Successful treatment of a Vietnamese potbellied pig with an ovarian leiomyoma.
METHODS
An adult sexually intact female Vietnamese potbellied pig was examined because of abdominal distention of 5 months' duration.


RESULTS
The pig was moderately anemic, and its abdomen was greatly distended. A freely movable abdominal mass was detected during palpation and ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen. Examination of abdominal and thoracic radiographs revealed faint, ill-defined, linear and curvilinear mineralized opacities in the region of the mass and that the gastrointestinal tract was displaced craniodorsally. Results of radiographic examination suggested that the cause of distention was a single abdominal mass (possibly a neoplasm).


RESULTS
Surgery was performed, and the mass, which was identified as the right ovary, was removed. The left ovary had a normal appearance, but it was also removed during surgery. The pig was administered a transfusion (314 mL of plasma and 296 mL of packed RBCs) before and during surgery. The mass, which accounted for approximately one-third of the pig's body weight, was identified histologically as an ovarian leiomyoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Pigs can safely be administered a transfusion of RBCs and plasma. Ovarian tumors can be removed from Vietnamese potbellied pigs, which allows them to be used as pets or for reproduction when only 1 ovary is affected. Uterine masses in older sexually intact Vietnamese potbellied pigs are more common than are ovarian tumors; thus, complete ovariohysterectomy should be considered when the primary purpose of the pig is to serve as a pet.
Baumwart
Chad A
CA
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. cbaumwart@utk.edu
Prado
Tulio M
TM
Anderson
Megan P
MP
Coffman
Elizabeth A
EA
Simpson
Katie M
KM
Campbell
Gregory A
GA
D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000662:veterinary; D004912:Erythrocytes; D005260:Female; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D010949:Plasma; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000601:surgery*