Off You Go! Play It Safe at the Show.

Biosecurity Introduction

Biosecurity Measures

Biosecurity Questionnaire

Biosecurity Poster

      --by Lorelei Pulliam

You love to show off your piggie. And who wouldn’t! Such a smart, adorable and well-trained little pigger is just too precious to keep all to yourself. You two love to go everywhere together-especially to places with other pig owners have their little porcine companions.

But not so fast! All is not fun and games for the piggies when they get together. Besides sharing the latest training ideas and discussing the newest color in harnesses this season, pig gatherings are an ideal place for diseases to spread. Some of these may be as innocent as a cold but others could cost your pride and joy severe illness or worse. You must carefully weigh the best course of action as to the potential health risks involved in having your pig exposed to other pigs and their potential germs and diseases.

If you decide that there is a low risk to your piggie by attending an event with other pigs, here are a few guidelines to go over with your pig before you get there:

• Bring your papers! Only attend a pig event in which current health certificates and up to date vaccinations are required. Even with a health certificate, some pigs may be carriers or still have a contagious disease that was not evident when the vet saw the pig. Make sure you know all the requirements if you are traveling out of state. Your vet will help you with this when you get your health certificate.
• Keep your nose to yourself! Many diseases can be spread through nose-to-nose contact. No sniffing where other pigs have gone potty, no matter how tantalizing. This is a favorite way for a disease to find it’s way into your pig. It’s a good idea to clean up messes as soon as they happen to avoid temptation and the possibility of hooves and shoes stepping in it and tracking it throughout the premises.
• No sharing! That especially applies to water and food dishes.
• Make sure hands are washed right away if they touch another pig.
• It’s always a good idea to wash and disinfect everything that went to the event just as soon as you get home.
• Stay away from the big boys! Commercial swine or farm pigs have often been exposed to many diseases that your potbelly pig has no immunity to and has not been vaccinated for. Some contagious diseases require that all animals exposed be destroyed.