Pot Belly Pig feet

Question
I have a pot belly pig 8years old. She is spayed and has been very healthy. However, she is having trouble walking and getting around.  I have layed her down and looked at her feet, and it looks like the right declaw is folded under.  She is eating and is not sore to my touch.  I know her nails need cutting and I am going to have that done, but the folded under declaw is what I am concerned about.

Answer
Older pigs are prone to arthritis, and long or awkward hooves add to the problem. The dew claw is the small hoof or "toe" that sits higher on the foot, near the ankle.

The two main, central "toes" that bear the weight are much like thick, human fingernails. When kept properly short, they do not have blood vessels or nerves and trimming them does not hurt. But, if they are left to grow long, veins and nerves will begin to grow down into the two big toes.

Unlike the big toes, the dew claws do contain blood vessels and nerves, so it's difficult to trim them, even when they are problematic. As they get older and more arthritic, pot-bellied pigs tend to "walk back" on their pasterns, their feet sort of "break down". This rarely happens in large farm hogs, who walk on tip toe their whole lives. When the feet break down, the dew claws can get in the way, turning under the foot.

The best way to handle this is to gradually file away at the dew claw. Filing will blunt any sharp edges while at the same time reducing the size slowly enough to avoid problems with blood vessels or nerves.

If your piggy isn't used to having the hoofies played with, start by doing that while she eats or sleeps. Use an emery board, fingernail file or wood file and file away.