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URINARY
CALCULI IN POTBELLY PIGS BY PAT JARRETT, DVM |
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Urinary calculi have become an increasingly frequent problem in potbelly pigs. Crystals of triple phosphate or struvite (mostly magnesium) are the most commonly found type. These crystals from in the urine of the kidneys and bladder and slowly but surely pass down the urinary tract to the urethra. In the female the crystals pass freely during urination due to the lack of a narrowing of the urethra. The male potbelly is not so fortunate due to the structure of the male penis. Just past the pelvic brim the male penis makes an "S" shaped curved called the sigmoid flexure which allows the male to retract and extend the penis at will during sexual intercourse. It is here that the crystals become lodged in the penis. If the blockage is not severe the pig will only be uncomfortable for a few hours and will urinate in small amounts until the crystal pass. When large amounts of crystals block the urethra completely the animal will with in a few hours become a medical emergency requiring catheterization or surgery. The vast majority of surgical cases make a complete and uneventful recovery although the rare case may have to be euthanized if repeated post-surgical blockages occur. Reasons for the formation of the stones are not completely agreed upon. The cause maybe from an infantile urethra that never developed to the normal size. As the potbelly is still bred down for small size this may prove at a later date to be a partial cause. Another reason may be the lack of natural occurring vitamin C in the diet and a reduction of water consumption during cold winter months. In the wild, potbelly pigs have a much warmer habitat and easier access to wild fruit. Cycling more water through the urinary tract and increasing the acidity of the urine obviously will reduce the likelihood of crystal formation. Giving your pig a urinary acidifier such as Heartland Animal Health's Cytra-Med and encouraging more water consumption by warming up the water in the winter may help to prevent urinary calculi. Small animal medicine has a great deal of veterinary research that has been done to substantiate the method by which urinary calculi can be prevented, treated, and removed. There has simply not been any research done to prove the process by which potbelly pig urinary calculi form. Therefore, all of the recommended treatments and preventative techniques are extrapolations from domestic swine, cat and dog veterinary medicine. In the event your potbelly pig begins to suffer from difficult urination due to urinary calculi, he or she will strain to urinate and produce little or no urine. Call your vet that day and ask if he will catheterize your pig to attempt to break up the blockage. If the blockage is behind the sigmoid flexure then most likely will not be possible and surgery will be required. Remember, this condition will not happen to all potbelly pigs. Only a small percentage will suffer from urinary calculi. Hopefully, your pig will not be one. |
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