Need help with newborn piglet!!

Hello. I have a newborn piglet (male) that was born 2 days ago. He was not feeding from the mother and when the babies were checked on, he was found by himself and close to frozen. I got him inside right away in a blanket and a heating pad, tried feeding, but he didn't want to eat, probably from being so cold. Once he started to warm up a little bit more, I gave him a warm bath and then got him under a heat lamp. He perked up quite a bit once he was nice and warm. He then started eating and was wanting to eat every 30 min or so. I'd give him a little when he cried, but tried to only feed every two hours. Unfortunatly, all I had was replacement calf milk at the time and it was too late to make it to a store to get some replacement colostrum. His first poop was solid, but pretty soft and brown, after a few feedings it became yellow and a little softer. The next day, I was able to get the colostrum, but he would only eat a very little bit of it. I struggled all day trying to get him to eat it, but it wasn't happening so I had to switch back to the calf milk so he would at least eat something. Then I noticed his poop was more pastey soft and then became more like diarrhea, but still yellow. Today he's been eating really good, since I've switched back to the calf milk and his poop has been the same yellow, but not as watery. I just tried feeding him again about 30 min ago and he didn't want to eat, he only ate a little bit and then I noticed his poop was watery again. I've looked all over the internet and nothing is helping, only making me worry more. Someone please help with any advice or knowledge about symptoms like this. I am trying so hard to keep him alive. He has been peeing fine, so I do not think he is dehydrated and to give more detail about his more recent poop, it seems to be clear and yellow. Looks yellow coming out and then once it his the floor it almost looks like it has clear around it, yellow is inside the clear, if that makes sense.

Have you been adding the colostrum to the replacement milk? Maybe a little at a time, increasing as he gets used to it?

We did, but I guess he just wasn't getting enough. We had an appointment scheduled with the vet this morning and unfortunately he passed away just before we were going to leave to take him.

I'm sorry you weren't able to save him.

Just found this post, and I'm sorry you lost the piglet..... that's a shame.

If it were me I would have injected antibiotics, based on weight. I've found chilled pigs of any age can deteriorate fast, sometimes in two days due to respiratory infections.

I have never used antibiotics on our pigs, never was in that position, but I did have to used them on one sow we boarded for friends. She was raised with cows and didn't know she was a pig. Once in with our pigs she decided to sleep alone outside and got a chill. It was early spring, and the nights were still cold and she was used to sleeping with her cow in a barn. She got worse each day, stopped eating altogether. After one injection, and her own warm bed, she was back to normal the very next day. I continued antibiotics in her drinking water for 3 days after the injection because she wasn't my pig and I didn't want her passing on my watch.

So I'd say - buy some needles and general antibiotics to keep on the shelf just in case of emergencies. The warming and feeding were great first aid, but once something goes to far they can succumb fast. And yes pigs can take cold temps, but it's the shocks to their systems by extremes that can make them sick fast, and sometimes with very few symptoms showing until it's to late.

I hope this helps ~