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Spaying sows, help...

  • Thread starter Thread starter TheGaffer
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TheGaffer

Hi,

I recently rehomed some piggies. There was a boar and sow pair who the owner assured me had never had babies and had never shown any interest in having them (if you know what I mean) and had been together for 2 years. These piggies are about 2 and a half years old.

Anyway, they are a really close bonded couple until this morning, I got up and discovered him chasing her round trying to get on her!

Anyway I've spoke to my vet and he's happy to spay her in a few weeks.

What do you all think? I know spaying sows is risky, but if she's pregnant, isn't letting her carry on with the pregnancy riskier because of her age?
 
It can happen sometimes that one or other of the piggies is infertile, so still show mating behaviour but no pregnancy results. It is hard to know what to suggest.....do you feel the previous owner was telling the truth about them being together all that time? If so, chances of pregnancy now are zero I would have thought :-\
See what other people suggest.... :)
 
She may not have been "interested" in having babies but he would always be! Poor little girl now she's stuck between a "rock and a hard place" if you leave her to have babies it would probably kill her and now she has to have a HUGE operation which is risky, :( Surely the vet can give her a scan before operating to check if she is pregnant?
Even if they didn't do anything before perhaps new surroundings have given them a new lease of life - bit like a holiday!

Hopefully though like LJ says one or both maybe sterile.....

Good luck anyway and keep us posted.
 
I was thinking about an ultrasound perhaps in a few weeks. At least then if I know she's not pregnant then I don't have to put her trough a risky op.

But then what do I do, have him neutered to be on the safe side, so they can carry on living together? Or I could try them with different same sex partners?
 
I would have an ultersound to be sure. Have they always lived together? Sorry not sure on neutering your boar either, is he too old for it?

Hope everything turns out ok,

Louise
x
 
Sorry i can't be of help, as i have no experience in this area :(
But we'll cross our paws that she's not pregnant :-* :-*
And you're lovely for giving them a forever home with you :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
I would try them with different same sex partners.2 sows will live happily together as will 2 boars.With the boys tho the personality is important.If you go to a good rescue they will help you find the right piggies.

If you have your boy neutered you risk losing him,and he could suffer a lot of post op distress.
 
I would never spay a sow, even for medical reasons I think, its too invasive for them.

If you go down the castrate route then the vet should use the closed method, give Rimadyl before the op (and the right dose) and use Isoflourane anaesthetic or another recommended one. There is always a small risk but a good vet will only lose pigs to castrates where there is an underlying problem that would probably eventually result in the piggies death anyway. That said, you are going to feel the loss 100% if it happens to your piggy- not the x% chance that it might happen. Use a surgeon that a rescue uses and has had success with (you must still ask the success rate :) ) The success rate of castarates varies greatly from surgery to surgery.

Pairing sows should be done as carefully as with boars, take her to a rescue so she can choose her friend(s). Age doesn't matter, its the personality of the pig :)

Boars can be paired too, I have paired adults here successfuly more than babies. The babies have been OK at first then later they fall out. One year I kept a record and all the babies I paired fell out with their partners- either I'm pants at pairing boars or there's something in the water here!

Many pigs have their first litter when they are over a year and with no problems.
 
karenrgpr said:
I would never spay a sow, even for medical reasons I think, its too invasive for them.
Click to expand...
I have to agree I just wouldnt put a sow through it
 
What a horrible situation for you, I think i would try them with different same sex partners, as much as it would upset me to separate them you've got to think of their welfare and neither are young so going through an op or pregnancy would be very risky, hope it all works out ok xx
 
Thankyou,

I thnk the plan so far is to try an get an ultrasound in a few weeks so we know for sure either way. I really don't want to put her through an op at all. I was only chatting to my vet about it while I was there with 2 of my rabbits so it wasn't really discussed properly and in depth.

I have 7 single piggies atm which is a bit annoying. I've got 4 sows and 3 boars, so it would be great if I could get the sows into 2 pairs, and 2 of the boars were living together until recently, one is 7 years the other 6 months, but they fell out so I might try this boar who's 2 with the older boar, because they're both quite laid back. The younger boar just runs everywhere! So I may approach a rescue to find a pal for him soon.

I'll keep you all posted...
 
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