Routine Health Care
Pot Bellied Pigs
Large Animal Practice offers routine services health services for Pot Bellied Pigs.
- Pot Bellied pigs are prone to a number of conditions due to their body conformation/activity level that can be seriously detrimental to their health. These may include:
- Long overgrown hooves. Poor hoof condition can cause pain, lameness and can greatly reduce the quality of life for your pig.
- Long, sharp tusks that can be dangerous to their owners as well as damaging your pet’s gums and cheeks.
- Loose teeth
- Entropion-This is a condition where the eyelids are inverted and cause irritation to the cornea. This often occurs due to fat accumulation around the eyes that cause this conformational change.
- Waxy deposits in the ears and around the eyes.
Health Services offered by Large Animal Practice
- Hoof trimming
- Tusk filing/trimming as well as dental checkups
- Vaccination and worming
- Eye and Ear cleaning
A note about these procedures:
Due to the handling qualities of pigs, they must be sedated for these procedures.
- Has inherent risks because there are no sedative drugs that are specifically designed for pigs.
- The pig must not be fed or given water after midnight the night before the procedure.
- The owner needs to have an area for the procedure that is safe (no sharp or hard objects) and cool. These are very important for pigs that are sedated as they do not regulate their temperature well under sedation.
- The owner must be able to supervise the pig after the procedure as the sedation can last a significant amount of time after the procedure is finished.
- The pig should NOT be fed until fully awake.