Abstract

Medical records of 58 wild boar (Sus scrofa), 46 red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus), 46 warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus), 44 Bornean bearded pigs (Sus barbatus), 28 Visayan warty pigs (Sus cebifrons), 24 peccaries (Catagonus wagneri), 7 bush pigs (Potamochoerus larvatus), 6 babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa), and 1 forest hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni) in a captive collection from January 1984 to March 2006 were surveyed for foot problems. The species with the highest percent of the total population with foot problems were babirusa, Visayan warty pigs, and Bornean bearded pigs. The species with the lowest percent of the total population with foot problems were bush pigs, wild boar, and peccaries. The most common foot problems included toe tip abrasions, sole and hoof wall abscesses, hoof wall separation, hoof cracks, and hoof overgrowth. Conditions associated with onset of hoof problems included escape from exhibit, nervous hyperactivity, inappropriate substrate, and direct trauma. Treatments leading to successful outcome included frequent wound care with corrective hoof trimming, wound protection with foot casts, soft padded bandages, or methylmethacrylate toe caps; provision of soft substrate; and judicious use of antibiotics and anxiolytics.