Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Pot Bellied Pigs > Trimming potbelly pig hoofs

Trimming potbelly pig hoofs

22 9:14:23

Question
how far down do i trim my pig's long hoof's? do they have a quick like a dog has? How far also can i trim the "dew claws". not sure if that's what they are called as this is my first pet pig. Daisey will be 2 yrs old next week and her "dew claw's are so long she walk's on them.

Answer
A pot-bellied pigs hooves should be quite short. If the hooves are allowed to grow really long, blood veins may also grow longer into the hoof than normal, but when the hoof is kept short the veins will return to normal.

Those "dew claws" should also be quite short, and it's ok to trim them short.

Hoof trimmers made for goats or ponies work well, and so does cutting wire. Most dog claw trimmers can't cut a pig hoof. Wood files can be used on the hoof like emery boards to smooth rough or sharp edges. A rough file or rasp can also sand down the length of a hoof. Cordless dremel tools work well too, but the sound and vibration can bother the pig.

There's a pig hoof trimming service in S. CA; even if you are nowhere near there, they have a fantastic list of piggy related links on their site http://www.piggyhooftrimming.com/

And I believe there is a video of pig hoof trimming here http://www.vimeo.com/1158543