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Spiral
Colon Stricture & Bypass By Bruce Lawhorn,
DVM, MS.
WHY
VACCINATE YOUR POTBELLIED PIG? by: D. Bruce Lawhorn,
DVM, MS, May, 2002
HOW
TO KEEP YOUR POTBELLIED PIG HEALTHY
by: Arlen M.
Wilbers, DVM
MONITORING
YOUR POTBELLIED PIG, WHY BOTHER? by:
Chris Christensen with the Veterinarian's
View by : Dr. Lisle George
TEETHING
HOT WEATHER PROBLEMS
by: Dr. John Walton and Dr. Oliver Duran |
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Spiral
Colon Stricture & Bypass By Bruce Lawhorn, DVM,
MS.
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The
Duchess Fund received information about this potbellied pig
that had surgery at Texas A&M University and felt it was
necessary to make the following available to pet pig owners
and their veterinarians. Our efforts continue to enlarge the
amount and enhance the quality of data available to the
individual practitioner relative to the care and needs of
potbellied pet pigs as a long term companion animal. We also
promote, encourage and support research that leads to an
extended life as well as optimal quality of life of pet pigs.
We operate solely by
donations and your continued donations are crucial for us to
continue our work. You can now donate by credit card by going
to the Make a Donation page
or send to:
The Duchess Fund
408 - 14th St. S.W.
Ruskin, FL 33570
813-641-3013
FAX: 813-645-1625
Email:
[email protected]
“Duke” had been
anorexic for about a month. He was defecating some and
drinking a little water. He was evaluated at the Texas A&M
University Veterinary Medical Center and our initial exam
showed a normal looking geriatric potbellied pig with normal
temperature, elevated respiratory rate (from car ride and
handling) and possibly enlarged abdomen. The ultrasound was
not fruitful due to layers of fat. Regular abdominal x ray
(with “Duke” awake and standing) showed loops of
intestines distended with gas and a completely full stomach
(even though he had not eaten for a month except for a few
bites of watermelon that morning). The owner had been getting
some
dry feces out of rectum with a gloved hand and speculated he
was just very
constipated.
I was able to get out
some feces with a lubed, gloved hand on the day he arrived.
Arrangements were made to xray the stomach the following day
to see if it was emptying (supposed to empty in about 5
hours). The next day, the x ray was done and the stomach was
still full of ingesta. Although it is impossible to
radiographically visualize any non-radio opaque foreign body
such as a sock or towel, gastric foreign body was still in our
differential diagnoses. Based on these findings, exploratory
surgery was scheduled as soon as possible because “Duke”
was becoming more uncomfortable.
This was a grueling 4
hour surgery that didn’t begin until 5:00 PM. After the
stricture of the spiral colon was identified, a typhlotomy
(incising the end of cecum) was performed to get the gas and
contents out of the spiral colon before the intestines could
be manipulated. Then the spiral colon bypass was done using a
side-to-side anastomosis technique. The third procedure (first
two were typhlotomy and anastomosis) was a gastrotomy (cutting
into the stomach) and removal of most of the stomach contents
to
search for possible foreign objects (none found). Each of
these procedures is a major surgery. To resolve his problem,
it was necessary for “Duke” to undergo these three major
surgeries at one time. “Duke” remained in the hospital for
a number of days following the surgery at which time he ate,
drank and urinated. On the 6th day he passed feces and was
sent home with the owner and he completely recovered.
For a detailed
description of a recent, almost identical surgery performed on
another potbellied pig, see JAVMA, Vol. 222, No. 10, May 15,
2003, 1408 Scientific Reports: Clinical Report, “Spiral
colon bypass in a geriatric Vietnamese potbellied pig” by
Mark A. Gallardo, DVM,; D. Bruce Lawhorn, DVM, MS; Tex S.
Taylor, DVM, DACVS; Michael A. Walker, DVM, DACVR.
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WHY
VACCINATE YOUR POTBELLIED PIG? by: D. Bruce Lawhorn, DVM,
MS
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The
subject of annual vaccinations in dogs and cats is currently
being debated. Such a debate is not really pertinent to
potbellied pigs (PBPs). For example, Texas State law requires
an annual rabies vaccination in dogs and cats even though many
rabies vaccines in these species are labeled for 3 years
protection. In my particular area of Texas, the Texas
Department of Health area veterinarian recently reported that
we have 3 times more confirmed cases of rabies in wildlife
(bats, skunks, raccoons) than the same time last year (and we
had a lot last year!). The Texas Department of Health is
currently holding a series of public meetings on 3 year versus
1 year rabies vaccinations. Many veterinarians express concern
about the compliance by pet owners with 3 year rabies
vaccinations versus one year, especially in very transient
population areas where client compliance with routine
vaccination is already low. A high percentage (at least 70
percent) of the cat and dog population in an area need to be
properly vaccinated to effectively minimize the spillover of
rabies from wild animals to pets and then to humans. Note that
rabies is almost always fatal in people. This is the main
issue.
The need for yearly
vaccinations for distemper, parvovirus, etc. in dogs and
feline distemper, rhinotracheitis, etc. in cats is also being
debated within the veterinary profession (these are mainly
vaccines against viral diseases). Vaccine-induced sarcomas in
cats have actually been the catalyst to drive these debates.
Logical alternatives to routine annual vaccinations against
viral diseases are less frequent vaccination with vaccines
known to last longer than a year (there are very few of these
- mainly rabies vaccines) and/or blood testing to indicate if
the pet still might have a presumed protective antibody titer
from previous vaccinations (the presumed protective titer for
distemper, parvovirus, etc. in dogs and distemper,
rhinotracheitis, etc. in cats in published research is based
on a minimum number of studies with very small sample sizes).
The cost of blood testing for an antibody titer may actually
be more expensive than routine vaccination which has been done
for decades.
This debate does not
really apply to PBPs because none of the routine vaccinations
(mainly bacterial vaccines) such as erysipelas, leptospirosis
(6 types) lasts for more than 6 months. There is no approved
rabies vaccine for any type of swine and no company will go
through the expensive vaccine approval process when there are
no more than 0-3 reported confirmed cases in the U.S. every
year (would be a very small market for an approved swine
rabies vaccine!). Nevertheless, at the discretion of the
attending veterinarian and with the owners consent, PBPs have
been vaccinated with killed rabies vaccine. For example, in
situations of a wildlife rabies epidemic within a state,
veterinarians might be allowed by state veterinary authorities
to vaccinate PBPs after the owners understand and sign a
release that explains that there is no scientifically-proven
evidence for efficacy and duration of protection from the use
of this particular killed rabies vaccine in pigs. Also, the
PBP owner must agree that if their rabies vaccinated PBP is
truly exposed to a rabid animal (e.g. through a bite wound),
for the protection of human health, the PBP would be
immediately euthanatized and the brain submitted for rabies
testing.
PBP owners and
sanctuary operators need to understand the rationale for
routine vaccination. PBPs, like other pigs, get
disease-causing organisms from their dam (called sow-to-pig
transmission), littermates or exposure from any other type of
pig such as in sanctuary situations, flea markets or county
shows. Organisms such as Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Actinobacillus
pleuropneumoniae (APP), Strep species, Mycoplasma
species, Haemophilus species various viruses, E.
coli species (in gut) and a multitude of others reside in
the lymphatic system in areas such as the tonsils, lymph nodes
and gastrointestinal tract. Staph and Strep
species and many other bacteria populate the skin. External
parasites such as sarcoptic mange mites reside in the skin.
These organisms can cause disease right away (if there are
enough of them) or just quietly wait it out until the PBP is
stressed by some event (transportation, extremes of heat or
cold, pregnancy, lactation, malnutrition, cancer or
re-occurring infectious disease). So this is the scientific
explanation for sickness from an infectious disease in a PBP
that has not been around another pig in months or years!
Sarcoptic mange is an
example of sow-to-pig transmission that is easy to understand.
A young pig that is exposed to sarcoptic mange from his dam
and/or littermates is populated on the skin with only a few
mites. The PBP is then taken to a home at a young age and 3-4
months later is itching and scratching and has crusts above
the hooves, around the head and ears and on other parts of the
body (all the time the mites have been breeding, multiplying
and spreading within tunnels in the skin until this condition
is obvious). In about 50 percent of cases, the owner has itchy
red spots on the arms and abdomen which are also sarcoptic
mange lesions. The owner takes the itchy PBP to a veterinarian
and a skin scraping taken from multiple sites reveals
sarcoptic mange mites and mite eggs! Normal PBPs do not have
sarcoptic mange mites on skin scrapings. So the diagnosis is
made and an Ivomec (ivermectin give SC) or Dectomax
(doramectin give IM) injection is given and repeated in 14
days (ivermectin) or 21 days (Dectomax). If this PBP is never
again exposed to sarcoptic mange mites and the correct dose
for the weight of the pig is given (presumed to be the same
dose for PBPs and domestic swine - directions on the label),
the pig should look much better in 2 weeks and be cured with
no further treatments. Although people to pig transmission of
mites has never been proven, the owners should get treated to
avoid any possibility of giving mange mites back to their pigs
(Of course, owners also need treatment to get relief from
their itching!).
Likewise, in a PBP, the
bacteria and viruses that originated from their dam or other
pigs can be unapparently carried, and disease can then occur
after stress (sometimes the stress event is not easy to
pinpoint!), even in the total absence of any other pigs!
These are reasons for
vaccination of the PBP, even if it is the only pig in the
household.
Other reasons to
vaccinate PBPs relate to human health and legal issues. When
PBPs were first presented as possible licensed pets in cities,
lawyers from municipalities wanted to know which vaccinations
should be required. Since there are no approved rabies
vaccines for any type of pig, these could not be legally
required for registration. So, erysipelas, a very common
disease of pigs that could be transmitted to people, (called a
zoonotic disease) was selected as one disease to vaccinate
against as an annual requirement for PBP licensing. (30-50
percent of domestic swine carry erysipelas organisms and show
no disease.)
Also, leptospirosis
(lepto) is a common disease (usually subclinical - not
apparent) of domestic swine. Domestic swine get lepto from
urine of other infected swine, other livestock and rodents.
Lepto is also a zoonotic disease and was chosen as another
required vaccination for PBPs for municipal pet licensing
(should vaccinate against 6 types of lepto to include all
common pig types!). Note that leptospirosis in people is
usually a flu-like disease. It used to be called "swine
herder's disease" since it was very common in pig
herdsman. So the idea behind vaccination of PBPs for lepto-6
is to prevent lepto infection, or to decrease the PBP urine
shedding of lepto in the case of subclinical or "silent
infection" in the pet. In either case, the human risk of
catching lepto from the vaccinated PBP would be minimized.
So these are the
reasons for initial and at least yearly vaccination of the
PBP. Usually, APP (3 types - fatal pneumonia disease in pigs)
are included with the erysipelas - a combination vaccine (one
shot) and lepto-6 is another vaccination (one shot). Give both
injections once then repeat in 3-4 weeks followed by at least
annual boosters. Vaccinations are more imperative when large
numbers of PBPs are congregated in one area, but it has been
explained how even an isolated, household PBP can have a
clinical disease such as erysipelas.
Note that vaccine
reactions can occur in any species of animals. These occur
more commonly on the second vaccination of initial series or
on boosters. Veterinarians use an epinephrine injection IM as
an initial therapy for a vaccine reaction. Additional therapy
may be necessary. Those PBPs showing adverse reaction to a
vaccine should not be revaccinated with the offending vaccine.
Another topic that has
not been discussed much is tetanus. It definitely can occur in
PBPs! Soil contamination of wounds, typically after castration
when the incision site is left open, is how it typically
starts. PBPs that stay outside in a lot are at the most risk.
For prevention, initially administer tetanus toxoid once (0.5
cc IM, Tetanus Toxoid, Ft. Dodge) then 4 weeks later followed
by an annual booster (it is not known how long immunity lasts
in pigs but may be longer than 1 year). So tetanus toxoid
vaccine can be given at the exact same time erysipelas-APP
combination vaccine (Pneu-Pac-ER, 2cc IM, Schering) and lepto
vaccine (2cc IM, Brativac-6, Pfizer) are given. Alternatively,
these vaccinations can be staggered and given on separate
days.
Remember that any wound
on a pig that could be contaminated with dirt could be a way
that a pig gets tetanus (prompt initial cleaning and daily
cleaning of wounds prevents infection!). Tetanus antitoxin
(500-1000 units IM depending on size) should be administered
by veterinarians (or dispensed by veterinarians to trained
personnel to be administered to PBPs) to any PBP undergoing a
routine foot trim, tusk trimming, etc. If a PBP has received
adequate vaccinations (two initial doses) with tetanus toxoid
2 weeks or more before the foot trim, tusk cutting or other
procedure that creates a wound, tetanus antitoxin
administration is then unnecessary.
Based on the above
information, it is important that PBPs not be exposed
unnecessarily to commercial swine due to possible transmission
of infectious disease organisms that have not been diagnosed
in PBPs (eg. exposure at local, county, state fairs and
exhibitions). Significant sickness and mortality in PBPs could
occur as a result of such exposure.
In summary, the
scientifically-based, valid reasons for routine vaccinations
in PBPs have been discussed.
Bruce Lawhorn, DVM, MS
Professor/Extension Swine Veterinarian
Texas Cooperative Extension Service/Dept Large
Animal Medicine & Surgery
College of Veterinary Medicine
The Texas A&M University System
College Station, Texas 77843-2487
979-845-4353 (p)
979-862-3795 (fax)
E-mail: [email protected]
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HOW TO KEEP
YOUR POTBELLIED PIG HEALTHY by: Arlen M. Wilbers, DVM
The mini
pig has become an increasingly popular companion
animal, largely because of its relative
intelligence, strong human bonding
characteristics, and trainability. Pig ownership
has led to many problems, including legal
battles, human-pig conflicts and the general lack
of health care knowledge among owners and
veterinarians alike.
GOOD
HEALTH
Feeding:
Many factors affect the physical health of your
mini pig; however, one of the most important
common mistakes is overfeeding, thus over
conditioning of mini pigs. This is probably due
to the concept we have entertained since
childhood of a fat, rounded pig who will eat
anything. But remember the fate of that pig?
Healthy body condition does not include a
pendulous belly and fluctuant jowls. Ribs should
not be visible, but should be easily felt. Jowls
should not obscure the jaw and fat rolls on the
face should be absent.
Obesity
predisposes your pig to tendon deformities in the
legs, poor foot wear, and entropion that may
progress to mechanical blindness. Obesity also
puts your pet into a bad surgical risk category
should emergency surgery be necessary, not to
mention long term heart problems and other organ
failures.
How much
to feed depends on your pigs condition and
activity level and must be adjusted as needed.
There is no easy formula. Diet should consist of
a commercial balanced and formulated mini pig
food, grazing time, and small vegetable treats.
Dog and cat foods are too rich in protein and
calories and are not balanced for pigs. Fruits
have sugar in them and these tend to increase
weight gain. Many owners supplement vitamins.
This is usually unnecessary if the pigs are on a
commercial diet but rarely causes a serious
problem. Consult your veterinarian concerning
your pig's condition and diet.
Environment:
Proper environment is also important in
maintaining health. Another common problem is
irregular foot wear and lack of exercise leading
to dropped pasterns. As was said earlier, weight
is a contributor to this problem. Foot trimming
has become necessary in companion pigs due to the
surface they live on. Carpets, hardwood floors,
grass and linoleum do not wear feet enough to
keep up with nail growth. Allowing the nail to
become long shifts weight back onto the padded
heel and stretches the flexor tendons over time,
which in turn causes less exercise and an
acceleration of this condition. This can be
avoided by keeping weight off your pet and
exercising on a granular surface such as
concrete. If this is not possible, frequent
trimming will be necessary.
Many other
factors contribute to good health such as
consistent feeding, water consumption, and
avoidance of toxic substances or plants.
Emotional factors such as corrective discipline,
affection, bonding, pecking order, and boredom
are also extremely important and would require
entire articles to do justice to them.
SELECTING
A VETERINARIAN
One of
the most important decisions you will make in the
health of your pig is which veterinarian you will
use. Most veterinarians are either farm animal or
companion animal oriented. Companion animal
veterinarians in general are unfamiliar with pig
diseases, medicines, and physiology and are
uncomfortable handing pigs that can be quite
vocal and disrupt their practice environment.
Farm animal veterinarians are more familiar with
pigs but not in a companion form and may find it
difficult to incorporate pet animal mentality
into their thinking. Also farm vets are no longer
available in many areas, so choosing a vet
becomes a serious dilemma.
Here are
some recommendations that may help. First, make
sure the practitioner is willing to learn, has a
personable manner, and is willing to say "I
don't know." Ask about their experience with
mini pigs. Talk with other pig owners who use
that veterinarian and listen to their opinions
and experiences. Find out about vaccinations used
and routine care practiced by the veterinarian.
Here are some guidelines.
Vaccinations:
Vaccinations should include Erysipelas,
Bordatella, and Pasturella on a yearly basis
after an initial double dose at 6-10 weeks and
12-14 weeks. Tetanus should be given on a yearly
basis. Leptospirosis 5-way and Parvovirus are
recommended for breeding females. Be careful -
reactions to lepto vaccinations are common.
Rabies is not approved for pigs. Pigs are
resistant to rabies and are very unlikely to
contract this disease. Cat and dog vaccinations
are unacceptable. Lymes vaccine is not approved
in pigs. Remember, vaccinations are expensive and
if they are doubtful in value, should be avoided,
especially since occasional reactions do occur.
Anesthesia:
Anesthesia - technique, use and type are
extremely important and could greatly affect the
health of your pig. Inhalant anesthesia, using
Isofluorane and no pre anesthesia such as
atropine or physopyrilate, is probably the
safest, easiest and best. Quick recovery and few
side effects are expected. Halothane should be
safe as well since the malignant hyperthermia
gene is not present in mini pigs. Injectable
anesthesia is seldom a viable alternative.
Injection
sites in pigs are difficult to reliably know if
the dose was administered to fat, muscle, or
blood, which in each case can have a widely
different effect on level of anesthesia and
recovery time. Violent recoveries are the norm.
If IV catheters are present, injectable
anesthetics are much cheaper and more effective.
Anesthesia
should be used for castration, spaying, entropion
surgery or any major surgery. Anesthesia is not
necessary for hoof trimming, vaccinations or
trimming of small tusks. As tusks increase in
size, anesthesia may become necessary. In
general, less anesthesia, less risk.
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MONITORING
YOUR POTBELLIED PIG, WHY BOTHER? by: Chris Christensen
with The Veterinarian's View by : Dr.
Lisle George Why go to the vet
for yearly exams?
General
Exam: Just like us, pigs need a general check of
their heart and lungs, and general condition.
Vaccinations:
With younger pigs, it is probably a good idea to
give them annual vaccinations. There are pig
diseases out there that could kill or harm your
animal and could be spread to other pigs. Older
pigs (after 5 or 6 years) probably have their
immunities built up. If you have a problem with
mange or worms, you can give injectable Ivomec
orally on a cracker every 3 months with probable
success. It has worked in all cases I"m
familiar with.
Rabies
vaccinations are another problem. There are no
rabies vaccines approved for pigs, so many vets
won't give them. Yet we have cases on record of
pigs, who have bitten someone, being confiscated
by authorities and killed so that their brains
can be checked for rabies. Some vets give a
rabies vaccine, but I don't know if that would be
recognized as sufficient by authorities.
Hoof
Trimming: Very important. Pigs whose hooves are
allowed to grow too long can develop serious leg
problems. One of the pigs greatest problems is
getting those spindly little legs to support that
pot belly. Long hooves shift the weight back and
break down the hoof and ankle structure. If the
pig is overweight, it will, of course, increase
the severity of this problem. This is a situation
that many pig owners take care of without the
help of a vet. You can try sprinkling food on
concrete surfaces daily to help your pig wear
down his hooves. Beware if the pig is only used
to soft surfaces. This may be uncomfortable on
the pigs legs and could possibly cause hoof
cracking. Introduce this process slowly. You can
also hold the pig and trim the hooves yourself
with a cutter, file or even an electric dremmel
tool. This will be stressful to both you and the
pig. You may be able to slowly train your pig to
let you trim his hooves when he's laying down to
get belly rubs or when he is eating. Just a
little at a time and don't force it.
Tusk
Trimming: Some people just let the tusks grow.
(You can tell by the scars on their legs.)
Problems this can cause are the obvious ones of
inadvertent or advertent injury to you or others
(including other pets) from these built in
weapons. They also may get caught in fencing,
furniture, garden equipment, etc. causing injury
or damage. The other problem is that tusks can
curve back into the mouth or cheek area
puncturing the skin. Blunting the tip of a tusk
is not much of a problem but may involve you
having to restrain the pig. Trimming the tusk
down to the gum line is more involved. It should
be done with an OB cutting wire and if the pig is
awake, care must be taken to keep the tusk from
being drawn into the lungs of the screaming
animal.
Eye and
Ear Cleaning: These cleaning tasks can usually be
accomplished when the pig is at rest. Use of
liquid ear cleaners has created problems with
temporary (up to a month) loss of hearing
resulting in some cases.
Teeth
Cleaning: Preventing decay is desirable, but
probably not essential.
OTHER
CONCERNS:
Beware if
you have multiple animals and one has been
sedated. Keep the sedated animal away from the
rest of the "herd" until it has fully
recovered, plus an hour or so. Reintroducing a
not fully recovered animal to the herd can cause
a readjustment of the herd order (i.e. fighting).
Always observe the herd after any animal is
reintroduced and be prepared for possibly serious
altercations. We have seen cases of serious
injuries after animals have been reintroduced.
We also
are starting to see a problem with older pigs (5
years or more) being given health checks. Extreme
care must be taken if these pigs are sedated to
keep the sedation as light as possible and for as
little time as possible. Also restraining older
pigs has led to stress related deaths. Those of
you who have been paying attention are now
asking, "If I can't restrain them and I
can't sedate them, how do I treat them?" No
easy answer. We plan to try and keep the hooves
down on our animals by feeding on concrete and
hoof trimming when they'll allow it. We're
letting the tusks grow until they become a
problem.
Vaccinations
on our older pigs shouldn't be needed unless
rabies starts being required. Eyes and ears can
be handled on a stress free basis. If tusk
trimming or other needs make anesthetic the only
choice, it will be Isoflurane at the lowest
settings and for as short a time period as
possible.
Isoflurane:
Pigs are very sensitive to anesthetics and I have
observed changes in the way Isoflurane gas is
used over the past nine years that are
significant. In the past settings of 5% to put
the pig to sleep and 2.5% to 3% to keep it there
were rather commonly used, and I suspect still
are. When the pig is first put under with the gas
the vaporizer should be set at no more than 3%
and a full face mask is used until the pig goes
to sleep. During this procedure the pig is
usually on the floor in the lower half of his
crate with the owner holding or restraining him.
The pig is then placed on a table and the full
face mask is replaced by the proper sized
"cat mask" (looks like a sink plunger
with the edges rolled in) which fits over the
snout allowing access to the mouth area. At this
time the Isoflurane setting should be reduced to
2.5% and then 1.5% to 2%. In this final range the
pig may be slightly conscious. The goal is to try
and keep the pig in the range right at the edge
of being conscious. When procedures are over, the
pig is returned to the crate. The Isoflurane is
turned off, and oxygen is administered as the pig
wakes up. There may be some slight reaction as
the pig becomes fully conscious but nothing like
what occurs when a pig comes up from injectable
anesthetic.
Again
anesthetics are not good for or entirely safe for
any living thing, but high levels of stress
(terror) aren't either. Until we reach the point
of communications with these animals that they
truly trust everything we do to them, some form
of stress or anesthetic will be required for just
the simple procedures to keep them in good
health.
I hope
some of you find this information helpful or
enlightening. This is a rather compressed
version. It would take a small book to cover it
in detail. If you need further information on
some of the details or on where to get some of
these supplies please contact me. If you have any
corrections or additional information, please let
me know. If you would let us know some
information about the veterinarian you use, we
will pass it on to others or publish it in the
newsletter for our members. We are constantly
hearing from members who need a veterinarian in
their area, but we seldom have much information
to share. We're still learning about these
precious creatures. We've had very little time to
find out how to share our lives with a potbellied
pig. I only hope we are doing what is best for
them. They certainly do a lot for us. Chris
Christensen
Dr. Lisle
George of U.C. Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching
Hospital, one of the nations top experts on
potbellied pigs, was kind enough to read my
article and respond to it with some suggestion.
We as a club have been very fortunate to have Dr.
George's professional support for both our
personal animals and the hundreds of rescue
animals that have passed through our foster pens.
Without his support this club would have been out
of business as a rescue organization years ago
and without his dedication and knowledge our
potbellied pigs would not have the level and
quality of medical care that he and his graduates
have provided. Dr. George is presently in the
process of finishing a much needed veterinarian
medical guide on potbellied pigs.
The
Veterinarian's View by: Dr. Lisle George
The
article is excellent - thanks for writing it,
Chris. I only disagree on one point, and it is
only based upon a judgment that I've made by
anesthetizing a lot of pigs using different
techniques. My personal preference is to use 1
mg/kg of Telazol as a preanesthetic unless the
pig is very tractable and is harness trained. In
my opinion, the problems with Telazol stem for
injection of the drug into the fat instead of the
muscle. I insist that the pigs be given the drug
with a 3.5 inch spinal needle inserted into the
semimembranosus/semitendinosus muscles (hams).
The needle must be inserted at least 2/3 of the
length before the drug is injected. Standard 1.5
inch long needles deposit the drug into the fat,
and that leads to recovery problems.
I feel
that a single injection of Telazol is preferable
to making an excited pig breathe into a mask
containing a stinky gas. I get fewer scars on my
stomach too because I have to hold the pigs while
the gas is being delivered, and they are pretty
good at filleting my hide with their back hooves.
Gas administration takes 1 to 2 minutes, and I
have had pigs stress out during that time. Much
better, in my opinion, to give a quick shot and
wait for the pig to go to sleep, than to allow
the pig to struggle while inhaling gas.
I agree
wholeheartedly that obese or old pigs should not
be anesthetized if possible, although, in
competent hands (our anesthesia service), we have
had 100% survival rate in obese, sick and elderly
pigs using Telazol followed by intubation and
Isoflurane delivery. For foot trims and other
procedures where we don't want to anesthetize the
pigs, we restrain them on our pig tilt table. The
pigs are tilted onto their sides while being
restrained in a squeeze chute. They can't move,
and don't seem to struggle too much. I have
restrained at least 2 dozen pigs that way,
without mortality.
An
Isoflurane setting of 5 on the vaporizer
indicates that 5% of the inspired gasses are
Isoflurane. In my opinion, a vaporizer setting
>3% is too high, and represents an unnecessary
risk factor. Pigs die from these high settings,
and I have seen and been told of pigs that died
of over doses of Isoflurane. I would never put
the machine up that high. That doesn't mean that
all pigs die after inhaling gasses containing 5%
Isoflurane, but the risk of apnea and cardiac
fibrillation is much greater than if the
vaporizer is set at 3%.
Reprinted
With permission from California Potbellied Pig
Association Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
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TEETHING
From the
age of two weeks, Boris, my eldest potbelly
resided in our house. Keeping a pig indoors isn't
the easiest thing to do, but I have to say apart
from a minor problem where he ripped our kitchen
carpet, he was perfectly well behaved.
What I did
notice though, and quite a few people who, like
myself, have pigs that live indoors have also
commented on, around the age of 9 months he
became a bit miserable at times and wanted to
chew his toys. He had a strong piece of rubber
pipe that he used to stand with chomping away for
ages. Around this time I was stumped as to why he
was behaving in this way. He didn't have a
temperature, he wasn't off his food and he
certainly seemed to be fit and healthy. Then I
noticed that these episodes, although they never
lasted long, coincided with him losing his first
teeth and his new ones cutting through. After
finding out when the first teeth are shed and the
permanent ones are growing, it all fell into
place. My poor little chap was teething like a
human baby. Other people have also noted their
pigs behaving like this when teething. Yes I did
go off to the chemist and purchased some teething
gel. I'm not really sure whether it did help but
he seemed to like the taste and enjoyed having
his gums rubbed.
Pigs
usually start losing first teeth and growing
permanent ones from the age of 5 months but this
may vary slightly from pig to pig. The following
is to show you when this may occur, but bear in
mind all pigs may differ slightly.
Birth:
The little pig has two pairs of sharp pointed
teeth in each jaw, top and bottom, placed so
there is a distinct space between each pair.
These are the two temporary tusks and the two
temporary corner incisors. These are the only
teeth present at this time, although some of
the temporary molars can be felt through the
gums.
1 Month: The two central incisors, which are
broader than the tusks are cut also three
molars come through the gums.
2 Months: Temporary central incisors are
fully through and there are signs of the
eruption of the laterals.
3 Months: The lateral temporary incisors are
well through, and the temporary molars are
well in wear.
5 Months: There are signs of the cutting of
the premolars and the fifth molar (a
permanent) is seen behind the temporaries.
6 Months: The premolars are cut, and the
fifth permanent molar is in wear.
7-8 Months: There are signs of the cutting of
the corner permanent incisors. The permanent
tusks may also be cutting at this time.
9 Months: Corner permanent incisors are well
through as are the permanent tusks. In many
cases one or two temporary tusks may still be
in position at this time. The tusks will be
more developed in the male sometimes reaching
a length of 3-4 inches on the upper jaw and
as much as 8 inches on the lower jaw of an
aged boar. The tusks of females do not
develop to this size.
1 Year: Generally the central permanent
incisors are cut, a large number of pigs do
not cut these teeth until they are around 13
months old. The 6th permanent molar is cut.
Just after 1 year the three temporary molars
fall out and their places are taken by the
permanents. They are in line with the other
molar teeth three months later.
17-18 Months: When the final changes occur,
the 7th molar, the last permanent molar tooth
and the lateral permanent incisors are cut.
Now your pig will have all his permanent
teeth, 44 in all. It has been found that
there is a great variation in the hardness or
the softness of the teeth so the rate of wear
is irregular. A great deal depends on the
nature of the food your pig eats, also if the
pig has an undershot or overshot jaw then
wear will be irregular. Many boars when
fighting break their tusks. An adult pig will
not have a mouth full of white shining even
teeth like a film star.
It is
important to remember though at any age your pig
could have a mouth problem, just as we humans do.
It is especially important to seek expert advice
if your pig is showing signs of pain, difficulty
in eating his food, swelling around the jaw area
or losing permanent teeth.
Used With
Permission From The Potbellied Pig Club, England
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HOT WEATHER
PROBLEMS
by: Dr. John Walton and Dr. Oliver Duran, The University of
Liverpool Just recently the outdoor temperature
has been very high indeed and this has resulted
in almost unbearable indoor conditions also. This
type of weather presents many difficulties for
both black and white skinned pigs who do not have
the opportunity to find shade or a wallow.
The ideal
living condition for pigs outdoors is a wooded
area with hollows and hills giving direct
protection from the sun, wind and rain. Fallen
leaves and branches provide good bedding and
there will be lots of "goodies" to eat
as well. Many domestic pigs are kept outdoors and
the only protection they get from the elements
may be a tin shed or a wooden hut. In the summer,
both these can be extremely hot so the pig is
forced to go outside in an attempt to get some
cooler surroundings which of course will probably
not be available and there will be the added risk
of hot direct sunlight. These conditions will
soon give rise to sunstroke which can be fatal if
the pigs remain outside in the sun without shade.
If a pig
is suspected of having sunstroke then it must
immediately be provided with shade, kept quiet
and hosed down with cool water. If the pig starts
having convulsions then the vet must be called to
administer a sedative, but one word of
caution...pigs with severe sunstroke may not
recover. If the sow is pregnant then an attack of
sunstroke often leads to an abortion with all the
litter being lost.
Pigs kept
indoors during very hot conditions run the risk
of heat stress because of prolonged exposure to a
hot atmosphere. Lots of drinking water must be
provided for both indoor and outdoor pigs and if
possible a wet wallowing area provided.
Alternatively a water shower or dripping water
from a length of hose can be made available to
enable the pigs to cool down.
Do not
attempt to mate pigs during the heat of the day -
wait until the cooler evening time but remember
prolonged hot weather can cause boars to become
temporarily infertile so try and keep them cool
by providing a shower or a drip hose. You may
only recognize that your boar was affected by the
heat when mated sows return to estrus 21 days
after service.
Appetite
may be somewhat irregular with prolonged hot
weather but you must make sure that fresh
drinking water is always available especially for
pigs that are normally given a wet mash feed. Do
not let uneaten food become sour or moldy as this
might produce future health problems if it is
eaten at a later date.
Of special
concern will be the extremely overweight pig. As
you know pigs do not have sweat glands on their
body except in a very few places such as around
the nose with heat being usually lost from the
body by panting through an open mouth. It is most
important to provide these very heavy pigs with
shade, a wallow or a shower. If they are getting
over-heated then try and cool them down with
water from a hose or use an electric fan to blow
air over them. Do not make "hot" pigs
take physical exercise ....just allow them to
rest as much as possible in a quiet, cool place.
Another
major problem with hot weather is sunburn.
Remember that just as with ourselves, skin can
burn even on overcast days when there is not any
direct sunshine. Obviously the best course of
action is to prevent sunburn. So just like the
advice above provide lots of shade in a cool
area, sun screen lotions can be applied but never
use oils such as motor oils or cooking oils. Both
of these will damage the skin and neither do they
keep out ultra-violet "sun burning"
rays.
Often
indoor pens or boxes have no mechanical
ventilation and even though a half door may be
left open often the temperature inside can be
very high indeed. If no system is available to
produce some air movement then a drip or shower
hose is needed to enable the pigs to get wet and
then cool down by evaporation. Open as many
windows and half doors as possible. Provide some
form of shade if direct sunlight is entering the
box and it would especially help if a fan could
be fitted to move the air about inside the pen.
Points to
Remember During Very Hot Weather:
For
outdoor pigs: Provide shade out of direct
sunlight and a wallow big enough to allow the
whole pig to get in but not so deep that it
covers the snout when the pig is lying down. Do
not force exercise. Make sure fresh drinking
water is always available.
For indoor
pigs: Provide shade from direct sunlight and
provide a drip or shower hose and if at all
possible give some air movement by attaching a
fan to the wall. Avoid mating during the heat of
the day. Make sure that fresh drinking water is
always available.
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