Over 1 yr old and not neutered...

Question
QUESTION: We just adopted a 40 pound mini potbelly male. He was a rescue, so they can only estimate his age, and they guess he's about a year old. He is not neutered yet, is it too late? He is aggressive, destructive, and ejaculates all over the carpet. Will he calm down and stop ejaculating if we get him neutered? We give him affection and he does calm down and snuggle, but for the most part he is pretty unmanageable. I'm hoping it's not too late in the game and that 90% of his issues will dissolve once neutered. Please give us good news that it's not too late!

ANSWER: It is never too late to neuter a male pig. Intact males tend to be extremely energetic and usually don't get too fat. It's the extra weight, not the age, that makes surgery on older pigs difficult. There's a list of vets who see pot-bellied pigs at www.farec.org Also, FAREC has vets who will consult over the phone with your vet, if you have a local vet who's willing to do this.

Neutering will make him a completely different pig. While he is under anesthesia the vet can take a good look at his teeth to determine his age. He can be fertile for up to a month after neutering, in just a week or two you will see a huge difference. The humping and foaming will decrease and stop. Over time, he'll become less active, and the growth rate of his tusks will slow dramatically. There's a small pouch in the center of his belly called the preputial diverticulum, that collects and holds semen, urine, etc. This pouch will gradually shrink, though this may take longer on old boars.

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QUESTION: Thanks SO much for the input! That was a relief to hear! So, just to clarify/confirm, he will completeley stop ejaculating after he is neutered?

Thanks again for your help!

Answer
Yes, eventually he will stop ejaculating completely. It will drop off dramatically shortly after he is neutered. But, the preputial diverticulum, a butterfly shaped pouch on his belly that collects various fluids, will take a long time to shrink. So, he may "excrete" if he is very stressed, or sometimes while he sleeps. This stuff is not ejaculate, it's the fluids collected in the pouch. When a pig is neutered very, very young, the pouch never has a chance to develop. Your pig is older, so he may be four or five before his pouch shrinks to the point where it can not collect fluids anymore under any circumstances. But after 30 days you will see a dramatic reduction, and after 90 days he will be a different pig!