Castration of both adult and juvenile pet boars can be performed via a pre-scrotal approach as you would for a canine castration.[1] Either line blocks or testicular blocks are appropriate. Depending on the comfort level of the surgeon, injectable sedation with masked oxygen may be appropriate (providing both testicles are present and descended). If the boar is cryptorchid or the surgery is expected to take longer, intubated gas anesthesia in addition to the injectable protocol should be considered.

A research study from 2019 looked at the use of Firocoxib in sows and how it was passed through the milk (transmammary) to provide analgesia to the suckling piglets for processing.[2] The sows all received firocoxib 6 hours prior to piglet processing. The results of the study showed decreased cortisol levels in piglets from sows that received 0.5mg/kg firocoxib when compared to piglets from sows that received 2.0mg/kg firocoxib. Furthermore, piglets from the sows that received 2.0mg/kg firocoxib gained more weight in the 21 days between processing and weaning. Acknowledging that pet pigs are generally not castrated at such a young age that they are still nursing, oral administration of firocoxib to pigs prior to surgical procedures could be very beneficial in pain control and help decrease recovery time. Please note that firocoxib is not labeled for use in swine. A similar study looked at the effect of transmammary meloxicam in piglets when administered in the sow’s feed.[3] In this study the sows were fed 30mg/kg meloxicam for 6 days, starting at day 4 post farrowing. Processing occurred on day 5 post farrowing. Similar findings of decreased piglet cortisol were reported. Please not that meloxicam use in swine is extra label. See Chapter 7 for more details on appropriate analgesia and sedation protocols.