Scabs On Back?!

[Barnyard Boars]

I tried hard to get pictures but Harvey was not happy at all about it. I’ve noticed something strange on his back and grabbed him to take a closer look, and it looks like black scabs? There’s hair loss in only that area... this is the best picture I could get, what does this look like!?

 

[DM030819]

That looks like his grease gland to me. They can get quite dirty. You'll need to give it a clean. I tend to use coconut oil in it.

They can get infected but I've never had it happen yet, so I don't think it's common. I just keep an eye on it and wash it when it gets overly dirty.

The joys of boys, haha!

 

[Barnyard Boars]

That looks like his grease gland to me. They can get quite dirty. You'll need to give it a clean. I tend to use coconut oil in it.

They can get infected but I've never had it happen yet, so I don't think it's common. I just keep an eye on it and wash it when it gets overly dirty.

The joys of boys, haha!

Oh my goodness, BLESS YOU. I was so worried, I’m new to all of this and since being on this site learning everyday.. I’ve bathed him and applied coconut oil but think I’d like to wash him again tomorrow as it’s still black there? I just read you can use Dawn dish soap to remove the grease, will this be okay?

 

[Janice C]

View attachment 82234 I tried hard to get pictures but Harvey was not happy at all about it. I’ve noticed something strange on his back and grabbed him to take a closer look, and it looks like black scabs? There’s hair loss in only that area... this is the best picture I could get, what does this look like!?

It’s certainly in the right area for a boars grease gland. Check if any more areas, if not, should be ok to say that it’s his gland!

 

[Freela]

It does look like the grease gland. In some pigs they can get quite gunky. Even some sows have an active grease gland that can need to be cleaned (one of my prior pigs, Sundae, had a really overactive grease gland.) I never used Dawn, just a gentle 'small animal' soap on a semi-regular basis to keep it under control.

 

[DM030819]

@Madditanne Here's one of my boys modelling a normal grease gland for you. A bit NSFW photo but he's not camera shy!

As you can see they're not sparkly clean all of the time so a slight build up is fine. It's not very often I have to clean them. One of my boys is 4 and I might have done it twice during a bath. It's just a case of keeping an eye on them.

 

[Barnyard Boars]

It’s certainly in the right area for a boars grease gland. Check if any more areas, if not, should be ok to say that it’s his gland!

No more spots that’s why I was so confused! I was freaking thinking maybe mites or fungal but has zero other signs! I must not have noticed it anymore, I’ll be watching that a lot better now!

 

[Barnyard Boars]

Is it normal to be kind of scab like though? Texture wise it kind of slightly protrudes, it has depth almost...?

 

[Barnyard Boars]

Harv has been given another bath with some guinea shampoo and got the rest of that coconut oil out of his fur and is now all clean and happy and has even gained some weight which I am SUPER happy about as I was worried about his weight decreasing. I'm a happy piggie momma today!

 

[Barnyard Boars]

Also my new baby boar which was just introduced to Harv two days ago is settled in and there's still a bit of dominance from Harvey but they are both very happy piggies and are becoming great friends! My baby has even started popcorning! Thanks for informing me where the grease gland was and teaching me about it everybody! My piggies are now happy lil dudes!