Boars to be neutered. Advice please.

[Rabswood]

I am taking 2 boars this week to be neutered. My vets are experienced with pigs and I have had all my rabbits neutered there but can anyone tell me a few things I should ask or look out for or any general comments about having the boys 'done'?

Thanks

Rabswood

 

[Glynis]

Hi sorry haven't had that experience, but if you go back onto Barmy4Boars site i'm sure there's something on there to help you.
Other than that someone will be on soon to help you good luck with the little ones :-* :-*

 

[Rabswood]

Thanks, will check out Barmy4Boars.

Rabswood

 

[boysmum]

I had my two previous piggies neutered.

They were both fine after surgery but I was advised to place them on towels or vetbed instead of hay. Their wounds could get spiked with hay and infect the area so just limit their hay to their racks. Towels need changing at least twice a day as you don't want them sitting on wet towels, again for infection. Vetbed would last longer though. Keep them nice and warm. Towels etc need to used for about 2 weeks.

My boys' appetites were unaffected by the surgery, still greedy as anything. Stitches normally come out about a week later. They don't like that bit! THey squirm about and squeak.

Now, the most important thing is check, check, check the site every day. Even after the stitches are removed, keep a close eye on their testicle area, in fact make it part of your daily checks. One of my pigs,. Gordon, was fine then one day there was a huge golf ball swelling. This was an abscess. It is quite common for an abscess to develop and they are nasty. Poor Gordon did not make it, but that was mainly due to the bad advice from the vet with wrong antibiotics etc.

So my advice is, keep looking for any swellings down there. Funily enough, they still retain the appearance of testcicles even though they have been neutered, I was surprised at that. But this is the main thing to look out for.

 

[bevs]

Yep abscesses, as boysmum says, check every day, twice a day even! Mine both developed abscesses 5 days after neutering and had to have antibiotics and daily draining

 

[minky]

Couldnt agree more check them every day Sammy developed his abcess nearly 7 days after op and he was all healed except form some swelling

He is a happy boy now in with the girls !

I shall soon be having Nigel done so yes if you want them to live with girls it is a good idea

 

[Rabswood]

Oh no I'm really scared about abcesses now looks like it is common. Had 3 male buns done no problems. Wondering weather to put the boys through it :-\

Rabswood

 

[minky]

well i was told its 1/200 chance its not to say it will happen to yours

 

[kayjay]

Oh no I'm really scared about abcesses now looks like it is common. Had 3 male buns done no problems. Wondering weather to put the boys through it :-\

Rabswood

I'm the same, I've read quite a few problems with pig neutering on forums yet none I think with male bun neuters, Sue on RU lost her rescue pig after neutering and has sworn never again. I've got two single boys and am really unsure what to do. They seem fine at the moment and I'd feel so guilty if anything happened :-\

 

[Rabswood]

My vets neuter pigs quite often so I am going to give them a call and find out if they have lost any and if they can tell me how many have had problems after the op and what probs they have had, abscesses or what ever.

Rabs

 

[Sehnsucht]

I lost my pig Dusty after being neutered at the vets ( actually while they were " supposed " to be watching him) i wouldnt do it again

but thats just my feelings

 

[cavykind]

Oh no I'm really scared about abcesses now looks like it is common. Had 3 male buns done no problems. Wondering weather to put the boys through it :-\

Rabswood

I've only had one guinea...I think that developed an abscess, so don't worry they aren't inevitable

Barbara

 

[Gaile]

My Boris was neutered just last November and had no problems,he was even bedded on hay and straw, also i didn't really check his wounds very often,but he is fine! Think it's just the luck of the draw!Had a rescue rabbit spayed and 2 weeks later she died no reason,no infection at all.But the vet said that bunny was very fatty when opened to operate,said that the fat may have gone to her Liver?

 

[boysmum]

I know, it really is luck of the draw. My other piggy Angus was absolutely fine and had no probs whatsoever.

With poor Gordon, I remember a vet (other than the one who did the actual op) looking at him as I wanted an independent opinion and he said that it was all to do with where he was cut (too high) and the stitches were too high up and a bit twisted too.

Angus and Gordon were done on the same day by two vets. Obviously one knew what he was doing and the other didn't. The results were obvious.

It's a tough decision. The benefits are rewarding though as Angus now has a harem of admiring lady friends and is enjoying life to the full.

I can only hope that vets become more aware of the problems incurred with these animals when neutering. In the ideal world I think we would all like to pair up a lonely boar with a sow. But it's weighing up the pros and cons.

 

[cocoandfudge]

Hi how much does it cost to have a boar neutered?

 

[minky]

It depends which vets you use it can average from£20 to £70

Phone round first and check them out

 

[cocoandfudge]

Thank you anim

 

[Abnoba]

depends on what your vet charges. I have heard anything from 25 up to 60.

When I had my Marvin neutered, it cost me 40 quid.

Towels are very good btw not just from the point of view that nothing can get to the wound (hay straw bedding) but also if you use a light colour towel, you can monitor if there is any fluids on it that shouldnt be - pus, etc.

The most important things to look out for are really:

a)the boy shouldnt try to nibble on his stitches
b)he should have normal bowel movements, if he isnt, theres something wrong
c)good appetite
d)watch out for any swellings, like mentioned in earlier posts, it might be an abcess.

Luckily with my Marvin I had no problem whatsoever - he didnt touch the stitches, didnt get an abcess, was tucking into his food, and a week after we went to the vet for a checkup and all was fine.
I do recommend neutering even though there have been cases where it went wrong - simply because there are even more cases where it went right, and the boy had a lovely life with his harem.

 

[piggy_crazy]

Hi Rabswood

I had two of my piggies neutered it cost me £130.00, I'm in the uk and the vet advised me to keep them seperate so they don't pull each others stitches out and that they must stay warm so they stayed in the house to recover.The operation took place last Monday and they had a check up on Wednesday, I couldn't go because of my work commitments, later on that morning my mum phoned to tell me that Skipper wasn't well, his bowel was protruding through his rectum and they wanted £100.00 upfront to operate on him and they couldn't guarantee this would not happen again, I had to have Skipper put to sleep because he was suffering and it seemed the kindest thing to do. The vet seems to think the problem wasn't caused by the operation but by stress.

My other piggie Skippy however has made a full recovery and is now residing with his girlfriends and is as happy as Larry, i also will not be repeating this experience not because of the expense, but because I lost a beautiful piggie that I hoped to spend a long time with.

I hope I haven't put you off the operation, and that everything works out for you and your piggies.

Gill

 

[Darky]

£130 for two!?

Good Lord. :C

My piggies are at the Vet now, it's only costing £60 to have the pair done.

 

[Rabswood]

Yes price does vary from vet to vet. Mine charge £38 per pig.

I made enquiries re abscesses etc and the vet said that hardly any of the pigs they have neutered have had complications after the op. I checked out the pain killers and anesthetics they use and they are all safe for pigs. The boys will be done.

Thanks for all replies.

Rabswood