A while ago, I rescued two little sows, both Peruvian possible crosses. They are such cute little things.

I already had two boars, named Badger and Porky. Both around 2 years or so now, and so are the sows. I got the sows because the boars just dont get on, and I wanted them to have some company. I have them in a 6 foot by 3 foot c and c cage. The boys have a side each, and the sows were put in a small section at the bottom, for them to get used to being near the boars.

I decided I dont want to breed, so a coupe of weeks ago, I went and got the boars neutered. Neutering in boars can be quite complicated, and you really need to do your homework before even considering it. You will need to find a vet that is experienced in neutering Guinea Pigs. This is vitally important. Plus you will need to make sure the vet uses gas to anaesthetise, not injection. Gp’s have to be able to eat, right up till the time of their operation, and immediately after as well, to insure their stomach keeps working and no complications from empty stomach occur. That in itself can be really dangerous, if it happens.

My vet, which is quite a fair distance away, is good with exotics, and they have an occasional day a year, for their customers to go and learn about certain animals, and to actually watch the vets perform small operations, so I trusted them to do the operation.

On the day, I got my boars in their carrier, I added some fresh veggies, that they really like, some fresh hay, for them to eat, and if for any reason they werent eating after an hour coming out of the operation, I also took some Science Recovery diet with me, with instructions to the vet they mix it and give them some.I also wanted to make sure that pain relief, in  the form of metacam, was given pre op, to make sure they weren’t in pain afterwards. Which the vet agreed to. I also made sure, and this is important for recovery, that the vet uses Vycril stitches, subcutaneously, to stitch the wound and not cat gut, as cat gut can cause severe irritation, during the healing process. the vet assured me that Vycril is used. I was glad about that.

I phoned the vets at the time they told me to, and got told the both boys had eaten, almost immediately after their operation, and they were well enough to go home, when I could get there. I got there and was told about the operation, and how much they had eaten, and what to expect over the next couple of days. I also got given a care, sheet, with things to look out for, when I take them home. After the operation, some complications can occur, the operation site can become infected, it can open, the boars can worry at the stitches, it can develop swelling, for a number of reasons, and any of these reasons, you must contact the vet immediately with.

Before the Boys came home, I prepared the cage, I use vet bed, for the base with newspaper underneath. I got told about a trick to keep the hay from going everywhere, by putting some into kitchen roll holders, so that it doesnt get into the wound, this worked perfectly. I tried to make sure the bedding wass kept as clean as possible to stop any chance the wounds could be infected with soiled bedding. I checked on the wounds every day.

After the operation, boars can go off their food a little bit, and become very quiet. Mine went quiet for the next day, but did keep eating, and I kept an eye on their stools to make sure they were producing them, and they didnt get too small, which would be a bad sign.

I have to say, everything has gone perfectly, the boys have been really lucky, that no complications have occured.

I have been doing a lot of reading, to try find out how long to leave until the healing process is over and is it safe to introduce them. Most sites will give a time period, but its a bit vague as to why they say that long. Some say 3 or 4 weeks, and some sites have even gone as far as to say at least two months, before the introductions should be made. None actually give any evidence for this long, and it seems to be a just in case reason. I contact the Cambridge Cavvy trust, and The Guinea Pig Rescue in Reading, and both give a two week time span, and say that they introduce with no problems after the two weeks, and have been doing this for a long time. After discussing this with some other people, I decided that i would wait 3 weeks. We have just passed the two weeks recovery date yesterday, both boys are doing really well.

At the end of the boys section, the two girls are there, and I know they have decided who they like, as they are sitting next to the boys, through the bars, of their new friends. Next week, we get to the introductions. I am getting quite excited for them.

That is my story of  getting my boars neutered.

Pictures to come of all the Guinea pigs, when they will be introduced.