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Bunged Up Biscuit The Boar :(

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BonBon2010

BonBon2010

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Anyone ever had a Boar operated on when they're suffering toilet issues? Biscuit is having trouble passing poops, they're of normal size and consistency, they're just getting stuck sideways at the exit point.
I think a simple op could put this right, it has to be better than being poked sometimes twice daily :( I've cut his greens out and he just gets some carrot and a small amount of broccoli. I feel so sorry for him :'(
He's already been to the vets, and they could find nothing wrong.
 
How old is Biscuit please?

Boars with toileting issues such as you describe (i.e. impaction), frequent this forum - (especially as they get older)
It's normally down to weakened muscles and regular "assistance" to "clean them out" is part and parcel of owning boars.
(If it's just caecotrophs that are getting stuck then I would however be looking at possible incisor/dental issues esepcially in a youngster)


To my knowledge I have never heard of a case history where an operation has been conducted to relieve this problem even in a young pig.........that is because most vets usual practice is "not to operate" as it could actually cause more problems than it cures.

HTH
x
 
If he has lettuce his soft poops stop the normal pellets from escaping. If he has just hay and food, he has trouble passing his normal pellets. Atm he's really struggling to pass them past the opening, it's disheartening to hear him :(
He has good days and bad days (this is a bad day), it's not a messy job like it was at the beginning (been 9 days now) since I eliminated the greens (spinach and lettuce) and kept on with the carrots and small broccoli, but he still struggles with the hard pellets (when you break them up, they are of normal consistency). I'm starting to think this is really unfair for him to continue like this :( He's a good weight, but I really don't know for how long. He's eating fine, I give him american timothy hay and the woodlands timothy hay. He has nuggets too, and is drinking fine.
He's spent most of tonight hiding in his house :(
He's 6 this year.
Can I offer him metacam, or won't that help? He's 1290G
 
I note he is 6 years old so it suggests that he may be suffering from one of the "older-age boar" conditions of impaction

I don;t think self-treating with metacam is the way to go.

Metacam is NOT the answer....although pain relief might be appropriate in this situation.

If you want to try and "cure it" - then you need to see a vet and ask about gut stimulants....it may be that with a daily dose of zantac (and no broccoli/lettuce/spinach/;leafy greens) plus softened nuggets (to help re-hydrate his gut as it sounds like the normal poops are too dry) then you "may" be able to kick-start his gut/bottom into behaving normally again.
BUT.... given he is 6 years old ( a great age - congratulations!) then maybe it can;t be solved/cured - it's just one of those issues of "being a boar getting on in years" that some of us slaves have to deal with.
Impaction is normally associated with loss of muscle tone in the anus as opposed to lack of proper intestinal movement.so requires manual hooman intervention. I have 3 elderly boars that "require my services"....one once a month - one once a week - and one every 2 days.

And as long as we hoomans are physically able to provide that "manual intervention" however freqeuently it may be required (can be >1x daily to <1xweekly) - our elderly boars can continue to live a very healthy happy life . It does however re-classify them as "special needs pigs" with "a long term medical condition" that requires a lot more time and attention than most piggie people have available. And sometimes we have to decide if we can realistically give them that extra attention...especially if we have other hoomans/pigs/others to attend to as well.

I am currently facing a similar decision myself - whether to agree to permanently rehome my lovely boy to someone who is better able to look after him given the long term dental medical attention he now needs (and he is only 1yr old!) It's gutting...and i keep questioning whether I am a good slave.....but it would be unfair on him to stay here with me if I can;'t guarantee him the attention/appropriate vet's help etc that he needs....and it's looking like he will need regular conscious dentals at 3 week intervals for the rest of his life.

I hope you or anyone else doesn't think I'm being judgmental - I'm not. It's your decision to make.
It's just that your post struck a real cord with me...and I want to make it very clear that rehoming a pig in their best medical interests should NEVER reflect badly upon the actions of the owner.

HTH
x
 
It's a hard one :( Knowing when to intervene. He's not totally bunged up, but when I hear him groaning, I check him. There are usually 2/3 crammed in there, first thing in the morning maybe 6? They don't look that dry, and if I hold him in a certain way he can expel them, but he's not really happy about that idea (think cotton bud held against the front of the opening). I'm using petroleum jelly to help make it easier.
I know it's only early days, but i'm really weighing his quality of life issues. I too have been considering re-homing to a more knowledgeable home, i work long hours (4 12 hour shifts, some days, some nights) and i'm just too whacked after a long shift to really be any good too him :(
But who would want an aging Boar? He's otherwise very lovable, and gentle. He's medically fit, it's just the discomfort caused by the impaction albeit not majorly. He's getting depressed about it, i'm considering booking another vet appointment for tomo, but what can they do? :(
 
I really feel for you and completely understand all the scenarios that are currently going through your mind.
The fact you are considering his quality of life and looking for alternnatives other than PTS is laudable.

If it really is his anus as opposed to his intestines then I am not sure a vets visit would "add value"

To answer your question about who would take an aging boar with medical issues? You're looking at one (and I'm not the only one)
I take on pigs with long term medical issues.. and for the most part I can deal propery with them.

Unfortunately my young Valentine surpassed me (and more importantly my own vets). From being a perfectly healthy young piggie - he has now developed a condition that needs regular conscious dentals and my own vets weren't happy to provide this service - hence why he is now at TEAS.

BUT ...as for Impaction issues etc I already have a few stinky boars!
I also know I'm not the only person who would consider giving your boy a permanent loving home given his "boarly" condition.

Ultimately the decision is yours - but please do not make it because of "what you think" as opposed to "what you now know"
x
 
I think he's one of those special needs piggies that just needs more than what I can give :( He needs someone with time for him. I have a lot going on atm, my horse is under the vet after developing bone spavin, three months down the road we're starting to get there after treatment, BonBon has started being a scruffy piggy ( took her to the vets too fearing her teeth were the reason, but no, it's a combo of smaller nuggets and a mouth full of water, and then having a grooming session... i'll let your imagination see the rest)
 
Oh my goodness..He's lovely!
.I'm so sorry to hear what is happening for you atm.

This may sound a bit weird - but your very handsome piggie looks very similar to my Randy Dandy who left me for the Bridge recently

I will PM you tomorrow.
x
 
i think it would be a good idea to have a chat with an exotics vet about the whole situation. they may beable to advise you on ways to clean him more easily, times he may need extra help with meds, possibly to help his gut move differently, pain relief, diet changes you could make etc.

it does sound like 'just' age related impaction though, but the vets may beable to recommend some things you might not have thought about to help. :)
 
I wish it was that simple, but it's just the exit hole he's having trouble with, he can pass poops to a point. You look at his bottom and where his anus is, it gets half a cm in diameter at it's worst.
He's still eating, and struggling to poop tonight, had to wash his bottom too, as t had accumulated during the day. This is really going to be a problem for him, as I can't just pop home when I feel like it, he needs to be with someone who has the knowledge and the time to be there whenever he needs it. This really isn't fair on him, hence why I'm looking for someone who can give him what I can't :(
Needless to say, I won't have any more males after him, I can't bare the thought of seeing them go through this again. I have a friend who lives near me, who loves him to bits, but her health isn't always very good, so i'm not sure she's an ideal candidate. I'd happily pay for his treatment though as I'm not abandoning him, he just needs more than I can give right now :(
 
Well, an even dirtier botty, but a happier piggy? :/ He's moving around more, and even talking to the females again. He's out of his house tonight too, and cleaning himself.
 
Well after a few very iffy days, where he appeared to be going down hill, and his poop getting softer and softer, he's finally rallying and his droppings are returning to normal :) Last two days he's back outside the house and eating his nuggets. He'll never be the same health wise, and will always need help with his problem, but to see him regaining some weight he'd lost during the week under his own steam shows he's feeling happier.
I've been putting the girls plastic tunnel in his cage when i'm going to work, and it seems just having the smell of females around him is enough to perk him up.
I have a phone call to make on Saturday, which will hopefully lead him to someone who can accommodate his toilet troubles and a carefree happy life for him :) He really had me worried for a few days though :(
 
Frank our wonderful older boar also suffers from this, he has to be helped out at least once a day, after being seen to he has a run around (albeit slowly as he has an arthritic knee) and manages to poo so much we swear it can be seen from space. We've had many boars over the years and not all of them suffered with this but most did. Sadly we found that there was very little we could do diet, exercise or medically to help other than just evacuating when needed but all of them including Frank were perfectly happy.
 
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