Hair Loss On Longhaired Sow.

[Jesse's pigs]

My friend's longhaired sow has recently had three babies- all doing well and eating,popcorning etc. The sow is just over a year old and she herself has been healthy with no complications during birth etc. However,my friend returned home to find that her hair is a lot shorter as though someone had trimmed it- though no one has. I have read that it could be barbering and wondered if the pups had perhaps chewed it? She has checked her fur and found no signs of mites or irritation. She is going to the vets but for now would like some peace of mind. Thank you for your help.

 

[helen105281]

It is definitely possible that the little ones have been barbering it, but good that she is getting her checked in case as they can also self barber if there is pain for any reason. With mange mites also the hair can look broken half way down the shaft.

 

[Wiebke]

My friend's longhaired sow has recently had three babies- all doing well and eating,popcorning etc. The sow is just over a year old and she herself has been healthy with no complications during birth etc. However,my friend returned home to find that her hair is a lot shorter as though someone had trimmed it- though no one has. I have read that it could be barbering and wondered if the pups had perhaps chewed it? She has checked her fur and found no signs of mites or irritation. She is going to the vets but for now would like some peace of mind. Thank you for your help.

There are two possibilities - she is either self-barbering (when the shot-hair cut is in areas that she can reach well) or it is a baby barbering her; in that case the short-hair cut is also in areas she'd struggle to reach. Ideally, you want to catch a dedicated barber red-pawed for confirmation!
Barbering ( Eating Hair)