Emergency Hog First Aid page

Emergency Hog First Aid

This is intended to be a guide to emergency first aid prior to a hog being transferred to an experienced hog carer.

The sooner that a sick or injured hog is received by a carer, the more chance it has of recovering. So following these instructions should increase its chances of survival.

Note that hogs often harbor diseases and it is common for them to have ring worm and a gut full of salmonella, therefore, when handling a hog, it is sensible and good hygene, to preferably wear disposable gloves, or gardening gloves.

Put the hog in a high-sided box or cage from which it cannot escape.

Many hogs in need of help are hypothermic and/or dehydrated. A hog is unable to drink or feed until it is warm enough, so the first priority is to warm it up, either with a hot water bottle (not too hot!) or ideally with a heat pad that can be warmed in a microwave oven for about 4 minutes.

Wrap the heat pad or hot water bottle in an old towel or similar material so that the heat source does not make direct contact with the hog, otherwise the hog could be scolded.

Place the wrapped heat source in the box or cage with the hog and place another old towel or similar material over the hog to keep the heat in.

If the box is on the floor, particularly a concrete surface, it will quickly take heat away from the hog and heat source, so place insulating material between the box and floor. Newspapers or polystyrene is ideal. Ensure the box is unlikely to tip over.

Check the heat source regularly and reheat as necessary, otherwise if the heatsource is left to get cold it will take heat away from the hog.

Put some drinking water in a small shallow container and place it with the hog. The top from a tube of Pringles is ideal because the hog cannot easily tip it over, and if it does, there will be only a minor mess.

Check the hog every 15 minutes and note any apparent change in its condition or behaviour.

The hog's body temperature needs to be warm enough to enable it to drink and/or feed. The time needed for this will vary depending on the size of the hog and how cold it is to start with.

Fluid: If the hog is unable to drink by itself, if you have a syringe, try syringing water into its mouth. Note that if the hog is not warm enough the water you are syringing into its mouth could go into its lungs causing further problems, so please be careful.

Rehydration recipe: 1 litre of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar. You can also add blackcurrent juice to make it more appetizing to hogs!

Food: Try giving the hog some food; if it is an adult, kitten food is ideal, but must NOT be dried food as this will cause further dehydration. Preferred foods are white meat such as chicken, turkey, rabbit or lamb and NOT fish or beef and NOT in gravy. If it is a young hog, try giving it puppy milk substitute e.g. Esbilac, or alternatively Goat's milk, via a syringe.