Swine diseases: symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Pigs are pretty hardy animals and unpretentious in care. They get sick relatively infrequently. But, of course, sometimes these farm animals also have he alth problems. In this case, piglets usually begin to lose weight, and sometimes even die altogether. In order not to suffer losses, the farmer, of course, needs to know what diseases are the most common in pigs and how to properly treat these animals.

Varieties of diseases

Pig he alth problems can occur for various reasons. Their most common diseases are classified into three main groups:

• infectious;
• non-infectious;
• parasitic.

At the same time, pigs most often suffer from non-communicable diseases associated with improper care or feeding. These animals are relatively rarely infected with parasites. The same goes for infections. Helminthiases in pigs are usually cured fairly quickly and without problems. Viral and bacterial diseases are the most dangerous for these animals.

Infectious diseases of pigs and their symptoms

Most often, piglets on farms become infected:

• plague;
• mug;
• Teschen's disease;
• parvovirus infection;
• Aujeszky's disease;
• vesicular disease;
• edematous disease (colenterotoxemia);

All these diseases are very dangerous. Any of them can lead to a case, and consequently, significant losses. Symptoms of infectious diseases in piglets are most often: fever, depression, indigestion.

Swine fever: symptoms, treatment

This disease is caused by a filterable virus. Sources of plague infection can be care items on the farm, animal excreta, water, feed. This infection is also carried by various rodents, as well as flies.

Distemper is currently the most dangerous disease of pigs. There are only three main forms of it - chronic, acute and subacute. And they are all quite dangerous. Symptoms of acute distemper in pigs are:

• increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees while maintaining appetite;
• loss of appetite on the second or third day after the onset of the disease;
• decrease in body temperature in the following days;
• appearance of many dotted pink-red spots on the skin;
• depression;
• unsteady gait.

Distemper is a disease of pigs, in which, unfortunately, a fatal outcome is possible. Adult animals with an acute form of plague die on10-12 days, piglets, often on 2-3. In surviving individuals, the disease becomes chronic or subacute. At the same time, piglets are observed:

• appetite perversion;
• exhaustion;
• digestive disorders;
• pneumonia;
• eczema skin.

Plague is a very dangerous disease of pigs. The photo below shows what animals suffering from it look like. Swine fever patients on farms are not treated. Usually infected individuals are immediately cut for meat. Fortunately, swine fever is not transmitted to humans.

Symptoms and treatment of erysipelas

This disease, unfortunately, is contagious, including for humans. Erysipelas is caused by the bacterium Erysipelothrix insidiosa. Like plague, this infection can be transmitted through food, water, care items, animal feces, etc. There are only four main forms of this disease:

• lightning;
• spicy;
• subacute;
• chronic.

Lightning form is rare in piglets. Most often it is diagnosed in pigs aged 7-10 months. The symptoms of the fulminant form are:

• high body temperature;
• depression;
• cardiac weakness;
• feed refusal.

Piglets die with this form of the disease within a few hours. In acute erysipelas, the symptoms in pigs are the same. At the same time, they also have constipation, followed by diarrhea, and conjunctivitis. The subacute form of erysipelas in piglets is manifested, among other things,the appearance of urticaria on the skin, and then inflamed swelling, darkening with time. The chronic course of this disease is characterized by damage to the heart, joints, and skin necrosis.

Animals are treated when diagnosing erysipelas with a special serum and antibiotics. At the same time, vitamin preparations, antipyretic and heart-strengthening agents, are also used. Prevention of this disease is carried out by vaccination and the creation of good conditions for animals.

Teschen's disease

This is another infection that can cause significant damage to the farmer. Mortality during such an epidemic in the herd can reach up to 30-50%. The main symptoms of Teschen disease in pigs are:

• increase in body temperature in the first days and its decrease in the subsequent;
• vomit;
• impaired coordination of movements and subsequent paralysis;
• encephalitis.

Paralysis in piglets with this disease is usually manifested by the failure of the hind limbs. Then he hits the torso, and then the head.

Infected pigs, as with erysipelas, are usually not treated. Animals are slaughtered at the first sign of Teschen disease.

How does Aujeszky's disease manifest

This infection, also called pseudorabies, can affect pigs of all ages. Its main symptom is scratching due to incessant itching. Among other things, Aujeszky's disease in pigs is manifested by fever, pneumonia and lesions of the central nervous system.

Deaths from this infection invery small piglets can reach up to 95-100%. Adult pigs are more resilient and die relatively rarely.

Effective treatment, as in the cases described above, from Aujeszky's disease, unfortunately, has not been developed. In any case, antibiotics for such an infection do not help. In the early stages, infected animals are usually given drugs designed for active immunization.

Vesicular disease

This infection occurs in piglets:

• fever;
• vesicle formation on the skin.

The causative agent of swine vesicular disease is the Enterovirus virus. In infected animals, among other things, appetite decreases, signs of damage to the nervous system appear, and diarrhea begins. Vesicles in this disease appear on the tongue of piglets, snout, limbs, lips, udder teats.

Effective treatment does not exist, unfortunately, for this disease. Piglets suffering from it are given soft feed and clean water. Antiseptics are also used.

Edematous disease of pigs: symptoms and treatment

This infection spreads in the herd, mainly due to improper care of the animals. An outbreak is possible, for example, if piglets are given too little water. The main reason for the development of edematous disease in animals is the active reproduction of toxic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

Kolienterotoxemia is a disease of pigs that usually starts suddenly. Infected piglets show the following symptoms:

• indigestion;
• swellingeye;
• lack of appetite;
• blue skin of the abdomen, head and limbs;
• discoordination;
• increased body temperature.

The skin of sick piglets becomes very sensitive. The death of an animal, depending on age, can occur after a period of time from 3 hours to 2 days.

Edematous disease of pigs is treated with sulfanilamide preparations, as well as antibiotics intended for use in dysbacteriosis. Calcium chloride is administered intravenously to reduce vascular permeability. Diphenhydramine and suprastin are also used.

Parvovirus infection

This disease is characteristic only for pigs and exclusively for females. It is caused by a pathogen belonging to the genus Parvovirus. The main symptoms of porcine parvovirus disease are:

• infertility;
• frequent abortions;

Stillbirth and mummification of the fetus can also be signs of this infection.

There is no cure for this swine infectious disease. To prevent its outbreak, a vaccine containing an inactivated virus is used.

Parasitic diseases

Infectious diseases of pigs, the symptoms and treatment of which have been described above, can lead to a significant reduction in the herd. Parasitic diseases are considered somewhat less dangerous. But even because of them, the farmer can suffer significant losses. Such diseases affect pigs relatively often. They usually occur due to insufficiently good care and ignoring preventive measures. by the mostcommon parasitic diseases in piglets are:

• coccidiosis;
• ascariasis;
• sarcoptic mange.

Coccidiosis in pigs: how to treat

This disease is caused by protozoa parasites. Coccidiosis appears only in piglets up to 4 months of age. Adult animals are only its carriers.

In pigs, the signs of coccidiosis disease are:

• watery light stools;
• increased body temperature;
• exhaustion.

Some animals with coccidiosis die. For treatment in this case, furazolidone is used at a dosage of 3 mg per kilogram of piglet weight. Drink this medicine to the animal for 5 days. For the treatment of dehydration, rehydron is used or saline is injected subcutaneously.

Prevention of coccidiosis consists in observing sanitary standards for keeping animals, as well as providing them with good nutrition.

Ascariasis

This is another fairly common pig disease. The photo below shows the parasite Ascaris suum that causes it, which settles in the small intestine of animals. The color of these worms is white with a pink tinge. Their body length can in some cases reach 40 cm. Infection with ascariasis can occur through food or water.

The main symptoms of this disease are:

• allergy;
• pneumonia;
• high body temperature;
• convulsions;
• cough and rapidbreath.

Sick piglets gnash their teeth, move with difficulty, hide in bedding. Sometimes a rash appears on the skin of animals. If the disease becomes chronic, piglets become malnourished and develop diarrhea or constipation.

Treat ascariasis with piperazine hexahydrate or its s alts. The medicine is given to animals twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. At the same time, young animals are fed 0.3 g / kg, individuals weighing more than 50 kg - 15 g.

Sarcoptic mange

This disease of pigs is otherwise called scabies. Its causative agent is the microscopic mite Sarcoptes suis. Pigs are infected with sarcoptic mange in most cases with high humidity in the barn, high crowding and unsanitary conditions.

The main symptom of scabies in pigs is intense body itching. Sick piglets become restless, rub against nearby objects, eat worse. Some time after infection, scratches appear on the body of animals in the form of light and dark spots. Later, pigs begin to lose hair, the cartilage of the ears is affected, and there is a lack of oxygen. Piglets become susceptible to other diseases as well.

Treat pigs with sarcoptic mange by spraying or bathing in solutions of acaricides. It can be, for example, chlorophos, highly chlorinated turpentine, creolin emulsion, etc. Spraying or bathing should be done twice a day.

Non-communicable diseases

Parasites can cause significant harm to the he alth of pigs. But most often these animals suffer still non-infectiousdiseases, the most common of which are:

• dyspepsia;
• bronchitis;
• rickets;
• peptic ulcer;
• cannibalism.

Dyspepsia

This disease often affects very young piglets. Moreover, no breed is immune from this disease. Vietnamese pig, white Moscow pig, Duroc - dyspepsia can develop in any animal.

Especially, indigestion is common in newborn piglets. The main symptoms of dyspepsia in this case are:

• intoxication and dehydration;
• diarrhea;
• loss of appetite;
• depression;
• dry mucous membranes;
• sunken eyes.

Very often, unfortunately, piglets with dyspepsia die. Treatment of animals should begin immediately after the onset of symptoms of this disease. In this case, first of all, stop feeding the piglets. With severe development of dyspepsia, enemas are given to animals. To restore the water balance, piglets are soldered with saline and herbal decoctions.

On a semi-starvation diet, animals with dyspepsia are kept for at least 2 days. Then gradually increase the amount of food offered to the norm.

With dyspepsia in the gastrointestinal tract of piglets, among other things, various pathogenic microorganisms begin to multiply. Therefore, sick animals are fed or injected intramuscularly with antibiotics. If the disease does not stop, the piglets are additionally given astringents, for example, a decoction of oak bark. To eliminate intoxicationanimals are offered sorbents.

Symptoms of porcine bronchitis

This disease develops in piglets in conditions of unsanitary conditions and high humidity. Bronchitis can occur in animals of all ages. Most often, this disease of pigs affects the cold season. The main symptoms of bronchitis in piglets are:

• poor appetite and depression;
• fever;
• rapid breathing and pulse;
• discharge from the nose.

Cough in diseased pigs is initially dry and then wet. If signs of bronchitis are detected, piglets are immediately transferred to a warm, dry room. The diet of animals includes more high-quality easily digestible feed, as well as mineral supplements.

For treatment, inhalations with menthol, creolin or turpentine are used. Also use the drug terpinhydrate at 0.5-1.5 g / kg or marshmallow root (10 g). In severe cases, sulfa drugs and antibiotics are used.

How rickets manifests itself and is treated

This disease is most often observed in piglets 1-2 months after weaning them from the uterus. During this time, the animals grow rapidly. With poor-quality feeding, their body simply begins to lack the necessary minerals.

Most often, rickets is caused by a lack of vitamin D and calcium s alts. Keeping pigs in dark, damp, unventilated rooms also contributes to the development of this disease.

Rickets appears:

• lagging piglets in development;
• decrease in muscle tone and cramps;
• painful reaction to noise and bright lights;
• limping.

Often in sick piglets, the shape of the pelvis and chest also changes. The back of such animals bends, and the legs are bent. In some cases, the piglets start to chew on the walls.

Treat rickets in pigs by adding vitamin D and mineral trace elements to food. Exposure of animals to mercury-quartz lamps also helps well against this disease. The course of treatment for one piglet usually takes 200 g of fish oil and 0.02 g of phosphorus. These two components are mixed and the resulting medicine is given to the animals twice a day, 2 tsp.

Pig cannibalism

Dyspepsia and bronchitis are perhaps the most common diseases in pigs. And their treatment and prevention on the farm is a very important matter. But pig farmers often encounter another very common problem - piglet cannibalism.

This disease is most often diagnosed on large farms when animals are kept in a common corral without bedding and enclosures. It manifests itself in the pathological desire of some individuals to bite off the tails, udder teats and ears of their relatives. Young piglets show the greatest predisposition to this disease.

The main causes of cannibalism in pigs are:

• congested content;
• use of feeders that are not long enough (when all animals cannot eat at the same time);
• drastic changes in the microclimate in the pigsty;
• helminthicdisease;
• bleeding in individuals.

To prevent injury to piglets, aggressive individuals are transferred to a separate room. In injured animals, clean with cotton swabs and lubricate the wounds with iodine. Next, a tourniquet or bandage is applied to the damaged organ, or a patch is glued.

Peptic ulcer

This disease develops in piglets usually with improper feeding. It can also be caused by stress. The main symptoms of porcine ulcer are loss of appetite and reduced activity. You can also suspect an ulcer if the piglet has:

• vomiting bile after eating;
• bleeding.

The feces of pigs with peptic ulcer disease are usually black. To treat this disease, drugs that reduce the acidity of the stomach, antibacterial drugs, drugs that improve the healing of the mucous membrane are used.

The first aid kit in the pigsty

The most common swine diseases with symptoms and treatment have been described above. The photos of piglets presented on the page clearly demonstrate how dangerous the ailments of these animals can be. Of course, in order for the pigs not to get sick, they should be provided with the highest quality care. The barn for these animals should be well insulated and equipped with ventilation. Sufficient lighting should also be provided in the pigsty. Do not keep piglets in conditions of high humidity and in a draft. Also, large crowding of animals should not be allowed.

Diet for piglets should be developedso that they receive all the nutrients necessary for good development. Pigs should receive feed containing a large amount of proteins, vitamins and trace elements.

The farmer who breeds these animals should have a certain supply of the most necessary medicines. The pig breeder's veterinary first aid kit should be equipped with the following drugs:

• Levomekol ointment;
• Dorogov's antiseptic stimulant;
• "Oxytocin";
• Ivermecom;
• Alvetom.
• vitamin complex "Vitam".

Levomekol ointment is used to accelerate wound healing and also as an antiseptic. ASD medication is used for:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• genitourinary system;
• respiratory organs;
• skin lesions;
• metabolic disorders;
• weakness in animals after illness.

"Oxytocin" is used in farrowing pigs. Give animals this drug at the termination of labor, being sure that the piglet is not stuck in the birth canal. This medicine can increase uterine contractions.

Ivermek is an antiparasitic drug. It is prescribed to pigs at:

• ascariasis;
• trichocephalosis;
• stephanurose etc.

The drug "Alvet" has a wide range of anthelmintic action. The Vitam complex is prescribed to pigs for intoxication, protein metabolism disorders,hypovitaminosis.