Neutering boars: experiences/advice/vets in the north east etc.

[AudioHeart]

Hello,

I have been researching as much as I can on the internet, books etc on netuering boars, but i wondered if anyone on here could give me an advice or experience on neutering boars.

Also, if anyone in the North East area could recommend a cavy savy vet I have got Judiths number at First Vets from the NEGPR website so will be giving her a call when the time is right!

I also wondered how many sows can be housed with a boar, and what age is best to bond sows with boars.

Thank you in advance for all your very helpful info.

pxoxo

 

[Rilenceny]

Wiebke has 10 sows with her boar I believe, and my Boston would have 10 sows after 2 weeks down too.

Age? I believe age doesn't really matter much though.

 

[lauralucy]

hi

i think its all about how much time, space and money you have.

billy had 7 girls, went down to 6 and now has 3.
nelson also has 3. i think it all depends on personality. nelson loves all girls but 2 of my sows hated him age i dont think matters, billy is 2 and has 2 1 year olds and a 8 months old.
nelson is 8 months old and has 2 2 year olds and an 18 month old.

dont no if that helps?

 

[AudioHeart]

Wiebke has 10 sows with her boar I believe, and my Boston would have 10 sows after 2 weeks down too.

Age? I believe age doesn't really matter much though.

Thank you for your reply I wasnt too sure if boar/sow pairings would be difficult like boar pairings which i know too well is difficult.

hi

i think its all about how much time, space and money you have.

billy had 7 girls, went down to 6 and now has 3.
nelson also has 3. i think it all depends on personality. nelson loves all girls but 2 of my sows hated him age i dont think matters, billy is 2 and has 2 1 year olds and a 8 months old.
nelson is 8 months old and has 2 2 year olds and an 18 month old.

dont no if that helps?

Hello,

Thank you so much for your reply :rose I have worked out I can afford two sows ontop of my three i have now , and a double 5ft hutch for him and his ladies to move into.

Thank you again, i didnt know if boar/sow pairings would be difficult, whether you had to have similar ages or a large age gap etc, as i was worried over arguements!

 

[flintstones]

When it comes to neutering there are always risks involved. It isn't always a guarantee that pigs will get on male or female. Be worth taking him Sow dating should you go ahead with the Op.

I did have Milo neutered, I do think it stunted his growth though as he was a small pig when he was neutered. In hindsight and reading many stories of neuters gone wrong - I doubt I will have another pig neutered although Milo's neutering was success with no problems afterwards.

As for a Trio, I Did have a Trio and found Pebbles was a third wheel which is why I bonded her with Patrick.

 

[Pebble]

Aww bless, I understand you want to give Percy Roo the best piggie life...(and he is completely adorable - sorry Harvie and Artie - you are both adorable too especially after seeing those piggie lips.....but you have each other and Percy Roo is all on his tod)

I personally would caution against any neutering or spaying...particularly neutering in view of my own experiences. So the main thing is to question the vet concerned to feel sure they really do know what they are doing.

Aside from immediate surgical complications of abcesses (reactions to suture material etc so you need to ask them what they would use and also what anaesthetic and what pain relief post op)....Neutering is much more risky than people make out in terms of long term problems (adhesions causing gut stasis)...esepcially if it has not been done by a very cavy savvy and experienced vet.
Here's what happened to my lot:
Bandit - post op abcesses (plural), finally sorted after two ops and now living forever with the fact one very deep abcess could reactivate. He also now has problems expelling his caecotrophs because of adhesions . Netuered by locum vet.
Beechie - neutered boar who developed extremely painful and repeated gut stasis over the next two years , which following an exploratory op showed adhesion of gut to the stomach following (they think) low grade infection from neutering...he had not antibiotics post op. Neutered by locum vet.
Charlie - neutered and died 4 months later from a ruptured thoracic duct. Neutered by same locum vet.
Ginger - neutered by a good vet a year previusly..and no real signs except for some probs passing his caecotrophs from time to time

So, the bottom line is you need to get it done by a very experienced cavy vet...otherwise you will only be storing up problems for yourself and Percy Roo further down the line.

Sorry - don;t wish to scaremonger - but you do need to be aware of the consesquences which funnily enough are not often reported.....becaue the orblems appear some time after the actual netuering and a lot of vets don;t make the connection

HTH
x

 

[AudioHeart]

When it comes to neutering there are always risks involved. It isn't always a guarantee that pigs will get on male or female. Be worth taking him Sow dating should you go ahead with the Op.

I did have Milo neutered, I do think it stunted his growth though as he was a small pig when he was neutered. In hindsight and reading many stories of neuters gone wrong - I doubt I will have another pig neutered although Milo's neutering was success with no problems afterwards.

As for a Trio, I Did have a Trio and found Pebbles was a third wheel which is why I bonded her with Patrick.

Thank you for your reply I'm going to be reading up about it more over the summer, speaking to vets and speaking to others who have had experience with neutering as well as weighing up the options. The other option is to bond him with a baby boar.

I wont be rushing into this decision.

Aww bless, I understand you want to give Percy Roo the best piggie life...(and he is completely adorable - sorry Harvie and Artie - you are both adorable too especially after seeing those piggie lips.....but you have each other and Percy Roo is all on his tod)

I personally would caution against any neutering or spaying...particularly neutering in view of my own experiences. So the main thing is to question the vet concerned to feel sure they really do know what they are doing.

Aside from immediate surgical complications of abcesses (reactions to suture material etc so you need to ask them what they would use and also what anaesthetic and what pain relief post op)....Neutering is much more risky than people make out in terms of long term problems (adhesions causing gut stasis)...esepcially if it has not been done by a very cavy savvy and experienced vet.
Here's what happened to my lot:
Bandit - post op abcesses (plural), finally sorted after two ops and now living forever with the fact one very deep abcess could reactivate. He also now has problems expelling his caecotrophs because of adhesions . Netuered by locum vet.
Beechie - neutered boar who developed extremely painful and repeated gut stasis over the next two years , which following an exploratory op showed adhesion of gut to the stomach following (they think) low grade infection from neutering...he had not antibiotics post op. Neutered by locum vet.
Charlie - neutered and died 4 months later from a ruptured thoracic duct. Neutered by same locum vet.
Ginger - neutered by a good vet a year previusly..and no real signs except for some probs passing his caecotrophs from time to time

So, the bottom line is you need to get it done by a very experienced cavy vet...otherwise you will only be storing up problems for yourself and Percy Roo further down the line.

Sorry - don;t wish to scaremonger - but you do need to be aware of the consesquences which funnily enough are not often reported.....becaue the orblems appear some time after the actual netuering and a lot of vets don;t make the connection

HTH
x

Thank you for your honest reply, I have been reading up on neutering and the things that can go wrong with neutering I've also been emailing a few ladies whose piggies have both died and had problems during/after neutering.

But I'm going appointment with the vet who neuters all of the guinea pigs for Layla at the north east guinea pig rescue, and talk through with her about the pro's and con's, and what painrelief/anti biotics he'll receive after the operation i do want to know what’s covered for the aftercare. I certainly don’t want him to be neutered by a regular vet!

The only thing worrying me about post op is that the vet is an hour and a half drive away so if there was an emergency it'll take a long time for myself to get to the vet.

I will keep you updated on my decison for Percy-Roo!

 

[Wiebke]

Even with finding a good vet, you can still run into complications, and they can turn up weeks or months after the op.

Hywel developed a band of swelling at the back of the testicles, which then adhered to the gut; at the moment, the swelling is under control, but inoperable and he has to be on metacam for the rest of his life to prevent it from flaring up again. He had a couple of adhesion episodes following the emergency but has now been well for two months.

My first own guinea pig as a teenager was neutered without any trouble at all back in the eighties.

Introducing a boar to an established group of often older sows does often not work out. Sows that don't like other girls will usually not like boys, either. You will usually not have any problems with younger sows (sub 2 years) or with non-dominant older sows. Age of the boar is immaterial, as is the number of sows. I'm up to ten, but have heard of groups as big as fifteen; which brackets about the size of a piggy core group in wild.

If you can, date your boy at a rescue to find the girl(s) he clicks with best.

 

[AudioHeart]

Even with finding a good vet, you can still run into complications, and they can turn up weeks or months after the op.

Hywel developed a band of swelling at the back of the testicles, which then adhered to the gut; at the moment, the swelling is under control, but inoperable and he has to be on metacam for the rest of his life to prevent it from flaring up again. He had a couple of adhesion episodes following the emergency but has now been well for two months.

My first own guinea pig as a teenager was neutered without any trouble at all back in the eighties.

Introducing a boar to an established group of often older sows does often not work out. Sows that don't like other girls will usually not like boys, either. You will usually not have any problems with younger sows (sub 2 years) or with non-dominant older sows. Age of the boar is immaterial, as is the number of sows. I'm up to ten, but have heard of groups as big as fifteen; which brackets about the size of a piggy core group in wild.

If you can, date your boy at a rescue to find the girl(s) he clicks with best.

Thank you Wiebke for your reply

I'm sorry to hear about Hywell I didnt realise he had problems after neutering, poor baby give him a chin tickle from myself! I didnt realise problems could accur also, months after the op though thank you, i'll try to see if i can find some more info on that too. I dont want to put Percy in pain for the rest of his life, i'll certainly be thinking about this long and hard!

If the NEGPR has any sows in if Percy-Roo goes through with his op. I'll be going through them, if not I'll try to see if Leanne has any baby sows in at that time

Thank you again for your answers!

 

[Pebble]

The only thing worrying me about post op is that the vet is an hour and a half drive away so if there was an emergency it'll take a long time for myself to get to the vet

That's an OK distance...my regular vet is 45 mins away by car...more if I have to order a taxi...90mins is acceptable distance/time for neutering probs and emergencies provided they are an accredited hospital with 24 hour cover....

x

 

[AudioHeart]

That's an OK distance...my regular vet is 45 mins away by car...more if I have to order a taxi...90mins is acceptable distance/time for neutering probs and emergencies provided they are an accredited hospital with 24 hour cover....

x

Ahhh good stuff! I'll have to see when i go whether they are a 24 hour cover vet

 

[flips]

Joe has had 2 abscesses since he was neutered. The first was about 4 weeks post op and he was treated with antibiotics. The abscess burst and after a week a stitch encrusted with scabs popped out. He was on antiobiotics for a good 2 weeks. Then a month later he developed another abscess on the other side and further up. My vet put a needle in and drew out pus but the abscess was quite deep. I was worried it might be the stitch on the other side (taking that Joe had a bad reaction to the first) which had only popped out by luck, so Joe had a GA so the vet could clean it out properly. There wasn't a stitch in there but she said there were tracts running to the other side so most likely a secondary infection from the first abscess. Joe had more antibiotics and healed much more quickly this time. He's been fine since (touch wood).

Having said all this, Joe was neutered at the same time as 2 other rescue pigs (by a cavy savvy vet) who were fine. Another 5 rescue pigs have been neutered successfully and we are raising funds to have more of the single long-termers done (Crawley GPR).

Although it's been a rough ride for Joe, he is such a happy piggy now that he has his wives to run round after that I can't regret going through with it.

 

[Doeylicious]

I have had three of my boys done by my vet, and one done by the rescue he came from. I use the same vet as Crawley GPR - I found her on Jenny's recommendation.

Dodge flew through, pooing like a goodun and eating veg shortly after the op. JoJo was a little slower, but he was quite a bit older and is fat so did have a greater risk.

Bumble was a problem, he stopped pooing after the op and had to have two gut mobility jabs (not on the same day, we kept going back to the vet!) then developed an abcess 6 weeks later. That was a lot of fun, and other forum members here have heard my joyous tales of popping and lancing it after his initial vet visit (I likes pus). Since then however he has been absolutely fine.

I am with Flips on the fact yes it was risky, but the happiness of my boys since getting their wives was well worth it. Dodge and Cherry's marriage and Pixie and Bumble's marriage are both very happy ones, and JoJo got four new wives today, and for a pig who had a truly horrible hormonal period (we called his ASBO pig, he teeth chattered at everyone and destroyed about six hideys) he couldn't even be bothered to hump them all - he is so laid back and all the girls, even my 5 year olds, took to him very well.

Bruno met his wives today so we are waiting to see how the marriage goes, but just seeing him with other pigs it was clear how happy he was.

BUT it is always risky, and I wouldn't have done it had I had the boar boar option, but since JoJo took a chunk out of Bumble's nose I have always been quite wimpy and aware I have 10 sows living very close to consider.

 

[Suzygpr]

This is a thread on post-neuter complications.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=67370&highlight=post-neuter

My opinion, I would try Percy-roo at boar-dating before going the surgical route, especially as you have a bonded pair of boys that may not react well to have a girlie or two come into their environment.

Suzy x

 

[AudioHeart]

Joe has had 2 abscesses since he was neutered. The first was about 4 weeks post op and he was treated with antibiotics. The abscess burst and after a week a stitch encrusted with scabs popped out. He was on antiobiotics for a good 2 weeks. Then a month later he developed another abscess on the other side and further up. My vet put a needle in and drew out pus but the abscess was quite deep. I was worried it might be the stitch on the other side (taking that Joe had a bad reaction to the first) which had only popped out by luck, so Joe had a GA so the vet could clean it out properly. There wasn't a stitch in there but she said there were tracts running to the other side so most likely a secondary infection from the first abscess. Joe had more antibiotics and healed much more quickly this time. He's been fine since (touch wood).

Having said all this, Joe was neutered at the same time as 2 other rescue pigs (by a cavy savvy vet) who were fine. Another 5 rescue pigs have been neutered successfully and we are raising funds to have more of the single long-termers done (Crawley GPR).

Although it's been a rough ride for Joe, he is such a happy piggy now that he has his wives to run round after that I can't regret going through with it.

Thank you for your reply flips, i appreicate all the comments and replies

I'm sorry to hear about Joe, poor little 'un I'm glad hes better now and enjoying life with his wives!

I have had three of my boys done by my vet, and one done by the rescue he came from. I use the same vet as Crawley GPR - I found her on Jenny's recommendation.

Dodge flew through, pooing like a goodun and eating veg shortly after the op. JoJo was a little slower, but he was quite a bit older and is fat so did have a greater risk.

Bumble was a problem, he stopped pooing after the op and had to have two gut mobility jabs (not on the same day, we kept going back to the vet!) then developed an abcess 6 weeks later. That was a lot of fun, and other forum members here have heard my joyous tales of popping and lancing it after his initial vet visit (I likes pus). Since then however he has been absolutely fine.

I am with Flips on the fact yes it was risky, but the happiness of my boys since getting their wives was well worth it. Dodge and Cherry's marriage and Pixie and Bumble's marriage are both very happy ones, and JoJo got four new wives today, and for a pig who had a truly horrible hormonal period (we called his ASBO pig, he teeth chattered at everyone and destroyed about six hideys) he couldn't even be bothered to hump them all - he is so laid back and all the girls, even my 5 year olds, took to him very well.

Bruno met his wives today so we are waiting to see how the marriage goes, but just seeing him with other pigs it was clear how happy he was.

BUT it is always risky, and I wouldn't have done it had I had the boar boar option, but since JoJo took a chunk out of Bumble's nose I have always been quite wimpy and aware I have 10 sows living very close to consider.

Thank you for your reply hun, i really appreicate all the replies good and bad experiences! I'm sorry to hear Bumble had a bad experience I'm glad he's recovering now though

JoJo sounds just like Percy- he teeth chatters at everything including his hay rack, myself, his toys I've never known a pig like him! rolleyes and compared to Harvey and Artie he's hmm how shall i put it? A very willful pig!

This is a thread on post-neuter complications.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=67370&highlight=post-neuter

My opinion, I would try Percy-roo at boar-dating before going the surgical route, especially as you have a bonded pair of boys that may not react well to have a girlie or two come into their environment.

Suzy x

Thank you Suzy for the post-neuter complication thread (i never knew we had one on here :red ) and your reply i appreciate all the replies i recieve!

Thank you for your opinion i'll be taking that into consideration.

We do actually have girlie pigs in our garden (my OH's sisters piggies), but thankfully our garden is very large and is split into two sections (we call it the back and main garden - the boys are kept in the back garden). We we're thinking of putting Percy-Roo in the main section of the garden near Dylan and his wives.

But of course I'll be taking all options into consideration first before hand and working out whats best for Percy-Roo.
thank you again x

 

[AudioHeart]

To update:

I have found a vets closer to home, they have 9 small animal specialists so i'm going to give them a ring in the morning for more information and possibly a consultation with the vet, i wont be ruling out though the other vets Layla recommended on her website

This is the vets I'm on about:
http://www.bridgeveterinarygroup.co.uk/

Again just weighing up my options. Thank you so much to everyone whose replied you are all such stars! x

 

[AudioHeart]

To update:

I have found a vets closer to home, they have 9 small animal specialists so i'm going to give them a ring in the morning for more information and possibly a consultation with the vet, i wont be ruling out though the other vets Layla recommended on her website

This is the vets I'm on about:
http://www.bridgeveterinarygroup.co.uk/

Again just weighing up my options. Thank you so much to everyone whose replied you are all such stars! x

 

[AudioHeart]

I'm phoning the vets (eight in total on my list) tomorrow as I have a day off. I'm armed with questions to ask over the phone, and a notebook for quotes, references and answers. Hopefully i'll get some good feedback, and be able to review my options and find the best answer

 

[MommaPiggy]

Sadly, like most things...There's always a risk. I lost my Louie due to complications after his op. He didn't make it...I tried for 2 weeks, I did everything I could but he just gave up and I lost him so I can say from experience, sadly...That there's always a risk.

But Ralph and Arnold are both neutered and they bounced back with no problems. Ralph was up, waddling about only a few hours after coming around and same for Arnold.
So it also goes well, too!

 

[mstori]

To update:

I have found a vets closer to home, they have 9 small animal specialists so i'm going to give them a ring in the morning for more information and possibly a consultation with the vet, i wont be ruling out though the other vets Layla recommended on her website

This is the vets I'm on about:
http://www.bridgeveterinarygroup.co.uk/

Again just weighing up my options. Thank you so much to everyone whose replied you are all such stars! x

I'm being picky, but there are a hell of a lot of spelling mistakes and info i dont necessarily agree with (i know I'm not the best speller either lol)

Did you contact the rspca and see what vets they use? they neuter all their animals. x

 

[AudioHeart]

I'm being picky, but there are a hell of a lot of spelling mistakes and info i dont necessarily agree with (i know I'm not the best speller either lol)

Did you contact the rspca and see what vets they use? they neuter all their animals. x

I tried the RSPCA yesterday morning and afternoon (three of their closest branches to me and one of their adoption centers) and they didnt pick up :{ so ive tried again today but again straight to voicemail they must be busy. So I'm going to give the vets a ring on my list and see what happens

 

[AudioHeart]

Oooo i got in touch with the RSPCA, I've been recommended Vets4Pets which is literally down the road from me, but i'd never thought of using them (ive had bad reviews for doggy care by neighbours) and one in Guisborough. So i've added them to my list too

 

[JoBo]

I really think that you are doing an excellent job contacting vets and asking questions. I naively took my male guinea pig Jacob to the pet vaccination clinic for his neutering as i had had all my dogs done there with no problems. Unfortunately Jacob got a post op infection and when i took him back to the vets they did not pick up on it and treated him for mites (which he also contracted due to his low immune system). By the time i took him to another vets it was too late to save him and despite treating him with antibiotics and syring feeding him he died 2 weeks later. Jacobs death still has a massive impact on me even 2 years after his death, i feel incredibly guilty about it and he was absolutly my favourite guinea pig. He was such a friendly chap and very tame as he was on his own, all i wanted was to put him with a companion and if i had not been so rash in my decision he would still be with us nowxx

I have since had Yorkie neutered avatar picture far right. I had to really think long and hard about getting him done but he had lost his male companion and i had a pair of females so i decided to take the risk. I used a reccommended vet and Yorkie did survive but again he picked up a post op infection, luckily i caught it early enough and he recovered well xx
Good luck with your piggie, you are certainly doing the right thing and i think that if you do go ahead you will do excellent post op care which will help your piggy recover and reduce the risk of post op infections xx

 

[AudioHeart]

Phoned the vets in my area!

Vets4Pets (down the road)
They've neutered around 15 this year and they neuter for the RSPCA.
They use Gas for the anaesthesia, and pain relief for during and after the op.
The price includes pre op consolation, weight check and two post op. consolations one a week after the surgery and one a month after surgery.
Baytril is giving after surgery, for eight days.
Their diet mustn't be changed before surgery so keep feeding as normal.

Guisborough
Unsure of how many guinea pigs they have neutered, a fair few, not as many as they used too do.
Any questions I'd have to speak to the vet at the consolation as the receptionist was unsure.
£60, including one post op care.
They seemed really friendly though!

The Bridge Vet. Group:
Phoned friends and family and asked for their opinion. Its not good, apparently they charge an awful lot, and they're not bothered on post op care (my aunties had her buns neutered with them and found they turned her away when Snowy developed problems) and I've read some reviews on the internet too. This is the same as my aunty, friend and uncle experience lack of care after any majour ops.

So I'm simply not phoning them!

I'm really really happy with Vets4Pets, the receptionist was informative, helpful and a lovely lady, she was really confident with her answers, and I also realised I took Thimble to the same Vets4Pets when he became ill with his low blood sugar levelsmallethead doh she was a lovely vet, has guineas and hamsters herself, the same vet gave me her number for out of hours if Thimble ever fitted again and I needed any advice.

So I'm going for Vets4Pets!

 

[AudioHeart]

I really think that you are doing an excellent job contacting vets and asking questions. I naively took my male guinea pig Jacob to the pet vaccination clinic for his neutering as i had had all my dogs done there with no problems. Unfortunately Jacob got a post op infection and when i took him back to the vets they did not pick up on it and treated him for mites (which he also contracted due to his low immune system). By the time i took him to another vets it was too late to save him and despite treating him with antibiotics and syring feeding him he died 2 weeks later. Jacobs death still has a massive impact on me even 2 years after his death, i feel incredibly guilty about it and he was absolutly my favourite guinea pig. He was such a friendly chap and very tame as he was on his own, all i wanted was to put him with a companion and if i had not been so rash in my decision he would still be with us nowxx

I have since had Yorkie neutered avatar picture far right. I had to really think long and hard about getting him done but he had lost his male companion and i had a pair of females so i decided to take the risk. I used a reccommended vet and Yorkie did survive but again he picked up a post op infection, luckily i caught it early enough and he recovered well xx
Good luck with your piggie, you are certainly doing the right thing and i think that if you do go ahead you will do excellent post op care which will help your piggy recover and reduce the risk of post op infections xx

Awww hun, I'm so sorry to hear about Jacobs death You were trying to make his life more comfortable and happy. The Vets4Pets did mention to me its risky, and I should take a week to think about it before going ahead, so thats what I'm going to do.

I'm so scared about post op infections, I'm ordering him some Critical Care and syringes this week and white vetbed for after the op.

I'm so glad Yorkie is well, and enjoying life to the full! Thank you so much for writing down your experience they are all so helpful

 

[Wiebke]

Best of luck! That first vet sounds good!
You can never exclude all risks, but you can minimise them.

One of the biggest problem areas where things can go REALLY wrong is post op care - piggies with problems are not seen by the specialist (same happened with Hywel, btw, when I took him back to the same clinic he'd been neutered), but often by a general vet, who has no idea what he is dealing with. Internal infections/gut adhesions often don't advertise themselves as such, as I have found myself, and are easily overlooked/mistreated until it is too late. I would strongly urge you to make sure that you are at any stage being seen by a piggy savvy vet, even though it means waiting.

 

[mstori]

I had all my bunnies done at vets4pets (recommended by rspca) and can honestly say they were brilliant. I took them on the morning about quarter to 9 they had to be there for. They needed some of their food and each had to be in their own carrier with bottle (i took 4 bunnies in)
they phoned me when the op was done. Lightning wasnt coming round as quick as the girls, so they asked if i could pick them up a bit later. All the staff were friendly, and all went really well.. only thing that annoyed me was they didnt tell me until i picked them up that they all had to be housed seperately, indoors for 10 days. i had only set up a massive dog crate for the girls, and 1 indoor cage for the boy. (obv this wont be an issue for you)
i had them microchipped at the same time, which came with 4 weeks free pet insurance too x

how much do they charge for a piggie? it doesnt say on the site

 

[flintstones]

I hate to throw a spanner in the works - Did you ask how many pigs had post op complications?

What vet has did the most procedures?
Also if any pigs have died during the procedure?

Make sure the vet who does the neutering is the experienced vet - I know at my surgery there is only one vet I trust completely with my pigs.

 

[elmoscavypigs]

My pig Harry is in the vet being treated for some huge abcesses developed after his recent castration, but I've had two others done without any problems at all all by the same vet, it is a bit of a gamble I guess...

 

[AudioHeart]

Best of luck! That first vet sounds good!
You can never exclude all risks, but you can minimise them.

One of the biggest problem areas where things can go REALLY wrong is post op care - piggies with problems are not seen by the specialist (same happened with Hywel, btw, when I took him back to the same clinic he'd been neutered), but often by a general vet, who has no idea what he is dealing with. Internal infections/gut adhesions often don't advertise themselves as such, as I have found myself, and are easily overlooked/mistreated until it is too late. I would strongly urge you to make sure that you are at any stage being seen by a piggy savvy vet, even though it means waiting.

Thank you.

The receptionist did tell me to have a good think before booking the operation, and think about the risks during and after surgery.

I will make sure throughout the op, pre, during and post op that he is seen by the small animal specialist, i wouldnt trust anyother vet otherwise!

I had all my bunnies done at vets4pets (recommended by rspca) and can honestly say they were brilliant. I took them on the morning about quarter to 9 they had to be there for. They needed some of their food and each had to be in their own carrier with bottle (i took 4 bunnies in)
they phoned me when the op was done. Lightning wasnt coming round as quick as the girls, so they asked if i could pick them up a bit later. All the staff were friendly, and all went really well.. only thing that annoyed me was they didnt tell me until i picked them up that they all had to be housed seperately, indoors for 10 days. i had only set up a massive dog crate for the girls, and 1 indoor cage for the boy. (obv this wont be an issue for you)
i had them microchipped at the same time, which came with 4 weeks free pet insurance too x

how much do they charge for a piggie? it doesnt say on the site

Awww thats brilliant, ive had a really good experience with them before too

They charge £50 this includes:
one pre op consultation
two post op consulations (one a week after the op and one a month after)
A eight day course of baytril after the op
and the op itself

I hate to throw a spanner in the works - Did you ask how many pigs had post op complications?

What vet has did the most procedures?
Also if any pigs have died during the procedure?

Make sure the vet who does the neutering is the experienced vet - I know at my surgery there is only one vet I trust completely with my pigs.

Yep, 2 have had post op complications - absesses, they were treated with draining the fluid and a course of antibiotics.

No piggies have died so far at the surgery, and the small animal vet, Nicola (i think is her name) has done all the operations, which is also the vet who delt with thimble the hamster.