Just as all itchy pigs DO NOT have mange, all pigs with a little crust in the corners of their eyes or clear brownish discharge, do not need surgery.

Pigs like to be scratched, itching is fun and feels good. Pigs eyes tend to be runny.

Yes, potbellied pigs can get entropion [where eyelashes get onto the cornea of the eye and cause damage]

Watch out!

Lots of pigs have itchy watery and even crusty eyes that do not have an eye lash problem! Some oven have eyelashes that rest on the cornea harmlessly without causing damage.

I have spent lots of money going to board certified veterinarians & opthamologists to learn this the hard way.

Dr. David Lipton was the best at explaining, and we were really looking hard for a surgery candidate back in 1986. But as soon as we cleared up the eye infections, the problems went completely away...and then when we supplemented with vitamin E, the infections went away!

And spent money on medications they did not need.

I have culled heavily for this problem, and my herd now has large clear eyes that are not prone to eye problems. I have also learned, that there are lots of phantom problems that are not real entropion. Lucky, me I like the large eyes I can see, better than the little pig eyes that are hidden when they grow up. I like the results of the culling, but I may have done it for the wrong reasons.

Vitamin E clears up most of those, and keeping piglets from getting too fat helps too.

Don't fall for the hype

• Many eye problems improve dramatically when the pig get some extra vitamin E
• Smog, dust, and even stress,makes their eyes run reddish-brown and crusty.
• If the eye infection improves with the medication the veterinarian sells you, but comes back again, it may be a vitamin deficiency.
• Fat piglets have the most eye problems, no matter what breeding.

Again, don't fall for the hype. Think about it.

Based on an "Another View on Entropion," Kayla Mull.