Surgical
Procedures in the Pet Pig
This section is provided for information only. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you
of the necessary procedures and techniques required for your pig. Please always follow your veterinarian’s
advice.
Preparation:
Remove
pig from feed and water for 8 hours.
Clean pig.
Sedation
It may be necessary to
sedate a pig prior to surgery, the veterinarian will make an appropriate
choice.
Prior to most surgical
procedures a degree of anaesthesia will be administered. This can be given by injection and/or by gas.
There are many different combinations of
medicines which can be used to achieve sedation or anaesthesia.
For example:
Intramuscular injection of Telazol® -
xylazine-ketamine mixture (“TKX”). Reconstitute powdered Telazol® with 250mg xylazine (2.5ml) and 250mg
ketamine (2.5ml). Dose at 1ml/25-35kg
Alternative could be intramuscular injection of xylazine 0.5-2.2 mg/kg
IM and Telazol® 3-6 mg/kg IM.
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Telazol, xylazine and
Ketamine being administered to a pir |
Inject intravenous sodium thiopental
to effect into an ear vein. These can
be difficult to see in black pigs |
Gas Anaesthesia
In many long operations gas
anaesthesia is used as this is a very safe form of anaesthesia. Owners can help their vet tremendously by
training their pig to accept a mask over their face, particularly if you make
it part of a game at 3-6 months.
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Anaethesia may be maintained using the mask taped to the pigs snout. |
If
gaseous anaesthesia is required, use intranasal intubation to administer the
isoflurane. Note pigs may be halothane
sensitive resulting in |
In
hospitals it is possible to intubate a pig, but special pieces of equipment
are required as the pig’s throat is very long |
Surgical
issues
Fat blindness |