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How much swarfega is safe?

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MarthaAndMaud

MarthaAndMaud

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I have recently rescued a 2 year old boar and 2 year old sows from the same family. Despite having my hands full at the moment I agreed to take the trio on as the boar is in desperate need of help.

The sows are fine. Happy healthy and fit and adorable in every way. However the boar has been left to become skinny, weak and very unhealthy. He has massive scar tissue running about 4" down his back and claws that are curled over but with this he also has an awful grease gland problem. I'm not kidding, it is that bad at least 2/3 of his body has the greasy problem. All around the bum it is stuck to fur and skin then it just creeps up his back on the skin only.

I know swarfega can be used to break up a small area but is it safe to cover most of his body with it?

When I got him the owners informed me that he had always been shy so they had never put him out on the grass to graze, only the girls. He is infact one of the most cuddly pigs we have had in here for a while but sadly it could just be a cry for help and attention.

Any advice on swarfega or alternatives would be appreciated please.
Thank you
Claire
 
I have had to use Swarfega very heavily on some messy foster pigs I have had come in before now - it should be fine as long as you rinse really, really well. Then 2 or 3 shampoos to get any grease and gunk out.

If his grease gland is really bad you might want to use a tiny bit of surgical spirit on a bit of cotton wool to start breaking through the grease before you bath him.
 
Yup that's the stuff. It can be used to loosen the grease attached to the grease gland. Afterwards it needs a really good shampoo and wash. I've used it in the past but just wondered if it's safe on a larger part of the body than just the grease gland.
 
Could you loosen it up with some olive oil and then add shampoo before its wet to remove greasiness ?
 
I could certainly try. He's sitting in his hutch at the moment looking sorry for himself. Poor boy is in for a treat tonight......it's bath night for the first time ever!
 
Good Luck all of mine hate baths but especially my old boar-he sulks for ages after and manages to snatch the treats i offer as bribes without looking at me:)
 
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