potbellypig

Question
I just got a potbellied pig and her nails are extremely long they are like 4 inches log and curled around and i don't really know how far to cut them back i don't want to hurt her doing it

Answer
Pigs hooves are different from horses hooves in that they do not have a live soft spot or "frog" under the hoof, it's more or less all solid toenail-like material. There are blood vessels in the base of the hoof, and if the hoof has grown very long the blood vessels may have grown slightly longer down into the hoof.

Sometimes on a pig with clean, white feet it's possible to see where the blood vessels are. Usually they are not visible, and the best anyone can do is guess.

Pigs hooves should be very short. Some people think it's best to cut long hooves all the way back at one sitting, and apply a little Bactine or Neosporin or Bag Balm if bleeding occurs. Other people think it's best to cut them back enough to allow easy mobility, then shorten them up to the final length a few months later. Either method works. If the pig is easily handled and there's plenty of hoof-cutting help, the second method is fine. If the pigs does not like being handled, or help is limited or may not be available, then go ahead and trim them up nice and short.

Use sharp hoof trimmers for pigs, goats or sheep. If the hooves are very long, you can use a cutting wire to lop off a large chunk, then use the trimmers to smooth and shape. A cordless dremmel also works well for smoothing and shaping, or when only a little trimming is needed.

There's a video of a hoof trim here http://www.vimeo.com/1158543
And www.pigstuff.com carries hoof trimmers