Gutting a Hog..Dangerous!!???

[grizz]

There was an article in the Hillsboro newspapers about the feral hog population getting out of control. In the article it says extreme care should be given when handling the animal dead/alive because of the MANY diseases they carry. It went on to say gloves,whole arm protection and protective glasses must be used. They said NO blood should come in contact with your skin.

Are these beasties that dangerous to handle and do you'all wear protective gear when field dressing?

Anybody have first hand knowledge of a person contracting a disease from butchering a hog? I was thinking of giving it a go until I read that article.
Did you all know there was a bounty per lbs on hogs!! Anybody collect bounties? Might be a good side business...

[shawn]

Strange. I would think if they are that dangerous and carry that many harmful diseases they would be any good to eat. We all know that is just not the case.

[Texastaxi]

I didn't get a disease, but I got an infection that made my finger swell and had me crying like a baby! I got it skinning a goat at the Bar E. I had run out of latex gloves and figured I could do this last one without gloves. That was the first and last carcass that I've touched without gloves. The infection got into my skin through a dried, cracked cuticle.

Latex gloves are too cheap to not use them.

[bear]

wow, hadnt thought about that at all being a possibility.... kind of enjoy washing the hands after, guess after k-dawgs story I may get some gloves

[Deer Tracks]

Trichinosis can be transmitted from pigs to humans. Basic good food handling practices can prevent the spread of these diseases.
I killed a pretty thin sow a few years ago that had white spots all over her lungs. Of course I wouldn't have known that if we hadn't field dressed her (I usually don't dress pigs.) We didn't eat her.

[The Manager]

Never put much thought into it either. I have never worn gloves, but maybe I should consider it.

[cosmiccowboy]

the only disease I know of that you can get from cleaning hogs is brucellosis.

http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/pbs/zoonoses/Brucellosis/brucellosishuman.html

[bzzboyz]

Never really gave it much thought. Probably still won't. I always use gloves just so I don't have to waste my water to clean my hands


I would think the only thing dangerous about gutting a hog would be if the hog were still alive when you tried to do it.

[dswalke2]

I love the media for stuff like this...I think no different from any other wild animal, or tame animal for that matter. There has been and always will be some diseases out there for animals and proper care should be taken when handling any meat, hides, etc...I use gloves when at all possible...I get laughed at by many people at hunting camps, but I haven't ever come down with anything other than a ring worm from a Bobcat, which cut through my latex glove. As for eating these animals, that is why everything has to be cooked at certain tempratures for certain lengths of time...same thing with any meat you buy in the grocery store (should be on the label somewhere). Good luck and good eating!

[Hog_Hunter]

I have never given it any thought. I never wear gloves either! Just seems like the media needs to sensationalize something to me.

[sq2bowman]

As many as I have killed and grilled, I would have thought the law of probability would have caught up with me by now. Fortunately I've never gotten anything other than a full freezer from cleaning my own hogs. I do try use gloves as often as I can remember them, if nothing more than for what bzzboys said, saving as much of my clean water as I can.

[Beleg]

Safety for Hunters
When field-dressing feral swine, hunter
should take precautions to avoid potential
exposure to swine brucellosis or other
diseases. Hunter should wear gloves and
avoid getting swine blood in any open wound
or skin lesion when handling the swine
carcass.

If the meat is thoroughly cooked, it is safe to
eat. The National Pork Producers Association
recommends that pork products be cooked to
and internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Texas Animal Health Commission

[LostHawg]

Everytime I've worn gloves I've cut a hole in them. Usually cutting myself in the process. Reckon one of these days I'm done for.

Gloves are recommended, I've just not been too successful wearing them while cleaning any critter. I've about given up on it.

[Texastaxi]

It does take a while to get used to the feeling of gloves.
IMO, a tight fitting latex glove is better than the loose fitting nitrile gloves. The loose fitting gloves have always gotten in my way, and as Tracy said, I usually end up cutting a hole in them.

I wish I would have taken pictures of my finger that time. It was pretty nasty and would have made an awesome pictoral!

[OUTLAW]

It is true, you can get a disease from hogs even by grabing there ears .