The subject of spaying potbellied pigs is one that comes up with some regularity, and quite a few pet owners seem to be confused as to the proper course of action to take. And the simple answer to this concern is: if you are planning on making a pet out of your potbellied pig, spaying or neutering is a necessity.
Why is spaying so important? Well for one thing, male potbellied pigs–which will typically reach sexual maturity at around two months–are likely to become quite a nuisance when they are left un-neutered. They are liable to hump everything in sight for instance, and they may give off an unpleasant odor as well. In addition, male potbellied pigs that aren’t neutered may become aggressive to other pigs and even humans.
As to when the proper age for neutering is, male potbellied pigs can actually be neutered when they are as young as one month, although it may be a good idea to wait until they have achieved a certain weight, say 10 to 12 lbs. This may take anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks.
In most cases, you won’t actually be able to tell if a potbellied pig has been neutered or not. This is because the testicles on such pigs aren’t as obvious as you would expect, especially compared to other animals. When going in for a consultation at a veterinarian, make sure that he or she checks for both testicles. In certain instances, a potbellied pig that was thought to have missing a testicle actually had it receded into the body.
It is important to realize that potbellied pigs are at risk of developing a hernia soon after neutering. In order to reduce this risk, your veterinarian should be aware of the proper procedure for neutering before proceeding with the operation. Any qualified veterinarian should be aware of the proper method for neutering, so you and your pet would be better off with a reputable vet.
As for female potbellied pigs, leaving them un-spayed would mean that you will have to put up with monthly menstruation, and they are likely to display a few of the characteristics of PMS in human females. Most female potbellied pigs typically experience their first heat cycle at about 12 weeks old, and they achieve sexual maturity after about five months. If left un-spayed, they will then go through a monthly heat cycle lasting 3 to 5 days for the duration of their lives…definitely not something you want to live with!
Compared to spaying female potbellied pigs, male spaying is a lot simpler and more straightforward. With female pigs, the procedure can be quite a bit more complicated, and it is quite risky for animals that are more than eight months of age. This is because animals older than this will have a lot more fat that the veterinarian will have to cut through during the surgical procedure. In any case, spaying your female potbellied pigs will reduce their risk of developing cancer, tumors and uterine infections.
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