[Gpdd] HEALTH Anal Impaction

[Penny Charlesworth]

Hello Glen,

It is good to hear from an old Digest friend again.

Anal impaction is not uncommon in boars and, as you have discovered, is readily remedied.

Of my large herd of boars, three have this condition, a father and two sons, which leads me to believe that it might be genetic but whatever the cause there is nothing to worry you.

Nutrition has nothing to do with the condition. The impaction is caused by the perianal sac becoming stretched with age and contains the caecal pellets, the ones that all piggies, male and female, ingest for their health. These are softer than the ones that litter the cage and when you pick up an impacted boar, the normal ones often fall out.

I check my three daily for impaction. They do not always need emptying but a regular check prevents a build up. I leave the lumps in their cage for a while as they contain B vitamins and friendly bacteria and some impacted boars will nibble some of the lump. When a boar first becomes impacted, I give him half a crushed Brewer's Yeast tablet to make up the Vit B deficiency. After a while he always seem to eat more of his dry food to compensate.

It only takes a few moments each morning to clear the obstruction and your boars will thank you for intervening. It is vital that you do so.

One word of warning to others who may be reading this post. As you will have already found out, the impacted lump PONGS. Hold your breath or put a peg on your nose.

Hugs for Rough and Ready.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.