Pet pig medicine: 2. The sick pig

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.