Prolapse in pigs represents a serious, painful welfare emergency requiring prompt recognition and either immediate treatment or humane euthanasia.
Prolapse causes acute, severe pain - affected pigs show obvious distress and are at risk of fatal complications including haemorrhage, sepsis, and tissue necrosis. The welfare response must be immediate: isolation to prevent cannibalism, assessment for treatment feasibility, and if treatment is not indicated or fails, prompt humane euthanasia. Delayed decisions extend suffering unnecessarily. Prevention through mycotoxin testing and management, appropriate fiber feeding, and monitoring in high-risk periods reduces incidence. Stockpersons trained in prolapse recognition and emergency response protocols have better welfare outcomes.