Pet pig medicine
2. The sick pig
- John Carrand
John Carr graduated from Liverpool in 1982. After a spell in general practice in Liverpool and Dumfries, he returned to Liverpool in 1988, where he was the Leverhulme resident in pigs. He then spent some time teaching pig medicine in the UK and USA. He is a senior lecturer at Murdoch University in Australia.
- Arlen Wilbers
Arlen Wilbers has been a large animal practitioner for the past 21 years in Quakertown, in the USA. He has been treating potbellied pigs for 18 years, and sees over 600 pet pigs for routine care as well as medical and surgical visits. He holds a DVM from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Abstract
THIS article describes the common conditions that may be encountered in pet pigs in practice and how they may be managed. While obesity and its associated problems are most frequently seen, as the population of pet pigs ages, a number of geriatric problems, such as locomotion difficulties and tumours, are becoming more commonplace. An article in the last issue (In Practice, March 2008, volume 30, pp 160-166) described how to handle and examine the pet pig, and highlighted the normal parameters for these animals.
- British Veterinary Association. All rights reserved.
