[Sabriel MoonStar]

While checking out my new boar Spinel Sun I noticed he has a chipped tooth and a spur.

His tooth is the proper length but a corner of it is missing. It is his right top insisor. I doubt he chipped it here. He hasn't been bitting the bars at all since Friday. He doesn't chew on his food bowl either.

He can still eat fine. He has eaten some carrots since he came home. He has no problems with hay or pellets. He nibbles on people and the cat fine. He doesn't seem in pain, he hasn't avoided nibbling. He nibbles everything.

Should I have the tooth filed or should I let it grow back naturally? He still has a good bit of the bottom of the tooth left.

Then there is his spur. It is pretty long on his front left paw. I'm really nervous about clipping it. Is there anything else I can do? Would it help to soak it?

[snowflakey]

It sounds like the tooth isn't problematic. I guess keep checking to see that he's eating, keeping weight up. It will grow out and be worn down.

The spur would be best to just clip off with clippers. Don't soak it. It is better to clip it, just in case it might get caught and torn accidentally. It won't hurt him.

[Lynx]

It should grow back fine. Make sure he's getting adequate vitamin C and if you're at all worried, weigh daily. Clip the spur maybe 1/8th inch at a time, quit when you're 1/8th inch from the foot or if you start seeing blood at all (or suspect there may be growing tissue in the spur). It really should be safe to clip.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

I'll have to break out the nail clippers then (human nails clippers is what you clip it with right?) I have a big pair for my husband's thick nails. I can suppliment him with C daily. I have liquid C on hand. I never thought of it. He wasn't eating the best at the shelter and he was listed as a stray so who knows what he was eating then. I hope he likes rasberries! That's the flavour I have on hand.

He's pretending he is a turtle right now. He's so big he can take the pigloo with him wherever he goes! He is 1.2kg. The biggest pig in the house.

[RavenShade]

Make sure he can eat, and consider chopping veggies into smaller bites until his teeth even out.

I use toenail clippers to keep Neal's spurs in check. You can soak his feet if they're especially tough.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

I clipped the spur off. I was able to clip it off almost flush with his foot. What do I do with the bit that is left? Do I try to soften it up with something? I have a ton of vitamin E and almond oil for Lina. Should I disinfect it?

Maybe if I am lucky it'll soften in the bath. His fur is icky and smells of pine and the animal shelter. Not my favourite scent.

[RavenShade]

If he needs a bath, go ahead. Just make sure you use a rabbit or kitten shampoo and dry well.

I clip Neal's as close as I can and just try not to let them get very long. There is often a limit as to how close you can go without it tearing. If it broke the skin, you can consider disinfecting, but not with anything he'll injest. I don't generally disinfect the nubs.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

I have some betadine and hibitane on hand. I used it on Lina's scratches.

I have kitten shampoo. If is very gentle. I can wash them without getting a rash and I am allergic to almost all soaps and quite a few shampoos. It's like reverse animal testing. I test stuff on me before I use it on them.

Will it grow back? How did he get it? From wire flooring or maybe from living outdoors? They said he came in as a stray. Is there anything I can do to limit this growth. It was really long when I saw it. It starts at the top of his foot and was as long as his paw and he has pretty big feet.

[RavenShade]

Not sure what causes them. Only Neal get spurs. He is not housed on wire (on Carefresh, actually). They do grow back, so I trim them when I trim his toenails. I don't know how to prevent them, either.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

That bites. Maybe I will experiment a little with some vitamin E. All the spur looked like was dry skin. Maybe if I soften his paw it'll go away. *Crosses fingers*

How old was Neal when you got him? Maybe something from his past caused them to form. That's what I am thinking with Spinel. He is full grown and must be well over a year.

[RavenShade]

He was....about six months, I guess. I can't remember when I first noticed the spurs. He's a BIG pig, though. It might have something to do with it, but I'm speculating.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

Spinel is my biggest at the moment. He is 1.2 kg and very long. His fur makes him look even bigger. Kero is 1 kg right now, but he's still growing. We'll just have to wait and see won't we.

[AliceMcmallis]

I have often wondered what causes spurs. I remember Juliet had them, but she didn't develop them until after I'd had her for a few years. Franklin gets them every now and then. He's a big pig. Penny also gets them and she is also big. Juliet was one of my smallest pigs her whole life though, so I don't know if their size is necessarily a cause.

None of them were bedded on wire or had anything irritating their feet, it just seems to happen for no reason.

[Lynx]

Don't worry about cutting it completely off. It may grow back -- all you want is it clipped so it doesn't catch on something and pull off & bleed.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

It is rough and may snag fleece but it won't get caught in anything. Poor guinea pig. I'll just have to make sure it has no fuzz on it.

[Lynx]

Ah, I see why you're concerned.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

The bath seems to have softened it considerably. It just seems like new skin gowing back now. You know, almost like that ridge a healing cut makes. It is smooth but still raised a bit. It is not discoloured anymore.

He was so funny in the bath. His hair was floating about him in the water. I had to take off my glasses to bathe him. Everytime he shook he got tons of water on me. His hair sure holds alot of water. He looked like a skunk in the rain.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

How much vit C should I give him? Should I give the normal amount or shoudl I give him an extra boost if mild scury is suspected?

I will give him 25mg tonight. If need be I will give him more tomorrow morning.

[Lynx]

25mg/kg would be fine. A little vitamin C may help.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

Do you just round it down to the nearest kilo? He is 1.2kg.