Be careful when dosing pigs: determine whether the tube is in the esophagus or the trachea

When a pig falls ill, it often has a reduced appetite or even stops eating, which makes forced manual dosing difficult. So how can this problem be solved?

First, hold the sick pig firmly so it stands or lies on its side. Then, use a mouth gag to pry the pig's mouth open, and quickly pass a stomach tube along the tongue, through the base of the tongue, and into the esophagus. Once you have confirmed the stomach tube is in the correct position, inject the pre-dissolved medicine, and after dosing, pump a small amount of air into the tube to empty any remaining medicine from it. Finally, quickly withdraw the stomach tube. It is especially important to note that the stomach tube must never be inserted into the pig's trachea, as this can cause the sick pig's death. Methods for judging whether the stomach tube has been inserted into the esophagus include: (1) Connect a deflated rubber bulb to the outer end of the stomach tube; if the bulb remains as it is and does not inflate, then inflate the rubber bulb and pump air into the stomach tube; if you feel no obstruction at all, this proves the stomach tube has been inserted into the esophagus or stomach. (2) Immerse the outer end of the stomach tube in water; if bubbles emerge as the sick pig exhales, this indicates the stomach tube has mistakenly entered the trachea; if no bubbles emerge, this indicates the stomach tube has been inserted into the esophagus. (3) If the stomach tube has mistakenly entered the trachea, the pig will not squeal or its squeal will be weak; if the stomach tube has been inserted into the esophagus, the pig's squeal will remain unchanged.