Neuter and spaying pros and cons

[Katie]

Okay so I'm defo needing to neuter sooty. But I'm worried about what's gonna happen to him?
And just wanted to know why is more common for boys to get neutered rather than girls to get spayed? It's just I'm worried about my other 2 boys who can already smell my new sow and have a history of fighting without the sow anyway?

Can anybody shed some light on this please? Thanks

Katie

[piggylover]

It's a bigger op for sows and they will be under for longer, it's why they castrate boars,

[Kayleigh]

Neutering a boar is alot more simple than spaying a sow. Thats the case in most if not all species of animal. To spay a sow they have to go internally and tweak a little here and there. And the sow will be under longer. A boar like many males they usually make a small incision and pressure the testicles out and put a few closing stitches in.

I think its always best to neuter the boar rather than spay the sow. Both for safety reasons and for the cost. All surgery carries a risk so always ensure you ask your chosen vet questions.

Kayleigh

[Katie]

Thanks kayleigh I'm just worried about my other paired boars fighting... I've worked out they are a couple of months older than I thought so they are around 9 months and know they will be hormonal? Will they be okay, once I place Soo (my new sow) with sooty??

[Orlaith]

Kayleigh summed it up really well. If you think of the difference of getting that operation done in humans, it's a much more involved operation on a female and very invasive. All operations are risky but it's a smaller risk with boars.

[Kayleigh]

The paired boars should be ok. aslong as the cages arent side by side. I have paired boars in the same room as all my sows and none of my pigs have got into a tiff by the scent of sows yet.

Kayleigh

[Katie]

They are at opposite ends of the room so that should be okay. Just worries me. Haha I'm a worrier.

Just another thing. When I first introduce sooty and Soo, will they get on okay? Is there any behaviours I should look out for that aren't good? I know sooty will try and mount her before he works out it doesn't work but is there anything else?

[Kayleigh]

There will be ALOT of mounting, chasing ect but this is because Sooty will be non the wise that he cannot reproduce. Soo should put him in his place and things will settle down eventually. My neut boars get along great with their girlfriends. I will hear the boars doing their sing and dance occasionally, usually because a sow is in season. But no fighting or anything serious has happened. they are all very happy piggies.

Kayleigh

[Katie]

Thanks :-) puts my mind at ease :-)

Katie

[Orlaith]

Me too, I have two pairs of boys in the same room as eight other girls and they've never fought, they just behave as if the girls weren't there at all Mind you, the girls aren't right beside them, but they aren't miles away either.

[kourt1313]

Is it necessary to neuter if you are only keeping one male? The store owner said it would help him live longer, but I've been researching and everything is saying there is no real need unless there's a medical need to or if other pigs are kept with him.

[Kayleigh]

Jan 5, 2012 21:09:47 GMT @kourt1313 said:

Is it necessary to neuter if you are only keeping one male? The store owner said it would help him live longer, but I've been researching and everything is saying there is no real need unless there's a medical need to or if other pigs are kept with him.

That is absolute nonsense!! Theres no need to neuter any boar unless you want to or theres a medical reason.

Kayleigh

[kourt1313]

That's kinda what I thought when he told me that!