Sunny Is Getting The Snip

[Celine298]

Hey guys!

The time has come to introduce my little man to a little woman, but not until he get's his 'business' removed. He's 8 months old, lively, good weight and we've bonded really well, so I'm hoping all will go well with his operation. This has to be done as he needs a little cage mate and getting a sow seems to be the best option for easy bonding (hopefully!)

I was just looking for some first hand, post operation experiences and what to expect when I get my little man back. Any tips on how to make his recovery as smooth as possible would be a great help!

 

[madguinealady]

I have had two of my boars done, one with no problems and one with complications.I put both on puppy pads and fleece .I poo picked four times a day and changed fleeces every day.Have recovery food ready in case he stops eating and check the wound every day.Your vet will tell you what to look for.Am sure your boy will be fine.The boy of mine that had complications was a long haired, the vet said they react more to anesthetic.His operation was more invasive too as he had undescended testicles.After a couple of extra days at the vets he was great.

 

[Crystella]

Remember to leave it at least 6 weeks before bonding him with a sow as it can take that long to make sure all his sperm is dead.

 

[Wiebke]

Hey guys!

The time has come to introduce my little man to a little woman, but not until he get's his 'business' removed. He's 8 months old, lively, good weight and we've bonded really well, so I'm hoping all will go well with his operation. This has to be done as he needs a little cage mate and getting a sow seems to be the best option for easy bonding (hopefully!)

I was just looking for some first hand, post operation experiences and what to expect when I get my little man back. Any tips on how to make his recovery as smooth as possible would be a great help!

All the best!

Here is our detailed post-op care guide: Tips For Post-operative Care

Make sure that you have stuff handy to step in with syringe feeding as soon as needed.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Contact your vet if your boy is at any time not picking up/losing his appetite, asap as an emergency if he is apathetic.
Check him daily for the first 4 weeks for any signs of swelling in the groin area and have him seen promptly. After that, you switch to 2-3 times a week for the next couple of weeks and then to the normal weekly check up. It is rare after a month, but post-op abscesses can appear up to 6 months.

I currently have 5 neutered "husboars", but have had them before. One - that had been neutered on my behalf by a new local rescue and the general vet of their choice after his predecessor had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor - has suffered some rare and more unusual post-op complications, but has made it through them with the help of forum people and a piggy savvy vet/strong antibiotic; that was 5 years ago, and he is still with me, if somewhat elderly now.

Thankfully, with a good vet that is experienced with guinea pig neutering or practised with small furries ops, the success rate has gone up massively over the course of the last few years. But as it is an elective surgery, there is of course always more apprehehension.

Please also be aware that you need to conduct a full 6 weeks post-op wait if you want your boy to be 100% safe to go with sows. My surprise baby Tegan is the legacy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of my mine), just to prove that particular point - it can really happen that late! Our recommendations follow the practice of good standard piggy savvy rescues in this country that ensure despite routine neutering/introducing rescue sows to privately neutered boars there have been no pregnancies in years.

 

[Celine298]

I have had two of my boars done, one with no problems and one with complications.I put both on puppy pads and fleece .I poo picked four times a day and changed fleeces every day.Have recovery food ready in case he stops eating and check the wound every day.Your vet will tell you what to look for.Am sure your boy will be fine.The boy of mine that had complications was a long haired, the vet said they react more to anesthetic.His operation was more invasive too as he had undescended testicles.After a couple of extra days at the vets he was great.

Oh really? My guy is an Abby :/ hopefully he'll take to the anesthetic well!
Ok, so keep the cage extra clean in case of infection What is recovery food? is it specialty food made especially for post op pigs? or just certain veg?

 

[Wiebke]

Oh really? My guy is an Abby :/ hopefully he'll take to the anesthetic well!
Ok, so keep the cage extra clean in case of infection What is recovery food? is it specialty food made especially for post op pigs? or just certain veg?

I haven't noticed any problems with my abys - and I have/have had a number of them over the years. One of them is a neutered boar.

 

[Celine298]

All the best!

Here is our detailed post-op care guide: Tips For Post-operative Care

Make sure that you have stuff handy to step in with syringe feeding as soon as needed.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Contact your vet if your boy is at any time not picking up/losing his appetite, asap as an emergency if he is apathetic.
Check him daily for the first 4 weeks for any signs of swelling in the groin area and have him seen promptly. After that, you switch to 2-3 times a week for the next couple of weeks and then to the normal weekly check up. It is rare after a month, but post-op abscesses can appear up to 6 months.

I currently have 5 neutered "husboars", but have had them before. One - that had been neutered on my behalf by a new local rescue and the general vet of their choice after his predecessor had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor - has suffered some rare and more unusual post-op complications, but has made it through them with the help of forum people and a piggy savvy vet/strong antibiotic; that was 5 years ago, and he is still with me, if somewhat elderly now.

Thankfully, with a good vet that is experienced with guinea pig neutering or practised with small furries ops, the success rate has gone up massively over the course of the last few years. But as it is an elective surgery, there is of course always more apprehehension.

Please also be aware that you need to conduct a full 6 weeks post-op wait if you want your boy to be 100% safe to go with sows. My surprise baby Tegan is the legacy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of my mine), just to prove that particular point - it can really happen that late! Our recommendations follow the practice of good standard piggy savvy rescues in this country that ensure despite routine neutering/introducing rescue sows to privately neutered boars there have been no pregnancies in years.

Thanks for the info Glad your little man pulled through ok and is now a happy and healthy old sage
As much as I would secretly love a million surprise babies, I think it's in their best interest to keep them apart for a while first. I plan on investing in a sow when Sunny is three to four weeks into his recovery. I'll keep them separate but in adjoining cages for a couple of weeks to get used to one another's scent/sounds. Sunny should be good to go by the end of this time period

 

[Celine298]

I haven't noticed any problems with my abys - and I have/have had a number of them over the years. One of them is a neutered boar.

phew! That's great to hear!

 

[Wiebke]

You can find information on recovery foods etc. in the syringe feeding guide, but in a pinch, mushed pellets will do - or a mix of formula and pellets if your piggy doesn't like the taste of recover food.

Ideally you keep a freshly operated piggy on light fleece, vetbed or towels for the first couple of days and change once or twice daily, depending on how ill/mobile your piggy is.

 

[Wiebke]

Please take the time to read the guides I have linked to in my first post. We have made them as detailed and step-by-step comprehensive as possible. You will find most of the necessary information in there.

 

[Celine298]

Please take the time to read the guides I have linked to in my first post. We have made them as detailed and step-by-step comprehensive as possible. You will find most of the necessary information in there.

I will If I have any questions I'll pop back into the community or ring my vet! Thanks for all the advice !