners.
They also help us prepare for emergencies. If a pig is sick or injured, we don’t want to make them climb onto a scale before we can calculate a medication dose. And when our vets come onsite for procedures requiring sedation, having a current weight is essential for safe, effective care. Keeping good records is one of the ways we help our veterinary partners do their jobs as efficiently as possible.
Of course, weighing more than 150 pigs, including some weighing over 800 pounds, is no small undertaking! We need multiple staff members, heavy-duty equipment, and plenty of patience. Most dog scales simply won’t cut it, so we use a scale made for weighing cows that can handle our heaviest and longest residents, like Ezekiel.
Each neighborhood has a designated area where we can handle routine medical needs, from tusk and hoof trims to baths and weigh-ins. Twice a year, we set up the scale in each neighborhood and get everyone across it. We’ve also called on volunteers like Angela, Darci, Trish, and Steph to help guide pigs onto the scale and help with record keeping.
Tracking weights over time also helps us spot changes in individual pigs and across our pig community.
What the Weights Tell Us
Our pigs’ weights tend to stay fairly consistent from year to year, though we see some seasonal changes. During the summer, they typically eat a little less and get more exercise. In winter, they spend more time resting and need extra calories to stay warm.
Bigger changes in either direction can tell us it’s time to adjust our routines. Tucker, for example, does just fine eating with GenPop but needs a second breakfast to maintain his weight. Meanwhile, Mr. Martini and Jane need a little help avoiding overindulgence at mealtime, so they get smaller, separate portions.
It’s all part of making sure each resident gets what they need, not just what works for all of them as a group.
Just Like Us, Pigs Need a Fall Booster Too
Vaccines are another important part of our preventative care routine, protecting our pigs against several diseases throughout the year. With so many pigs spread across a big area like GenPop, getting everyone vaccinated can be a challenge. Over time, we’ve fine-tuned our approach to make the process as efficient and stress-free as possible.
Timing makes a big difference. During summer, many pigs spend their time tucked away in the holler, where dense foliage makes them tough to find. And no one wants to hike up and down these hills carrying a cooler full of vaccines in 95-degree heat and humidity!
Winter isn’t ideal either. Vaccination can place some stress on the immune system, which is already working hard during cold weather. Fall offers a much better window for getting this work done.
One of the vaccines we administer is Farrowsure Gold B, which protects against several diseases, including leptospirosis. We pay particular attention to this disease in the fall because, several years ago, we experienced an outbreak in GenPop with most cases occurring in late fall and winter.
We vaccinate against leptospirosis twice a year, and timing the fall round carefully helps ensure our pigs have protection heading into the months when we’ve historically seen the greatest risk.
One of the vets we work with also comes out each fall for our annual rabies clinic. We used to hold the clinic in summer, but the pigs spend a lot of time in their wallows then. That means a lot of muddy skin, which makes it much harder to give injections cleanly.
Over the years, we’ve streamlined the clinic considerably. What once took multiple days and multiple vets can now be completed by a single vet in just over a day. Day two is usually reserved for the few clever escape artists who manage to evade us on the first round.
The Pigs Keep Us Busy!
Along with deworming, vaccinations, and weigh-ins, we’re cleaning barns, preparing for winter, increasing food rations, and tackling plenty of other jobs all while the days are getting shorter.
It’s a lot to fit in. But fall is also a beautiful time of year here, and we’re proud of the work our team and volunteers put in to keep the Sanctuary Babes healthy and comfortable through every season.
