neutering my pig

Question
is it safe for a farmer to neuter my pig? we found a farmer that neuters his animals and were wondering about going to him since all the vets around the area are charging us over $400. we read that ones that charge that much dont know what they are doing even when we asked the vets there were lots of medicines involved.

Answer
Veterinarian prices vary across the country, but $400 seems a little high. There's a list of vets that see pot-bellied pigs here www.farec.org. If you call around you might find a lower rate. Also, veterinary schools sometimes offer lower rates. The savings might be worth an extra hour of travel.

There are slight anatomical differences between pot-bellied pigs and farm hogs. Pot-bellied pigs often need to have the inguinal ring stitched closed. If this is not done, the pig's intestines will fall out through the incision, this is usually fatal. Vets perform the surgery on a sterile table. Farmers usually string the pig up by it's back legs to do the cutting. Farm hogs have more flexible hips that pot-bellied pigs, stringing a pot-bellied pig up this way could dislocate a leg or break a hip.

But, the most important question is, what would you prefer if you needed surgery? Would you like to go to a hospital and have the procedure performed by trained professionals in a sterile environment under anesthesia, with antibiotics and pain medication after? Or would you rather go into a barn and hung by your ankles while someone with no training cuts you open while your awake?