Healthy skin starts before your piglet is brought home, just like humans pigs can inherit bad skin from their parents. Another great reason to buy from an ethical certified breeder is to ensure they are breeding for health, if you look over their herd this should be apparent.
Once your piglet is home, their health and their skin is in your hands. If you want to ensure the best possible skin you need to start inside.
Worming is important not just for worms but for mites. One sure sign that your piglet is getting mites is dry flakey skin. If you worm at least every 6 months (I worm every 4 months) you will avoid mites all together. I use Ivomec Swine and Cattle wormer, it can be given orally as well. The dose is 1cc injected for every 70 pounds or 1/2 cc injected for 35 pounds, this dosage is doubled for oral dosage. If your pig is not too finicky you can just squirt over their pellets and they will gobble it up.
Another step is giving a well balanced healthy diet! Too much corn or junk food promotes dry skin, stick to your complete mini pig pellet and fresh veggies, limited fruits.
Top your pigs feed with vitamin E capsule or a skin supplement to help skin from the inside out.
Bathe your pigs only as needed, each bath draws out your pigs natural oils and creates more dryness. For my customers I recommend baths at 6 week intervals if needed.
Daily brushing can stimulate natural oils and your pig will love it.
Lotions only if needed, pick a non scented lotion that doesn't clog pores.
Let your pig play in mud during the summer, this is a naturally healing tool for outdoor pigs. t it, and what got them to where they are.