Pig

The anatomy and function of organ systems in pigs are very similar to that of humans.  Pig and human hearts and their associated blood vessels are approximately the same size and structure. Thus pigs are a valuable model in understanding heart function, disease, and treatment.

Both pigs and people are omnivores and have very similar gastrointestinal systems, making pigs important to studies in nutrition and the evaluation of the oral absorption of drugs. Renal research, wound healing and diabetic research are just a few examples of the many ways pigs have advanced medicine because of their close similarities with humans.

Recent technological advances now enable the creation of unique pig models for human diseases, which allow researchers to work with pigs to develop therapeutics for inherited and chronic disorders and cancers.

Areas of Vital Research

Research Animals Gallery

Pig/USA

Dash the birthday boy

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a disorder that causes itchy, red, cracked skin that is also prone to infections and thickening. Currently there are no available treatments for this disorder. Therefore, patients must rely on steroid creams to relieve their symptoms. Previous research has determined that eczema is linked to a…

View & Share

Pig

Minipigs Foraging in Their Pen

Minipigs needed for research are fed on the floor so that they can root and forage for their feed using their snout.  They are also offered many different types of toys to help provide tactile enrichment as they enjoy sniffing, touching and manipulating objects with their snouts. And, of course,…

View & Share

Pig

Holly the Research Pig

Holly is a laid back pig who loves people.  She got a back scratch daily along with treats and was trained to walk to the scale and newly cleaned pens, which made caring for her easier for Holly and her caregivers. She now enjoys life with her new animal and…

View & Share

Pig

Pig playtime

Pigs are smart, social animals that like to nibble and root.  Balls and puzzle toys are provided to engage them in rooting and problem solving opportunities.  These caregivers know each of their pigs by name and look forward to spending time with them every day.

View & Share

Explore all of our Amazing Animals!

leftArrowleftArrow