Musky smell neutered pig

Question
15 week old male pig neutered shortly after birth is humping and releasing  a very Strong musky smell. It has become much more frequent In the past week. He has been seen by a vet that can find no testicles by touch. At what age can be be tested to see if one(testicle) may still be in him. How common is having a neutered pig that still emits the musky smell? Help! We can not keep him in the house if this Continues.  What can we do?

Answer
Male pigs have a butterfly shaped gland located in the middle of the tummy, called the preputial diverticulum. It's job is to collect all sorts of body fluids, and secrete a strong odor that female pigs love, but most people dislike.

This gland is controlled by hormones. Normally, when the pig is neutered, the body stops producing hormones, and this pouch shrinks. From time to time when the pig is under stress, he may still release the odor.

A constant odor could be from a retained testicle or an infection. Check his belly for signs of redness or swelling. Even if it all looks good, wash his belly twice a day with a warm, soapy cloth. Make sure he's able to pee without straining. He should produce a decent stream, if there's only dribbles he may have a urine crystals or a partial blockage.

If he's showing other signs of being intact, such as humping or if his penis is usually out, he may have a retained testicle. Removing the extra testicle requires surgery. Size is usually a more important issue than age in pig surgery. A four month old pig may be large enough.

If your vet would like more information about retained testicles, I suggest contacting farec.org They can put your veterinarian in touch with other veterinarians who have extensive pig experience, and can give your vet suggestions and advice about searching for a retained testicle.