FAMS final Flashcards
Purposes of new pig quarantine (3)
- prevent disease transmission from new pig -> resident pig
- allow for better observation of new pigs
- ID disease, behavioral issues, or nutritional issues in new pigs
NOT done to allow socialization b/w new and resident pigs across a fence
What pig needs to be quarantined?
Every NEW pig that enters farm, no matter where they come from and what their known health status is
What is a “vet-to-vet” call?
Calls between veterinarians of different production units to discuss health histories of respective herds
- allows for complete transparency
- farm A purchases from farm B herd -> farm A is able to call B and ask for serology results, vax records, what antimicrobials are being used in feed/water, etc.
purchase breeding stock from known source w/ known health statuses
How are most diseases transmitted between pigs?
via direct contact
others ways: vectors (rodents, birds), fomites, environmental
Describe the ideal quarantine area (4)
- Completely separate building from main population, at lease one mile apart
- surfaces are easy to disinfect (floors, walls, etc.)
- foot bath and hand-washing stations
- changing area for PPE (boots, coveralls, glvoes)
one mile is max. distance viral aerosol transmission / bird travel can r
You are performing a herd physical. In what order should you examine the herd?
- Healthy pigs
- Immunocompromised pigs (young, old)
- Sick pigs
- Quarantined pigs
also goes for feeding/watering/handling them
A pork producer is purchasing replacement animals from the same genetic supplier & health monitoring program as they have for the last 2 years. Because they trust their supplier, they omit from quarantining the new pigs. As the veterinarian, why do recommend against this? (4)
- Regardless of how much you trust your supplier, there is always the chance that an animal could have contracted a disease.
- Transport is stressful for animals, so even if they were healthy at the supplier, they could contract disease during this time.
- The incubation period varies so much for different disease agents, and even if your supplier says their animals are healthy, they could still be infected but not show any signs until they are in quarantine/are already in your herd.
- It is essential replacements stay in quarantine until test results & observation verify they are healthy!
Describe in between receiving a new animal and finally introducing them to the resident population.
-
Quarantine period: 30 days
- goal = if sick, incubation period ENDS while still in quarantine (I.P. can be ≥ 7 days, ≤ 14 days)
- test swine for specific diseases they may be bringing (PRRS, Coronavirus-TGE, PED, Influenza) -
Acclimatizaion period: 15-30 days
- animals are immunized, dewormed, etc. for diseases that are proven to be an issue in the resident herd
- expose to Sentinel Pig
Describe antibiotic protocol for quarantine pigs.
- Add ABX into water bowls as they are transitioning into new environment (intial 5-7 days of quarantine) as prophylaxis treatment
- If an animal becomes clinically ill, begin injectable ABX +/- anti-inflammatories
- Always keep records of antibotics used for withdrawal times!
What type of samples should be submitted for antibody tests in quarantined pigs?
Pooled samples - allows for efficient screening of a larger group of animals with fewer individual tests (cost- and time-effective)
What is a sentinel pig?
- used to monitor herd health of resident population
- new pigs in acclimation period are exposed to sentinel pig so that they can be exposed to common pathogens of the resident herd
- this pig should be YOUNG (older sows not preferred b/c she is most likely not shedding anymore)
When is mortality the highest in the swine industry?
Pre-weaning period (younger than 3 weeks old / less than 10-15 lbs.)
Perinatal conditions
- definition
- examples
- Perinatal Conditions: conditions that affect piglets within first 1-2 days of life
- congenital disorders (skin, CNS, urogenital)
- trauma (crushing from sow), hypoglycemia, hypothermia
skin: epitheliogenesis imperfecta, polydactyly, cleft palates
CNS: tremors, splayed legs, hydrocephalus
urogenital: atresia ani (no anal opening), intersex conditions
ID the abnormalities
Image A: epitheliogenesis imperfecta (absence of discrete areas of skin)
Image B: severe cleft palate (failure of tissues of palate to join together) - piglet aspirated every time they nursed
What management measures should be implemented prior to farrowing? (5)
- Completely clean & disinfect farrowing facilities
- Bathe sows prior to entry
- Make sure all farrowing equipment is in place (heaters, lamps, piglet processing tools)
-
Vaccinate all sows for transmissible diseases (diarrheal diseases Abs/IgG in colostrum)
- E. coli
- Clostridium C+D
and 5. Treat sows for parasites (fenbendazole)
What are the 3 main risks for piglets during perinatal period?
- Trauma (laid on by sow)
- Hypothermia
- Hypoglycemia/starvation
What piglet weight at birth is at an increased risk for death?
piglets born < 2.5-2.75# (they should be between 2.5-5#)
Stillbirths are more likley to occur in what litters?
Those from gilts and older sows
Farrowing Piglets vs Nursery Pigs vs Grower/Finisher
- Farrowing: birth to wean (0 days-3 weeks old; 2.5#-10/15#)
- Nursery: weaned (~ 3 weeks old, ~10-15#; stay until ~60#/2.5months old)
- Grower/Finisher: 60#/2.5 months old until market weight (280# / ~4.5 to 6 months old)
2-day-old piglets are suckling well but they are having yellow-whiteish, profuse secretory d+. They are huddling and have stained haircoats. Does not appear to be spreading between litters.
- diagnosis?
- treatment?
E. coli
TX:
1. rehydrate with e-lyte PO (put into bowls)
2. +/- SpectoGard (spectinomycin) PO 1-3d
E. coli d+ (Colibacillosis) usually is signaled by the appearance of diarrhea. Piglets from gilts may be more severely affected than piglets nursing sows. The severity of the diarrhea varies. The hypersecretory diarrhea usually has an alkaline pH but varies in color. It may be clear and watery, especially in neonates, but may be white or yellow, influenced by type of ingesta and duration of the disease. Sick pigs occasionally vomit but vomiting is not as prominent as with transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE).
As diarrhea continues, there is progressive dehydration and the hair coat becomes roughened. Body temperature often is subnormal. Shivering often is noted unless an adequate supplementary heat source, such as heat lamps, is available. Signs are similar in pigs of various ages but tend to be more severe in younger pigs. Death losses can be severe if husbandry and environmental conditions are poor. Diarrhea tends to persist until intervention is accomplished.
E. coli is one of the most common causes of neonatal septicemia and polyserositis. Often, strains associated with septicemia are not enteropathogenic.
Within 24h of birth, piglets are huddled, not suckling, and are having watery d+. They appeared healthy at birth.
On days 2-3, this appeared to spread to other litters. The piglets continued to have watery d+, and began v+. They were very dehydrated, hypothermic/huddled, with starvation apparent. Mortality rates started increasing.
- Diagnosis?
- What are the key signs with this infection?
- Coronavirus - TGE++ or PEDV
- profuse watery d+, v+, not suckling, severely dehydrated, cold, high mortality, signs began within 24h of birth
Highest mortality rates for piglet d+ are with TGE + PEDv
TGE: In acute outbreaks, the incubation period is very short, 18 hrs to three days. In baby pigs the disease spreads rapidly to affect all susceptible pigs. Signs include profuse diarrhea, frequent vomiting, rapid dehydration, shivering and marked thirst. The pigs weaken rapidly and usually die within one to two days. Pigs suckling immune dams may remain well as long as they receive adequate antibody in the dam’s colostrum and milk. Pigs infected after 4 weeks of age often survive.
PEDV: The main sign in all age groups is watery diarrhea. The disease closely resembles TGE but spreads more slowly than TGE on a site and among adjacent farms. Infected piglets up to one week old die from dehydration after three to four days. Mortality averages about 50% but usually is lower than that of TGE. Older piglets recover in about one week. In other outbreaks, weaned pigs and older animals are severely affected but younger animals may not sicken and have little or no diarrhea. The severity of disease is quite variable.
What ages do clinical signs from Clostridial diseases appear in piglets? Which is the most severe? How does d+ appear?
- 1-5 days old
- C. perfringens type C (CptC) - has necrotizing beta toxin that causes severe necrotizing enteritis
- CptC-infected piglets can be found dead within 4-8hrs post exposure and some die before even developing d+
- If d+ develops, is usually brown-red/hemorrhagic
CptC: Susceptible neonates can become ill in just a few hours after exposure to virulent CptC and may be found dead in as little as 4-8 hours. Sick piglets soon become weak, prostrate and then moribund. Weakened piglets are at high risk of being overlaid by the dam. Piglets with a little more resistance live a few days and may have a bloody diarrhea. Occasionally, piglets may live several weeks, develop a yellow or gray, mucoid diarrhea and remain unthrifty. In acute outbreaks, death can occur even prior to the piglet developing diarrhea. Morbidity is variable but mortality is high, up to l00%, in very susceptible litters.
10-day-old piglets have developed malabsorptive d+ (grayish color) with decline in body weight, but are still eating some. No deaths have occurred.
- diagnosis?
- how would you treat?
- Coccidiosis (Isospora suis)
- appears in piglets 7-11 days old
- TX: there is NO FDA-approved antiparasitic drug- use Amprolium + sanitize & avoid wooden farrowing crates (are difficult to clean/disinfect)
Amprolium: coccidiostat
What findings on diagnostics + necropsy of SI for Coccidiosis??
- Fibrinonecrotic membrane in SI -> greenish-gray d+
- intestines are thickened
- see coccidial parasires on cytology