castration

Question
Hello, I just adopted a male pot belly. I already have a 3 year old female. What is the process of neutering him ? He is 8 weeks old. Is it done at home of in office? I do have an equine vet and one that does exotics. I just got him Sunday and didn't know which to call. Are the sacks supposed to drop first? or is anytime good? What should I expect as the average expense for this procedure? Thanks, Kim

Answer
Male pot-bellied pigs can be neutered as early as 2 weeks, but most people prefer to wait until the pig is between 8 and 12 weeks old. Male pot-bellied pigs are practically born sexually mature, in fact, a 9 week old male can get a sow pregnant.

The basic procedure is to put the pig under, ideally with isoflourane or ISO gas. The procedure itself is fairly quick. The inguinal ring should be checked and probably stitched to prevent a deadly hernia. The scrotal incision is usually left open.  

Unfortunately, many pot-bellied pigs are chryptorchid, a condition in which one or both testes remain inside the body. In this situation, the surgery is more extensive.

Many mobile vets can do a simple neuter at home. But, often there's no way to spot chryptorchidism until the vet is actually doing the neutering. Because that kind of surgery is more difficult, the pig will probably have to go to the clinic anyway for a second procedure. But if chryptorchidism is discovered during a neuter at a clinic, chances are the vet will be able to complete the whole procedure at once. So I recommend taking the pig to a clinic or using a mobile clinic that can do the more extensive procedure on the spot, if necessary.

Cost varies wildly. A normal neuter plus exam and post-op meds (usually antibiotics and pain meds) can cost anywhere from $90 to $300. Prices in areas around larger cities and on the coasts are higher than prices in rural areas.

As for which vet to chose, I suggest talking to both of them and using whoever feels most comfortable with the procedure. The Dutchess Fund at www.duchessfund.org provides medical information about pot-bellied pigs to veterinarians, so the vet who does the procedure may be interested in this.