Is This A Bite Wound?

[Drezella]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice please. I've had my new boars for 3 days now and they are starting to settle in. There have been a few dominance displays, mainly bum shaking and squeaking noises, but no actual severe aggression or fighting. Whilst my boys were out eating I noticed that Paddy, the less dominant boar, had what looks like some chunks missing from his ear. There is no blood and he doesn't seem in pain but I just want a more experienced point of view. I'm not at a point where I can handle them properly yet to get a better look. I was just wondering whether it's a bite wound, or is it just the shape of his ear? If it is a bite wound then it looks old to me, but I'm going to monitor them closely to ensure that no others appear. The boys used to be part of a trio and lived in a rescue centre, so if it is a bite wound then it could have happened then.

 

[Drezella]

When I look at the picture of Paddy when he was in the rescue centre it looks like he might have had bits missing from his ear then, but I don't know. :/

 

[piggyfan]

Sadly my Mooli has ears like this too from fighting as he also lived as a trio. It looks like that was when your little one was injured as he has the same ears in both pictures.

 

[Drezella]

Yeah it does look like his ear was holey back then doesn't it. I was just worried that it was a new wound, but I don't think that it is. I'm definitely going to monitor them. As I say there hasn't been anything major going on, but there have been a few dominance displays, so i don't want it to escalate into anything bigger.

 

[Wiebke]

Whatever the reason, it looks like he's come with it, so I wouldn't worry. Dominance ear nibbling can sometimes go a bit further; ears can also easily be shredded by a kick.

A number of my rescue piggies has ears like this. My Llewelyn even had half an ear missing!

 

[piggyfan]

I understand. Do not forget boars have to establish dominance in a new environment.

 

[Drezella]

Ooh dear, that's not nice Hopefully that's the end of it.

 

[Drezella]

Yeah I'd say that at the moment Rowen is still top boar but Paddy does do little 'challenges' especially when it involves food or the tunnel as Rowen often steals from him. Naughty piggy.

 

[Piggly]

One of mine likes to pull at his cagemates ears... so now he has little notches missing!

 

[Drezella]

Ohh dear, poor piggy.

 

[A&T]

My Amber has a ear like that.. I think that maybe some pigs just have that? Either that or its probably like the others said, something that happened when they were little little. I wouldn't worry. If it was new it would be bloody and scabby. You'd know if it had just happened.

 

[Drezella]

Right oh, thanks for the advice everyone Panic over now.

 

[Freela]

It does look like it might be a bite wound, but it doesn't look fresh. Sundae has a tear in one ear- I'm not sure what happened, as she had it when we got her, but I assume that someone nipped her at some point in the past. If it was a new wound, it would be bloody or have raw edges. Whatever it was, that looks healed and I'm pretty sure I can also notice it in the second photo.