Fat camp for mini pigs: How to help your pig lose excess weight
How do pigs lose weight?
You have identified that your pig is overweight, now, what can you do about it? One of the most common reasons pigs are unwanted is because they grow bigger than expected. You cannot do anything about the height or length, that is something that is genetically connected. You are, however, in complete control (well, to a point) of how much your pig weighs, or whether your pig becomes obese or fat.
Pigs do NOT lose weight by exercising vigorously. They lose weight by balancing their caloric intake with their caloric output. Most pigs, especially older pigs, aren't as active as they were when they were much younger. This theory is the same with people, older people aren't usually as active as younger people and as people age, their metabolism slows....pigs are no different. An overweight pig has mobility problems already. It doesn't take long for arthritis to set in and affect their ability to walk or climb stairs. Arthritis can be hastened by a continuous weight gain and no plan in place to help your pig lose weight.
Why are so many pigs fat? Because we overfeed them. We give excessive amounts of treats and "extras". But, because we do not realize how difficult it can be for them to be overweight, nor how easy it is for them to gain weight, but so much harder to lose it, most of us don't realize how out of control it is until our pig starts to have problems with the weight or it is affecting their routines. The same can be said of underweight pigs. These people don't "all" do this on purpose. Some are ignorant to the fact that they're not feeding their pigs an appropriate amount of food. I recently heard of a breeder suggesting iceberg lettuce and 11 (yeah, ELEVEN) pellets twice a day. That is absolutely absurd. NO ONE can survive and live a healthy balanced life with that kind of diet. Unfortunately, some of these people do not know any better and their pigs suffer as a result. This conveys over to obese pigs too. We think we are doing good by our pig in giving them oatmeal with their food, maybe it will taste better, maybe we feel like 1 cup of food isn't enough, whatever the case is, now your pig can hardly walk because you felt it was better for your pig to have this extra food. We do it to them 95% of the time. The other 5% is pigs that do have metabolism issues or glandular problems, diabetes and sometimes just access to areas in our yards that have fattening foods like acorns that they openly feast upon. (Acorns are horrible for pigs, they can suffer acorn toxicity from the tannins, the shells aren't good for the gut and the acorns are super fattening) But I mention these kinds of situations because they do happen.
First and foremost, there is a chart with ideal weights based on height/length and age/sex for people. I haven't been able to find one for pigs yet, but my search continues. I am certain there is one out there, I just need to find it. However, we know that a 6 month old pig who is only 14 inches tall shouldn't weigh 120 pounds with a belly dragging on the ground. Weight isn't so much a factor as much as body scoring is. Body scoring is done using aspects of your pigs body from different angles. You shouldn't EVER look at a pig from only one angle and decide a pig is obese. While some may carry their weight differently, if you see a pig laying down with a super fat face, when that pig stands up, the pig may actually be slightly underweight and not at all obese. Positional fat pockets have fooled people for a long time and created many arguments on social media about the overall health of many pigs. People are quick to tell you that your pig is fat or skinny by looking at one picture you post that may not paint an accurate picture of your pigs overall body shape/score. But YOU know whether or not your pig is, in fact, overweight. So develop a plan to correct it.
Each pigs plan will be different. No two pigs will eat the same amount, they won't even eat the same foods, much less the exact same calories and even if they do? Both will have different activity levels and each diet needs to be adjusted to reflect your pigs specific activity level. Diets will change constantly anyways, in the winter, your pig may huddle up in their outside house to stay warm and may not need as much to eat to maintain their weight, however, in the summer, your pig may be outside in a pasture or field running and digging and playing all day, therefore, your pig may need little extra during this time. Most pigs will graze, if given the opportunity, and will eat grass and leaves (and basically anything else they find), so during the summertime, a lot of pig parents will reduce the amount of grain/pelleted feed so their pigs won't gain excessive weight.
If your pig is gaining a lot of weight, you can encourage exercise by scattering your pigs meals on the ground or inside of a treat dispenser that forces your pig to get up and move around in order to eat their food. If you see your pigs overall body score is heading towards a 4 or 5, cut back the amount of food they're getting. Adjust the times your pig is being fed so they have more daylight to burn off calories. Break meals up into smaller more frequent meals if thats possible for you. There are ways to keep your pig from feeling starved while also being mindful of how much they're actually getting. In terms of exercise, take your pig for a walk. Most pet pig parents do not do this and this type of exercise can be great for your pig and an excellent way to burn off excessive calories. (Be sure to harness train your pig prior to strolling around the block with your pig)
In the wild, pigs eat what they can find. There aren't many overweight feral pigs and that is because they are always on the move and they have to literally work for their food, it isn't put in a bowl to make it easier for them. Measure the amount of food you will feed your pig for the day and set it aside. Taking your pre-measured amount of food and allowing them the opportunity to eat it throughout the day versus 2 bigger meals seems to have benefits. This is more like what would happen in their natural environment where they would search and search and finally find something edible and search and search again until they find something else. Foraging for food is a natural instinct. So, if you are able to offer a diet like that (meaning multiple smaller meals instead of 2 bigger ones), you will likely have a much happier pig. This isn't realistic for many who work during the day, and that's ok, 2 bigger meals is perfectly appropriate as well. Just something to consider. It seems like this would allow your pig to satisfy their natural instinct to forage while also still feeding the same amount of food, just spreading the meals out more. Many pigs that are fed this way do not have obesity issues. These pigs hunger is satisfied and they still get the appropriate amount of food.
Weigh EVERYTHING. If you are truly dedicated to helping your pig lose excess weight, get a kitchen scale and KNOW how much food your pig is getting. The feed manufacturers have come up with a recommendation based on weight, a percentage of their body weight, and their recommendation is to feed 1-2% of their body weight. Well, ideally this would be based on IDEAL body weight and if your pig is obese, this may be too much to help your pig lose weight. Green leafy veggies can make your pig feel fuller longer, so increasing these in your pig diet can help your pig feel satisfied/full while you adjust other parts of their diet (like reducing pellets). Pig Medical Experts that have been consulted seem to agree that 12% protein 3% fat is ideal feed for adult pigs needing to lose weight and maintenance.Your vet is the best person to help you come up with a healthy plan for weight loss. If you have access to a university vet, most have nutritional services and you can request a nutritional consult to help you as well. Many people in the pig community, especially Facebook, have become "go-to" people for pig diet advice. But there are also some with nutrition degrees that offer advice as well. Everything will be dependent on how much you're feeding and how active your pig is. You can tell anyone whatever you want, but if you want to help your pig, you need to be honest with whomever you're discussing it with so your pig can be helped. Put your ego and pride to the side and ask for help. We can certainly offer you suggestions, but honestly, there are a lot of factors that need to be addressed before you cut your pigs feed in 1/2. (Just an example of extremists) Consulting with a professional is always best to be sure your pig nutritional needs are still being met so your pig doesn't suffer from any complications while losing weight.
I realize this page likely isn't exactly what you thought it would be or maybe hoped for, but, because I am in the medical field, not only do I realize the impacts of obesity on the body and its' function, but I also know what the effects of malnutrition are and feel like it would best be addressed by someone who specializes in that field. Weight loss can be dangerous if done rapidly, it can lead to life threatening heart arrhythmias, damage to the GI system, throw off the normal metabolism and glands that secrete hormones that have many functions in the body, so if ANYONE has told you to just stop feeding your pig or reduce the feed to ridiculously small amounts (like 11 pellets a day), listening to that advice may help your pig lose weight, but it will also likely be responsible for your pigs untimely death. Don't listen to foolish advice, you must use some common sense. It is completely fine to reduce the amount/volume of food you're feeding your pig, as a matter of fact, that is recommended and acceptable, but do so gradually so your pigs stomach isn't producing massive amounts of gastric acids for only a small amount of food increasing the chances of gastric ulcers. (An example of how bad advice can affect your pig or lead to complications). So while we agree weight loss may be needed, how it's done is just as important as the weight loss itself. It MUST be done in a way that doesn't shock the system and allows your pig a much greater opportunity to regain any lost functions your pig may have suffered. A pig that is fat blind and non-ambulatory can see and walk again, if the weight loss is done timely and correct. Make better choices with regards to treats, treats don't have to be something super fattening. Treats are just that, something extra and should be limited to training or special occasions for pigs that need to lose weight, nonetheless, choose better training treats such as green leafy veggies instead of the traditional cheerios.
Please refer to our healthy versus unhealthy pig page for more information about body scoring by clicking here and also our balancing diet with exercise page by clicking here. Both of these pages contain GREAT information to get you started. Do some research, reach out to trusted individuals and ask for their input. You are more than welcome to reach out to us, we certainly have the experience (and a vet) on our team and we can help guide you in a safe direction, but do not have unrealistic expectations of your pig dropping 40 pounds in a month. Odds are it took months for the weight to be gained and it will take twice as long to get it off.
Remember, identifying the problem results in determining a solution. Don't feel ashamed because your pig is overweight, don't be scared to ask for help. If someone makes you feel bad for asking for help, that person shouldn't matter to you and neither should their opinion. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help.
Pigs do NOT lose weight by exercising vigorously. They lose weight by balancing their caloric intake with their caloric output. Most pigs, especially older pigs, aren't as active as they were when they were much younger. This theory is the same with people, older people aren't usually as active as younger people and as people age, their metabolism slows....pigs are no different. An overweight pig has mobility problems already. It doesn't take long for arthritis to set in and affect their ability to walk or climb stairs. Arthritis can be hastened by a continuous weight gain and no plan in place to help your pig lose weight.
Why are so many pigs fat? Because we overfeed them. We give excessive amounts of treats and "extras". But, because we do not realize how difficult it can be for them to be overweight, nor how easy it is for them to gain weight, but so much harder to lose it, most of us don't realize how out of control it is until our pig starts to have problems with the weight or it is affecting their routines. The same can be said of underweight pigs. These people don't "all" do this on purpose. Some are ignorant to the fact that they're not feeding their pigs an appropriate amount of food. I recently heard of a breeder suggesting iceberg lettuce and 11 (yeah, ELEVEN) pellets twice a day. That is absolutely absurd. NO ONE can survive and live a healthy balanced life with that kind of diet. Unfortunately, some of these people do not know any better and their pigs suffer as a result. This conveys over to obese pigs too. We think we are doing good by our pig in giving them oatmeal with their food, maybe it will taste better, maybe we feel like 1 cup of food isn't enough, whatever the case is, now your pig can hardly walk because you felt it was better for your pig to have this extra food. We do it to them 95% of the time. The other 5% is pigs that do have metabolism issues or glandular problems, diabetes and sometimes just access to areas in our yards that have fattening foods like acorns that they openly feast upon. (Acorns are horrible for pigs, they can suffer acorn toxicity from the tannins, the shells aren't good for the gut and the acorns are super fattening) But I mention these kinds of situations because they do happen.
First and foremost, there is a chart with ideal weights based on height/length and age/sex for people. I haven't been able to find one for pigs yet, but my search continues. I am certain there is one out there, I just need to find it. However, we know that a 6 month old pig who is only 14 inches tall shouldn't weigh 120 pounds with a belly dragging on the ground. Weight isn't so much a factor as much as body scoring is. Body scoring is done using aspects of your pigs body from different angles. You shouldn't EVER look at a pig from only one angle and decide a pig is obese. While some may carry their weight differently, if you see a pig laying down with a super fat face, when that pig stands up, the pig may actually be slightly underweight and not at all obese. Positional fat pockets have fooled people for a long time and created many arguments on social media about the overall health of many pigs. People are quick to tell you that your pig is fat or skinny by looking at one picture you post that may not paint an accurate picture of your pigs overall body shape/score. But YOU know whether or not your pig is, in fact, overweight. So develop a plan to correct it.
Each pigs plan will be different. No two pigs will eat the same amount, they won't even eat the same foods, much less the exact same calories and even if they do? Both will have different activity levels and each diet needs to be adjusted to reflect your pigs specific activity level. Diets will change constantly anyways, in the winter, your pig may huddle up in their outside house to stay warm and may not need as much to eat to maintain their weight, however, in the summer, your pig may be outside in a pasture or field running and digging and playing all day, therefore, your pig may need little extra during this time. Most pigs will graze, if given the opportunity, and will eat grass and leaves (and basically anything else they find), so during the summertime, a lot of pig parents will reduce the amount of grain/pelleted feed so their pigs won't gain excessive weight.
If your pig is gaining a lot of weight, you can encourage exercise by scattering your pigs meals on the ground or inside of a treat dispenser that forces your pig to get up and move around in order to eat their food. If you see your pigs overall body score is heading towards a 4 or 5, cut back the amount of food they're getting. Adjust the times your pig is being fed so they have more daylight to burn off calories. Break meals up into smaller more frequent meals if thats possible for you. There are ways to keep your pig from feeling starved while also being mindful of how much they're actually getting. In terms of exercise, take your pig for a walk. Most pet pig parents do not do this and this type of exercise can be great for your pig and an excellent way to burn off excessive calories. (Be sure to harness train your pig prior to strolling around the block with your pig)
In the wild, pigs eat what they can find. There aren't many overweight feral pigs and that is because they are always on the move and they have to literally work for their food, it isn't put in a bowl to make it easier for them. Measure the amount of food you will feed your pig for the day and set it aside. Taking your pre-measured amount of food and allowing them the opportunity to eat it throughout the day versus 2 bigger meals seems to have benefits. This is more like what would happen in their natural environment where they would search and search and finally find something edible and search and search again until they find something else. Foraging for food is a natural instinct. So, if you are able to offer a diet like that (meaning multiple smaller meals instead of 2 bigger ones), you will likely have a much happier pig. This isn't realistic for many who work during the day, and that's ok, 2 bigger meals is perfectly appropriate as well. Just something to consider. It seems like this would allow your pig to satisfy their natural instinct to forage while also still feeding the same amount of food, just spreading the meals out more. Many pigs that are fed this way do not have obesity issues. These pigs hunger is satisfied and they still get the appropriate amount of food.
Weigh EVERYTHING. If you are truly dedicated to helping your pig lose excess weight, get a kitchen scale and KNOW how much food your pig is getting. The feed manufacturers have come up with a recommendation based on weight, a percentage of their body weight, and their recommendation is to feed 1-2% of their body weight. Well, ideally this would be based on IDEAL body weight and if your pig is obese, this may be too much to help your pig lose weight. Green leafy veggies can make your pig feel fuller longer, so increasing these in your pig diet can help your pig feel satisfied/full while you adjust other parts of their diet (like reducing pellets). Pig Medical Experts that have been consulted seem to agree that 12% protein 3% fat is ideal feed for adult pigs needing to lose weight and maintenance.Your vet is the best person to help you come up with a healthy plan for weight loss. If you have access to a university vet, most have nutritional services and you can request a nutritional consult to help you as well. Many people in the pig community, especially Facebook, have become "go-to" people for pig diet advice. But there are also some with nutrition degrees that offer advice as well. Everything will be dependent on how much you're feeding and how active your pig is. You can tell anyone whatever you want, but if you want to help your pig, you need to be honest with whomever you're discussing it with so your pig can be helped. Put your ego and pride to the side and ask for help. We can certainly offer you suggestions, but honestly, there are a lot of factors that need to be addressed before you cut your pigs feed in 1/2. (Just an example of extremists) Consulting with a professional is always best to be sure your pig nutritional needs are still being met so your pig doesn't suffer from any complications while losing weight.
I realize this page likely isn't exactly what you thought it would be or maybe hoped for, but, because I am in the medical field, not only do I realize the impacts of obesity on the body and its' function, but I also know what the effects of malnutrition are and feel like it would best be addressed by someone who specializes in that field. Weight loss can be dangerous if done rapidly, it can lead to life threatening heart arrhythmias, damage to the GI system, throw off the normal metabolism and glands that secrete hormones that have many functions in the body, so if ANYONE has told you to just stop feeding your pig or reduce the feed to ridiculously small amounts (like 11 pellets a day), listening to that advice may help your pig lose weight, but it will also likely be responsible for your pigs untimely death. Don't listen to foolish advice, you must use some common sense. It is completely fine to reduce the amount/volume of food you're feeding your pig, as a matter of fact, that is recommended and acceptable, but do so gradually so your pigs stomach isn't producing massive amounts of gastric acids for only a small amount of food increasing the chances of gastric ulcers. (An example of how bad advice can affect your pig or lead to complications). So while we agree weight loss may be needed, how it's done is just as important as the weight loss itself. It MUST be done in a way that doesn't shock the system and allows your pig a much greater opportunity to regain any lost functions your pig may have suffered. A pig that is fat blind and non-ambulatory can see and walk again, if the weight loss is done timely and correct. Make better choices with regards to treats, treats don't have to be something super fattening. Treats are just that, something extra and should be limited to training or special occasions for pigs that need to lose weight, nonetheless, choose better training treats such as green leafy veggies instead of the traditional cheerios.
Please refer to our healthy versus unhealthy pig page for more information about body scoring by clicking here and also our balancing diet with exercise page by clicking here. Both of these pages contain GREAT information to get you started. Do some research, reach out to trusted individuals and ask for their input. You are more than welcome to reach out to us, we certainly have the experience (and a vet) on our team and we can help guide you in a safe direction, but do not have unrealistic expectations of your pig dropping 40 pounds in a month. Odds are it took months for the weight to be gained and it will take twice as long to get it off.
Remember, identifying the problem results in determining a solution. Don't feel ashamed because your pig is overweight, don't be scared to ask for help. If someone makes you feel bad for asking for help, that person shouldn't matter to you and neither should their opinion. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help.
This pig is obviously extremely overweight, thankfully still able to stand. If you notice the ears pointing sideways, this is not a good sign...pigs can suffer from hearing loss as a result of being excessively obese/overweight. This adipose tissue (nicer way of saying fat) can cause a shift in the ears making it difficult for them to function appropriately. Between the gait disturbance, fat blind from fat obstructing the vision, likely arthritis from being so overweight, it is imperative that this pig lose weight to have a happy life.
While it isn't appropriate to look at one picture to decide whether or not a pig is obese, it's clear that these pigs are ALL overweight. Again, notice the ears in the 2nd pig, they're not erect, but instead pointed to the side. This is a classic sign of an overweight pig.
Classic signs of an overweight pig
Written by Brittany Sawyer 2016
08/2017- a post we made on Facebook about obesity. See what others had to say by clicking the link below.
https://www.facebook.com/minipiginfo/posts/1474038049350079
- Inability to see due to skin/adipose tissue covering the eyes rendering a pig "fat blind" (this is potentially correctable once your pig loses weight, sometimes an eye lift is necessary to restore full vision)
- Entropion is a condition that isn't ONLY a condition that overweight pigs get, but it is commonly associated with overweight pigs as well. The eye lashes curl under causing constant irritation and sometimes ulcerations because the lash itself scratches the cornea. There is a surgery that can correct this, but concurrent weight loss is required because this condition can redevelop if the underlying problem isn't corrected. The surgical risks for a larger/heavier pig are also higher, so weight loss is usually required before a veterinarian will agree to do the surgery.
- Fat rolls on the forehead. The forehead should have any role under normal circumstances.
- Ears are sideways instead of upright. This can cause hearing loss as mentioned above. The ears should sit on the top of the head, not the side of the head.
- Belly dragging the ground- potbellied pigs can have a potbelly, but this belly should still have plenty of clearance and not touch the ground. Another issue with a large belly is the inability to detect tumors (or other diseases as they manifest) that may form internally which could potentially be treated, but once the secondary symptoms appear, often times it's too late for a medical intervention.
- Difficulty in walking/rising. Pigs who are excessively heavy do tend to develop arthritis and because of that arthritis, sometimes it is difficult for these pigs to do the smallest tasks such as get up, or walk 20 feet to potty. Very sad to see. Weight loss doesn't usually completely correct this, but it does help. Medications are often needed to reduce inflammation and pain meds are used to help with discomfort. Some overweight pigs aren't able to stand at all, some can only stand VERY small amounts of time.
- Difficulty breathing. This occurs for a couple of reasons. First, since pigs have a small lung capacity anyways, any extra pressure on the lungs (in this case, fat tissue) doesn't allow the lungs to fully explained resulting in a pig who gets short winded easily. The second problem is lack of mobility, this leads to pneumonia in pigs who lay around a lot.
- Easily startled is another sign that your pig is extremely overweight. Odds are your pigs already poor vision has worsened and/or with hearing loss, this group of pigs have no idea you're there. If you reach out to a pig that isn't able to hear or see you, that may indeed startle that pig and may also lead to a pig that bites or seems to have aggression issues, however, it is likely out of fear.
- Depression. This may seem odd, but think about it. A pig that isn't able to freely move around, can't see, has a difficult time hearing and doesn't enjoy running and playing doesn't have much reason to live. There is NOT a great quality of life, so these pigs can easily become depressed and just lay down refusing to get up anymore. This happens in the most extreme cases, but it does happen.
- Foul smell can develop from fungus or yeast that is growing in rolls of fat. Other skin conditions, such as these, can occur without any visible issues.
Written by Brittany Sawyer 2016
08/2017- a post we made on Facebook about obesity. See what others had to say by clicking the link below.
https://www.facebook.com/minipiginfo/posts/1474038049350079