Bonded sows acting differently post-spay

[DoWiRaNie]

Hi all, my two 4.5 yo sows have had recent spay surgery with a cavy savvy exotic vet due to very large ovarian cysts. It was initially a bit touch and go with Dora, and Winnie, her bonded sister, sailed through surgery. Both were on metacam post surgery as well as cerenia, and Dora also on Enrocare. However, when they both got home, Dora - who has been more affected by the operation and taken a lot longer to come around - nipped Winnie hard on her vulva. Initially we thought it was the normal dominance behaviour of nudging and sniffing, but upon closer inspection, Dora had actually bitten Winnie. This carried on and eventually began to draw blood (and looked incredibly gnarly). We took them back to the vet who prescribed Winnie some Enrocare and metacam: very frustrating since she had sailed through the surgery. I've been keeping the wound clean with diluted chlorhexidine, and we took the decision of separating them as I didn't want Dora to keep reopening the wound. Winnie is healing up in her makeshift guinea hospital next to Dora and their usual cage. We've been having supervised floor time and Dora is still very much interested in Winnie's rear, but Winnie ALSO looked like she was going to nip Dora on occasion, but they were also very happily exploring, chatting away to each other. I'd consider myself quite knowledgeable about pigs (been owning them for a decade, but there's always more to learn!) and I've never come across this before. We're anxious we won't be able to house them together when treatments over, just in case Dora injures Winnie or vice versa. Just to reiterate, they're not displaying any other signs of aggression, lunging, yawning. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts? Does the 'blood draw' rule apply even if it's accidental? Thanks so much. It's been so stressful lately!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all, my two 4.5 yo sows have had recent spay surgery with a cavy savvy exotic vet due to very large ovarian cysts. It was initially a bit touch and go with Dora, and Winnie, her bonded sister, sailed through surgery. Both were on metacam post surgery as well as cerenia, and Dora also on Enrocare. However, when they both got home, Dora - who has been more affected by the operation and taken a lot longer to come around - nipped Winnie hard on her vulva. Initially we thought it was the normal dominance behaviour of nudging and sniffing, but upon closer inspection, Dora had actually bitten Winnie. This carried on and eventually began to draw blood (and looked incredibly gnarly). We took them back to the vet who prescribed Winnie some Enrocare and metacam: very frustrating since she had sailed through the surgery. I've been keeping the wound clean with diluted chlorhexidine, and we took the decision of separating them as I didn't want Dora to keep reopening the wound. Winnie is healing up in her makeshift guinea hospital next to Dora and their usual cage. We've been having supervised floor time and Dora is still very much interested in Winnie's rear, but Winnie ALSO looked like she was going to nip Dora on occasion, but they were also very happily exploring, chatting away to each other. I'd consider myself quite knowledgeable about pigs (been owning them for a decade, but there's always more to learn!) and I've never come across this before. We're anxious we won't be able to house them together when treatments over, just in case Dora injures Winnie or vice versa. Just to reiterate, they're not displaying any other signs of aggression, lunging, yawning. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts? Does the 'blood draw' rule apply even if it's accidental? Thanks so much. It's been so stressful lately!

Hi and welcome

No this is not common at all or something we have had reported in the nearly 20 years of our forum existence. I have never had any problems with spayed sows of mine in that respect.

What I have observed with some sows of mine is that in the immediate wake of a spay hormones can sometime fluctuate a bit until they settle down as the body adjusts. Perhaps it could be caused by that and a sudden change in the pheromone output in terms of smells? But I have also never had two sows spayed at the same time and I have never had any issues with 'paw holding' companions coming with them to the vets for the op or returning/re-integrating with the group after the op.

I would give your girls time to heal and allow their body chemistry to settle down next to each other before you try a formal re-intro on neutral ground outside the cage that is not part of a regular territory. If there is any aggravation and the bond has become dysfunctional, it should show up pretty quickly. What none of us can predict is whether your girls will go back together or not. You have to take it from there.

Thread 'Bonds In Trouble'

Oct 30, 2017

1 Causes for bonds to fall apart
2 Bonds in Crisis
- What are the signs of a dysfunctional bond?
- Bullying
- How can I test whether a bond is no longer working?
3 Failed bonds and what next?
- What to do if my piggies have had a major fight?
- When rebonding doesn't work out


1 Causes for bonds to fall apart

Every fall-out has of course its own...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonding and Bereavement

• 

 

[VickiA]

I have had a situation where one of my sows Mabel was spayed. Her companion Molly went with her for the surgery and they came home together. Sometime during the first evening back home Molly took huge exception to Mabel and tried to attack her. Fortunately, I witnessed the event and immediately separated them. However, although I separated their cage with a grid divider, Molly, the unspayed sow was absolutely determined to get to Mabel (the spayed one) a and nearly broke through so I ended up having to completely separate them into into entirely separate enclosures with a gap between. I could only assume that it was due to a change in scent as they had previously lived entirely harmoniously together. I did try a re-introduction once Mabel was fully recovered, but they never went back together again and I ended up integrating Mabel into another group.
It would be worth allowing them time to recover and then trying a re-introduction on neutral territory. You may have more success than I did please be prepared in case it fails.