Miniature pigs

Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 1999 Sep;2(3):519-37, v. doi: 10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30108-1.

Abstract

Miniature pigs have become popular pets in North America, and veterinarians of a variety of clinical specialties may be called on for their care. Successful collection of blood from these animals requires familiarity with the location of sites for venipuncture and knowledge of adequate methods of restraint. In this article, restraint and techniques for venipuncture are described, as well as techniques for cerebrospinal fluid collection, semen collection, and vaginal cytologic examination. Interpretation of hematologic, serum biochemical, and urinalysis data are also discussed. Methods for diagnosis of skin diseases, gastrointestinal parasitism, and enteric infectious diseases are included in order to provide the practitioner with the essential knowledge and skills for a variety of clinical pathologic studies of this unique pet.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anesthesia / methods
  • Anesthesia / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic
  • Blood Chemical Analysis / veterinary
  • Blood Specimen Collection / methods
  • Blood Specimen Collection / veterinary*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Feces / virology
  • Female
  • Hematologic Tests / veterinary
  • Male
  • Reference Values
  • Restraint, Physical / methods
  • Restraint, Physical / veterinary
  • Semen / physiology
  • Skin / pathology
  • Spinal Puncture / methods
  • Spinal Puncture / veterinary
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Swine Diseases / pathology
  • Swine, Miniature / blood
  • Swine, Miniature / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Swine, Miniature / physiology*
  • Swine, Miniature / urine
  • Urinalysis / veterinary
  • Vagina / cytology