Odor

Question
I have asked you this before and received a great answer before. Thank you. But I have to ask for further info. My male pbp is 2 1/2 yrs old. The smell he is giving is coming more often. I know you said it was normal to release this smell but it seems to be almost everyday and I don't know if this is ever going to end. I don't want my house smelling like this. I am having to wash his bedding every other day. Will this pouch ever stop producing. Please help.
Pamela

Answer
If your pig was neutered, the prepitual diverticulum should be empty and stop smelling within 30 days. If the continues to express and smell, then there's two likely culprits. He may have an infection, or he is cryptorchid, that is, he has a retained testicle.

Infection could be at neutering incisions, the pouch, or in the urinary tube. A mild infection in the pouch can be treated by washing his belly thoroughly with warm soapy water a couple of times a day and at bedtime with some warm soapy water and applying any antibiotic ointment made for people. If this home remedy doesn't reduce the smell or fluids, then he'll need stronger antibiotics from a veterinarian, or the infection is elsewhere, or piggy might be cryptorchid.

Most pot-bellied pigs have two testicles that descend at about 6 weeks of age. However, in quite a few pigs, only one testicle descends. In this case, when the pig is neutered, if only that testicle is removed, the pig is not really neutered at all. In fewer cases (but still a surprising number!) two testicles descend and two are removed, but the pig has a third testicle still hidden inside that did not descend, and so piggy is still not really neutered.

If your vet can not find an infection and is uncomfortable doing the deeper surgery necessary to remove an undescended testicle, there's a list of vets that see pot-bellied pigs at www.farec.org