GENERAL POTBELLIED PIG HEALTH CARE ANESTHETICS: Although there are more and more vets that have

had some experience with potbelly pig, it can still be difficult finding a vet with exotic pet knowledge, let alone potbelly pig knowledge or one that is willing to learn and treat your pot belly pig. PBP's are not farm hogs and should not be treated as one. NEVER allow your vet to use Ketamine or Halothane to sedate your pig . These drugs are not safe and can kill your pig. The only safe anesthesia to use on a pot belly pig is ISO (Isoflourine Gas). Your pet pig will go under quickly and recover quickly with no after effects. For more information on anesthetics, Click Here. LOSS OF APPETITE: If your pig doesn't have much of an appetite or is not eating, THIS IS A BAD SIGN! A pig that has lost it's appetite is definitely sick. The cause could be one of too many things to mention here so you should call your vet right away. Remember we are talking pigs here and they love to eat. BODY TEMPERATURE: We are talking rectal temperatures now. Hey, these are things you NEED to know and do. If you cannot handle it, don't get a pig! It is recommended that you take your pigs temperature once a day for one week at the same time each day. This will help you and your vet know what your pigs average temperature is. Through a recent study (JAVMA, Vol 215, No. 3, August 1, 1999) it was concluded that potbellied pigs have a lower rectal temperature than farm pigs (or swine). We did this on our pigs for 34 days straight in January/February of 1999 as part of a larger test and discovered that their average temperature was 99.3 F, far less than what was believed to be normal. Back to FAQ's Main Page SICK PIG: KNOW THE SIGNS The first sign of a sick pig is his loss of appetite. If he does not eat like a pig then something may be wrong. A sick pig also looks sick and will not act normal. Know your pig and his routine. His hair will stand on end like he is cold or when you give your pig a belly rub. If, when standing, his back is hunched and his hind legs are under his body, that is a sick pig.

Remember, any change in behavior that is unusual could be a sign that something is wrong. In any of these cases make sure you take his temperature to find out if he is running a temperature and then call your vet. The faster you act the better. CONSTIPATION: Potbellied pigs do get constipated. This usually occurs during the winter months when they aren't walking around as much. Our pigs seem to almost hibernate during the winter and this makes for lazy pigs. Mine get up to eat and up to potty that is it. They are not out grazing like they are able to do in the summer so they probably won't poop as much. It's called a lack of exercise. Your pig is not blocked if he is pooping. You will know if your pig is constipated if you give his poops the step test! When you step on the poop, does it smash easily or crumble? If it crumbles rather than smashes down, it can be a a sign of constipation. A few things to help your pig through the winter constipation blues are Piggy Lax (we use this with Ziggy and get great results), Bulky Lax, a teaspoon of olive oil on their food, some canned prunes or canned pumpkin. We use Piggy Lax here during the winter months and add the olive oil to the food year round for the older pigs. POISON CONTROL: If you think your pig has gotten into some poison or eaten a poisonous plant then call: 888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 888-426-4435 end_of_the_skype_h ighlighting) $45.00 per case. For more information go to: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Back to FAQ's Main Page HEALTH ARTICLES: There are a number of excellent Health Articles on Pot Bellied Pigs including a list of poisonous plants provided by the United Pet Pig Registry Service web site. This is another great resource. Plus, we strongly recommend you get your pet pig registered with them. ANESTHETICS FOR POTBELLIED PIGS Before you take your pig to the vet, or the vet comes to you for the first time, read up so that it isn't the last time. Make sure that your vet has worked on a potbellied pig before or is willing to learn so that your pig will have the proper care. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is the right anesthetic. The preferred anesthetic to use on pot belly pigs is IS0 (spelled either Isoflourine or Isoflorine Gas). The pig goes under quickly and recovers quickly. NO AFTER EFFECTS!

If your vet does not have this then the there is an injectable that can be used but only if the vet follows the formulation below. NEVER let your vet give your pig Ketamine. This is like a hallucinogenic to your pig and can KILL him. We here at Pigs4Ever know this from personal experience and believe us when we say this: You do NOT want to go through losing a pet pig to the wrong anesthetic! There is a place for injectables done with care on pigs that are too large to work with or get into the vet. I know they can be used because we use them here at the sanctuary on pigs that we can't handle enough to get into a vet and the injectables have a place for pigs that wouldn't get ANY vet care without them...BUT the one rule that we never, never break here is we give them the dose for their size, give them 5 to 10 minutes to go to sleep and if they DON'T then we quit and leave it alone!! NEVER NEVER do we give them more!! NEVER use injectables on pigs under 5 months old. I always tell people to stay with that pig till it is asleep...that way you can always say "Hey it didn't work fast enough, but we ARE NOT going to give anymore." You can always come back again, but a dead pig is dead forever." "The place on your pig to give the injectable is the neck about 2-3 inches behind the ear. It is okay if the shot is given in the butt, which is fat, as long as a long enough needle is used. When it is given in the fat it stays stored there and is released a little at a time...so if you give the pig more anesthetic, thinking the first shot did not work, this will result in an overdose. No food or water for 8 hours PRIOR to giving the injection." "Also, please remember that we are saying that the ISO Fluorine gas is the BEST but, if you can't get the pig there or the pig is one that has not been handled this is the next best bet. This may enable pigs to get vet care that otherwise may not get the care needed and this is the only reason we included it." Rough Formula: For Larger Pets (50+ pounds) 1cc for every 50 pounds of body weight of Tealizole 1cc for every 100 pounds of body weight of Rompan Put both drugs in the same syringe and give in the neck muscle. Wait five minutes, pig will go down and be asleep. GIVE NO OTHER DRUGS OR TRANQUILIZERS AND DO NOT GIVE ANY MORE THEN THE DOSAGE PER BODY WEIGHT. (By no other drugs we do not mean antibiotics. Antibiotics can be safely given following the procedure.) More Detailed Formula: For Smaller Pets (40-50 pounds) 2 mg for every pound of body weight of Tealizole 1 mg for every pound of body weight of Rompan Put both drugs in the same syringe and give in the neck muscle. Wait five minutes, pig will go down and be asleep. GIVE NO OTHER DRUGS OR TRANQUILIZERS AND DO NOT GIVE ANY MORE THEN THE DOSAGE PER BODY WEIGHT. (By no other drugs we do not mean antibiotics. Antibiotics can be safely given following the procedure.)

After Care: Put sleeping pig in a quiet place. We use a carrier for this part with blankets and leave them alone other than checking quietly on them for the next 12 hours. No food or water until the pig can walk out of the carrier on his own, and no food or water for 8 hours PRIOR to giving the injection. EYES AND EARS Pot belly pigs have very poor eyesight. In fact, many new pig parents believe something is wrong because they do not seem to be able to see very well. Well, this is true. As potbellies age, most of them develop folds of skin which appear to 'cover' their eyes. Except for the severely overweight pig, this is normal. In their older years they may appear to be keeping their eyes shut. Again, this is normal unless it is caused by the pig being overweight. Most potbellies will have runny eyes that produce sticky, brownish tears. A little of this is normal. You can wipe away the goo with a warm damp cloth. You may even find their blankets, sheets, or whatever you give them to sleep in with wet spots from their eyes. Again, this is pretty much normal and pigs in very dusty areas are more prone to this. Some pigs are prone to eye problems such as entropiana. This is when the eye lashes lay on the eye. This condition is correctable by minor surgery (make sure the vet uses ISO!! See Anesthetics ). Pigs ears sometimes will get a little wax build-up. This is normal! DO NOT try to clean deep inside your pigs ear. When the build-up gets bad on my pigs ears I just use my finger nail and scrape it out, being careful not to let any of the gunk fall back into the ear. But, I do not use any type of foreign object or ear cleaner. It is not necessary. That 'stuff' that builds up is their natural defense against dust, particles and tiny insects getting to far into their ears. DO NOT put any liquids in your pigs ear EVER! This can get in their inner ear and cause them to have a head tilt, putting them off balance. If liquid gets into your pigs ears, it can cause serious problems. If you are going to hose your pig down to cool them off during hot days, make sure you do not allow the stream of water near their ears or face. POT BELLY PIG SKIN AND HAIR SKIN Pigs have naturally dry skin. It is not necessary to give your pig a bath. In fact it should not be done as it will take the natural oils off their skin. In the thirteen years we have had Ziggy and Flower they have had only one bath and they are house pigs. They do get hosed down or brushed off when they get muddy. You can use a skin lotion if you like, just make sure your pig isn't allergic to it. Avon's Skin So Soft is popular but Heartland's Skin So Soft is also quite popular.

Pot belly pigs do not get fleas (with one exception), but can get ticks. The exception is baby pigs. Baby pigs can have fleas real bad (thank goodness only when they are babies as when they get older the fleas can't bite through that tough hide). If your piglet has fleas there are a couple of choices. Any flea powder for kittens and puppies will help. Always be careful not to get it in their eyes or mouth. Make sure it is for puppies and kittens, NOT big dogs or cats. The Sevin Sevin dust that you use on the garden also works well. Remember to wash all bedding. It's a temporary thing as after a while the fleas can't bite them, therefore fleas only like baby pigs. Ticks do seem to have a hard time with a pigs tough skin, but can find their way to the soft areas like behind and in their ears, under their legs and on their bellies. Pigs can get lyme disease if you are in an area that is a high risk area for it. "What we do is every night when B&P come in we make them lay down for bellyrubs (and THAT's real hard!) and take tweezers and pull the ticks off their bellies. They sometimes get them inside their ears too, so gotta look in their with a flashlight. A royal pain in the butt, but we get lots of them off." Sandy of CT. Potbelly pigs are mostly bothered by horseflies and mosquitoes. There are several good products on the market to keep flies and mosquitoes away. Just be careful not to get any in your pigs eyes when applying. If your pot belly pigs dry skin has a somewhat red/orange tint to it then you may have Mange Mites. Regular brushing helps, but pigs don't have oil glands like other animals for their coats. You can add oils to their diet, like olive oil or by a Hair and Skin Conditioner made just for them. We alternate between both here. Back to FAQ's Main Page HAIR Yes, pigs have hair and not fur. It is very tough and hard, but it is hair. Your pot bellied pig will most likely shed or "blow its coat" at least once a year. Some will do this twice a year. They may loose their hair all at once or in stages. Once this starts you can easily pull it out by the handfuls to help your pig along. This usually happens sometime in the Spring when the weather starts turning warm. When your pig is loosing it's hair it will itch terribly. You may notice him running around trying to itch on trees, walls, furniture, your leg, other pets, whatever is around!! Just help your pig along by pulling any loose hair. It will come out very easily. Also, a good scratching a few times a day will be appreciated. I would do this outside if I were you, unless you have your vacuum cleaner handy. You will notice that your pig pet has a bit more hair down the middle of his/her back. This is called a Mohawk. Your pigs Mohawk will usually raise when the pig is content (ready for a belly rub). An upright Mohawk can also indicate being scared.

MANGE MITES ON POT BELLY PIGS If your pig has mites you may want to dust him with Seven Seven powder like you use on your garden (you can get this at your local garden supply). Make sure you do not get the powder in their eyes or mouth! This is meant to help with the itching, but you will still need to worm them with Ivomec to kill the mites. If you don't have any Seven Seven dust at home try the feed store for some hog dust. The dust will help give relief on the itching while the Ivomec is working to kill the mange mites from the inside. There is also a spray is called Furacin that will help keep the skin moist that some are using. Another thing to try is bathing them everyday for about a week with oatmeal shampoo. This will help with the itching and any rough dry scaly skin. This is normally used for dogs, but will work fine on our pigs. You can get the Ivomec at some feed stores or ask your vet to give you enough for two doses. Tell your vet you want to give it by mouth instead of in shots and he needs to give you a little more than the shot would be. If you can not get it from your vet or find it at your local feed store then you will need to shop on-line. We get ours from KV Vet Supply. You are looking for Ivomec for swine the 1% solution. HOW TO GIVE IVOMEC Everyone has their own way of giving Ivomec. If you go to the vets he will want to give a shot. Pigs don't handle shots very well so ask if it can be given orally. Some use 2/10th of a cc per 10 pounds of body weight and 1/10th of a cc per 10 pounds if given by injection. Others give 1cc per 50 pounds of body weight. This is the formula we go by here at Pigs4Ever. Ivomec is safe and hard to overdose so don't worry. If your pig will sit nice for a treat then you can just squirt it into the side of their mouth. (Make sure it is the side of their mouth, not straight down their throat, so it doesn't go down the wrong tube.) Or you can dampen his food just a little and squirt the Ivomec on the food and stir and they will usually eat it. If you have more then one pig keep them separated so that you make sure each pig gets his full dose. "Yes, I put it in my pigs food when I give it. Make sure you are giving enough as these pigs grow fast and it does take a little more when you do it by mouth. I cut the food in half, dampen it a little, then squirt the Ivomec on the damp food and stir it up. By cutting it in half you are making sure that they clean it all up and are getting the medicine. Then mark it on your calendar and 14 days later do it again. We do this on the outside pigs every fall and spring and it keeps things pretty much under control until some new kid moves in that has it." Phyllis Battoe - Owner of Pig Pals Sanctuary If you use Ivomec it will work for those in his ears as well as anywhere else. (Ivomec is not picky about what part of the body it works on as it goes into the blood stream and goes all over the body).

Also for chronic mange you can give every 5 to 7 day for up to 4 weeks. It is really hard to overdose on Ivomec. For a 'normal' case of mange you give two doses about 10-14 days apart and that is it. From then on you will want to worm your piggy twice a year (spring and fall) as a precautionary measure. It usually takes that second dose to get the larva stage of the mange mites that haven't hatched yet. BUT make sure you do it twice, 14 days apart!! You may have a problem with mites in their bedding also. Change all bedding every time you use the Ivomec so they don't get reinfected. It is the bedding (straw/hay) that will carry the mites. ARE YOU ITCHING TOO? Try some Right Guard Deodorant spray on the parts that are itching. I cannot speak from personal experience, but have been told it is the best thing to relieve the itching. Another thought is the dog dip for mange. Just wet a corner of a rag with a small amount and put it on. They really don't like us too well and are easy to get rid of and sometimes they leave on their own. Constant washing with alcohol might work too. SPAY / NEUTER Every pet pig should be spayed or neutered. Un-neutered male pigs become sexually active at about two months old and you do NOT want an un-neutered male pig as a household pet! Believe us. They will want to hump everything in site, they have a bad musk type odor and can be quite aggressive towards both the female pigs and humans. Males can be neutered as early as one month old. But it is best to wait until they have a little weight on them. 8 to 12 weeks is the usual time or when the piglet weighs in at about 10 to 12 lbs. It is hard to tell on a male pig just by looking if he has been neutered or not. Testicles on the potbellied pig are not obvious, as they are on other animals. Make sure your vet gets both testicles. There have been many cases where one testicle was missed as they are hidden within the pigs body. Also, pot belly pigs are prone to becoming herniated after neutering. Make sure your vet researches the proper procedure before the neuter. Click here for an article written on how to properly neuter the potbellied pig. Un-spayed females have a monthly menstrual cycle and get terrible PMS! Their first heat cycle is usually at about 12 weeks of age and become sexually active at about five months old. They will have a heat cycle every month for the rest of their lives. And the heat cycles last about 3-5 days. Spaying a female is a much more involved surgery and is not recommended on females over eight months old. Over eight months old the surgery gets risky due to the amount of fat that the vet will need to cut through. Most vets like to wait till the pig has had at least one menstrual cycle before spaying. Again, you do NOT want an un-spayed female pig in your house! They get downright ornery during their.........time!

If your female is not yet spayed, she may be feeling quite sexy and proud of being a girl. Peeing in front of her favorite people is one of the things un-spayed little girl pigs do. This is the main reason people get rid of the little girls. They call them dirty. But, this is just human ignorance showing. In order for your little girl pig to continue to be the best house pet pig for you it is imperative that she not cycle or go into heat every three weeks. She naturally wants to reproduce and nature blinds her to everything else because of raging hormones. Peeing is one way of sharing her scent and spreading the word about her condition. Outside female pigs get the urge to roam in search of the perfect man. So those of you with older females that can not be spayed please make sure that you have good fencing up. ADVANTAGES TO SPAY / NEUTER: Spayed females have a lower chance of developing mammary tumors, and the possibility of uterine infections also called Pyometria or ovarian cancer as they age. See: Things Of Interest and Uterine Infections, Tumors & Cancer Females will no longer go into heat, eliminating the probability of getting blood stains on the floor, bed, sofa, etc. when your female has her heat cycle. Neutered males have a lower chance of developing prostate infections. They won't develop testicular cancers. They will no longer have that musk smell. Neutered males tend to become less aggressive and experience a decrease in the incidence of fighting. Both sexes experience less of a need for territorial marking behavior, a decrease in the urge to roam, and become more docile and easier to train. The personality of both males and females usually improves because they don't have to spend so much time and energy seeking a mate. Fewer pigs in animal shelters, rescue centers and sanctuaries. This is one of the reasons pigs loose their home.

Please remember that pigs and all pets are a part of your family and not something to just be dumped because you didn't to your part. Take the time to spay/neuter your pet. Thanks! TUSKS All pigs grow tusks. This, of course, includes potbelly pigs. Female pot bellied pigs grow small tusks that rarely get large enough to stick out of their mouth. My female, Flower, has tusks that are about the same size as the rest of her teeth. Neutered males will have a nice set of tusks that grow large enough to protrude from the mouth. This will start to happen at about three years of age. Tusks need not be trimmed unless they are causing a problem for the pig or you. NEVER let anyone trim the tusks if the pig is awake and screaming . He can accidentally inhale the tusk. Tusk trimming is best done by your vet while using Isofluorine gas anesthesia. Make sure that at least 1/2 inch or more of tusk is left. Potbelly pigs have a tendency to become infected if the tusk is trimmed to close to the gum line. Also, DO NOT have anyone remove the tusks!! They are

part of the jawbone and removal will cause serious problems! If at all possible, avoid trimming your male's tusks. HOOVES Pigs that are up on their pasturns will most likely never need a hoof trim. Some believe that those who have access to concrete and are able to walk on it daily may never need a hoof trim. Of course this only works if the pig is up on it's pasturns. The rest of us will need to keep them trimmed on a regular basis. For the new piggy parent, here is the best way to get started. Teach your baby pig to let you touch his/her feet. The easiest way is to get piggy down for a belly rub and starting with the front feet, gently take a foot into your hand. Don't apply any pressure at first. Massage lightly with thumb and forefinger on the pads, hooves and leg, as though you were giving a light foot rub. If piggy yanks foot away and heads for the hills, be patient....you may have to start even gentler, just resting a finger on the hoof for a few seconds. If he pulls away, let go, but don't give up. It may take several sessions before you can get your pig to let you hold a foot. Remember to talk to your pig and continue with the belly rub. Do NOT force your pig by grabbing a foot and holding on! You will NEVER gain their confidence that way and the chances of you being able to trim their hooves after that will be close to zero. There are several different tools used for trimmng. A nail file for acrylic nails or emery board, wood rasp, and even a dremel will work. We like the sharp scissor style pruning shears rather than the horse hoof clipper. There are many different tools will do a good job. Try to find ones that are easy to replace that you are comfortable with. Our vet always asked to use our hoof trimmers rather than his hoof snips (the farm type) as the ones we use are extremely sharp and easy to use. No wonder we call them the Best Hoof Trimmers In The World (See our Product Page) We do a little at a time and we keep up with the growth of the hooves. Remember, each pig is different. Do NOT force them. They, and you, can learn to do this with time and patience. It may be easier to just try to do one foot at a time. If you work a little at a time with treats your pig may get used to it. Start by nipping off small bits and watch out for any sign of pink. Stop a slice sooner rather than later. If the hoof is white it is easy to see the quick. You can take a sharpie and mark how far you want to trim. Also, wetting the hoof or using a flashlight right up against the hoof makes it easy to see the quick. If the hoof is black you or sort of flying blind and just need to be extra careful. It may take you more than one session to get hooves trimmed. This is normal. We also suggest that you have some type of blood stop on hand should you get the quick. If your pigs hoof is starting to split from the top down try filing ACROSS the split where the split stops. These splits don't usually cause a problem unless they are deep into the tissue. If there is no sign of it being deep....like redness or being tender than they can be closed up, but if its a deep crack then you don't want to cover it up as the infection can't drain should there be any. As long as its superficial it is fine to fill it in or cover it up.

VACCINATIONS Should your pet pig be vaccinated? That is a question of some debate in the pig world. I personally had my house pigs vaccinated yearly for their first six years then stopped. They are pets and no longer do any traveling, nor do they come in contact with any other pigs. Bonnie & Clyde our rescue pigs have never been vaccinated. Of course, if your local laws require it, then they will be vaccinated. The vaccines are made for farm pigs and don't seem to have much value to the potbellies since the vaccines are made for one particular strain of a disease that potbellies rarely, if ever, get. If you do have it done, don't let them talk you into every year because we are seeing problems with pigs getting them too often and their immune system is so good that it ends up doing more harm than good. We have also heard of cases where the vet over vaccinates the pig. Meaning too much of the vaccination was given for the size/weight of the pig. If you must vaccinate, the recommended vaccinations may vary depending on where you live. Vaccinations should include Erysipelas, Bordatella, and Pasturella on a yearly basis after initial double dose at 6 -10 weeks and 12 -14 weeks. Be careful: Reactions to lepto vaccinations are common. As of this writing, rabies vaccine is not approved in pigs. Pigs are resistant to rabies and are very unlikely to contract the disease. Using cat or dog vaccines are unacceptable. Lymes vaccine is not approved in pigs. Remember, vaccinations are expensive and if they are doubtful in value they should be avoided, especially since occasional reactions do occur. Vaccinations can be given either in the butt muscle or in the neck about 2-3 inches behind the ear. WORMING Your pig should be wormed twice a year. This can be done with a shot, but given orally is easiest and best. If giving orally, it is not necessary to have a vet do the procedure. The antiparasitic of choice is Ivomec 1% solution, while others are using Dectomax. If your pot belly pigs dry skin has a somewhat red tint to it then you may have mange mites. You can get the Ivomec at some feed stores or ask your vet to give you enough for two doses. Tell your vet you want to give it by mouth instead of in shots and he needs to give you a little more than what would be in the shot. If you cannot get it from your vet or find it at your local feed store then you will need to shop on-line. We get ours from KV Vet Supply. You are looking for Ivomec for swine, the 1% solution.

Everyone has their own way of giving Ivomec. If you go to the vets he will want to give a shot. Pigs don't handle shots very well so ask if it can it to be given orally. Some use 2/10th of a cc per 10 pounds of body weight and 1/10th of a cc per 10 pounds if given by injection. Others give 1cc per 50 pounds of body weight. This is the formula we go by here, 1cc per 50 pounds and we have never had a worm problem in over 14 years. Ivomec is safe and very hard to overdose so don't worry. If your pig will sit nice for a treat then you can just squirt it into the side of their mouth. (Make sure it is the side of their mouth, not straight in, so it doesn't go down the wrong tube in their throat.) Or you can dampen his food just a little and squirt the Ivomec on the food and stir and they will usually eat it. If you have more then one pig keep them separated so that you make sure each pig gets his full dose. Also remember that the pigs can build up an immunity to Ivomec so it is good at times to alternate with Dectomax. Dectomax is a pour on and it comes with a measuring bottle so you don't make a mistake. It can be ordered from Jeffers Catalog (1-800-JEFFERS begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800JEFFERS end_of_the_skype_highlighting). It is as good as Ivomec for up to 7 different kinds of parasites including mange. CHOOSING A VET Sooner or later you are going to need a Vet. Don't wait till the last minute to address this question! You may regret it when a crisis comes up. Here are 5 questions you should ask your Vet before allowing him/ her to treat your pet pig, or even BEFORE you get a pig. 1. Has this Vet ever worked with potbellied pigs before? If not, does he/she know of a Vet who has? Or is he/she willing to learn? (Some vets are not willing to learn. They just assume PBP's are treated the same as farm pigs, which is a very big mistake.) 2. If the answer to #1 is yes, can he tell you of other pot belly pig owners that are clients so you may talk with them and gain their experiences and share yours with them about potbellies. 3. Are you allowed to stay with your animal at all times while being treated? You should always be allowed to stay with your pig when getting shots. You should also demand to be present when the pig is being put under for surgery (we have done this, so do not be afraid to ask). Insist on being there when your pig awakens. 4. Does your Vet listen when you have questions or offer advice or information? If the answer to this question is No, FIND ANOTHER VET! Some Vets dismiss pet owners outright as not knowing anything. When it comes to pot belly pigs, this belief is usually wrong. (I lost my first pig by not following this rule. The Vet said he would do one thing, then did another.) 5. What would the Vet do, in the event the animal bit him? What would be his reaction, i.e., want to destroy the animal to test for rabies? Notify authorities? What would be his reaction?

These five questions are very important. Your Vet should be willing to discuss these with you for as long as it takes, until you are satisfied you have enough information. If your Vet is not willing to sit down and answer these questions, or does not give you complete answers, or refuses to refer you to existing clients with potbelly pigs, FIND ANOTHER VET!! As we mentioned above, we lost our very first little boy because the vet (actually a veterinary college) did not do what they said they would do. They used swine anesthesia rather than Iso gas. We got our little boy home and he died about 10 hours later in our arms (reaction to the swine anesthesia). You do NOT want to go through this! Again, do not be afraid to ask these questions. You are paying for this service and your pig is depending on YOU to do the right thing. So, ask the questions, and any others you feel you need to ask. And make sure you get the answers you want (in writing if necessary). If your vet is not open to this, gives you attitude, or refuses to listen, GET ANOTHER VET!