Minipigs

[michalis]

Hello,

I'm a graduate student and I just started working on minipigs. They are around 20 pounds each.
We have some restraining issues, I have to pick them up and someone else gives subcutaneous injection. According to our Vet the injection doesnt hurt, but the pinch is enough to set them off. Once they start kicking they dont stop and I got bruises on my arm.

So, I was wondering if the dog sleeves for training dogs would help me? I'm not sure if they are going to work against the pig's hooves.
Also, any advice on picking them up and holding them would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,

Mike

[nemo]

Try to hold it at its hindlimbs and hold it upside down. THe one that will inject subq will hold it at its ear.

[michalis]

No, this wouldn't work as it would probably put more stress on it. We are instructed to hold just like a baby, and actually keep going back everyday and pick them up so they dont associate the picking up with the injection.

I was thinking to try and hold it on my lap, maybe it will feel safer/calmer.

[nemo]

It will go down to the question, which of the two procedure can be done the quickest. 

Although holding them upright and injecting them would give them stress  it will just be for  a brief moment.


Unlike holding them like a baby and then injecting it subcutaneously, holding them everyday, it means you are giving them stress everyday, because you need to catch them before you can hold them. They would run, jump etc. once you have hold them you will try to accustom them to be hold like a baby. But for sure they will have resistance and this will also cause stress.

Assuming, through that process they are now at ease at you holding them like a baby , once you inject them , they will have a recall of the event. Everytime you hold them in their minds, they have this fear that you might inject them, that is also stress. Remember that pigs are intelligent animal and they do adopt.

One option you could do is use a shorter needle if you want to inject subcutaneously. Give them feeds then while eating inject to the neck