Pet Pigs Flashcards
1
Q
What legal documentation do pet pig owners need? (5)
A
- County Parish holding (CPH) number from Rural Payments Agency (RPA)
- Inform APHA there are pigs on premises WITHIN 30 DAYS of first pig arriving
- Issued herd mark (1/2 letters + 4 digits)
- Pigs must be identifiable if being moved (tag/tattoo/mark)
Approved licence from APHA to walk pig outside of premises
2
Q
How should a pig healthy pig walk (distance exam)?
A
Stand/walk with straight/slight dorsal curve to spine
3
Q
What does excessive hunching suggest?
A
Lameness, skeletal or abdominal pain
4
Q
What does hypothermia suggest in pigs?
A
Terminally ill or have renal or hepatic failure
5
Q
What mucous membranes can you assess in the pig?
A
Oral, vulva and ocular
6
Q
What can jaunduce suggest? (3)
A
- Postweaning multisystemic syndrome
- Hepatic cirrhosis
- Leptospire icterohaemorrhagiae
7
Q
What clinical signs are suggestive of mites?
A
Pruritis, erythema, thickened and crusty skin
8
Q
What does breathing with increased loudness ventrally suggest?
A
Bronchopneumonia
9
Q
What does breathing with increased loudness dorsally suggest?
A
Pleural effusion
10
Q
What does open mouth breathing suggest?
A
Severe pneumonia/porcine stress syndrome
11
Q
What pathogens cause atrophic rhinitis?
A
Bordatella brontiseptica and pasteurella
12
Q
What are the clinical signs of atrophic rhinitis?
A
Sneezing, bloody nose, distortion of nose, nose bleeds
13
Q
How would you treat atrophic rhinitis?
A
- Antibiotics
- Increase humidity
- NSAIDs
- Vaccination (prevention)
14
Q
What pathogen causes porcine pleuropneumonia?
A
Actinobacillus (APP: actinobacillus porcine pleuropneumonia)
15
Q
What pathogens usually cause pneumonia?
A
Mycoplasma and pasteurella
16
Q
What are the clinical signs of APP (actinobacillus porcine pleuropneumonia)?
A
- Sudden death
- Coughing
- Pyrexia
- Lethargy
- Sometimes no CS with a carrier status
17
Q
What are the clinical signs of pneumonia?
A
- coughing
- Lethargy
- Pyrexia
- Difficulty breathing
18
Q
What do clumped and dark faeces suggest?
A
Dehydration
19
Q
What do watery faeces suggest?
A
Infectious enteritis/colitis
20
Q
What does dark, black faeces suggest?
A
Melaena
21
Q
What does scant faeces suggest?
A
Intestinal obstruction
22
Q
What are the top differentials if fluid/gas is ballotted/percussed in the abdomen?
A
- Obstruction
- Entrapments
- Volvulus
- Gastroenteritis
23
Q
What are the risk factors for GI e.coli/colibacillosis infection?
A
- Feed/water contmination
- FPT
- Young pigs/neonates
24
Q
What is the treatment for E.coli/Colibacillosis?
A
Antibiotics +/- fluids and supportive care
25
Which age of pig are most commonly affected by salmonella/enterocolitis?
Weaners
26
Clinical signs of Salmonella typhimuurium/Choleraesuis?
- D++ (+/- blood and mucus)
- Pyrexia
- Lethargy
- Sepsis signs
- Discolouration of extremities
27
How is Salmonella typhimuurium/Choleraesuis transmitted?
Contamination of waste feed
Pig-to-pig spread
28
Why must humans take care if an infection of Salmonella typhimuurium/Choleraesuis is confirmed?
Zoonotic
29
How would you treat Salmonella typhimuurium/Choleraesuis?
Antibiotics +/- fluids and supportive care
30
What can cause constipation?
Foreign body, reduced water intake
31
How can you treat constipation?
1. Increase water intake (fruits, flavoured water)
2. Mineral oil/stool softener (do not force as risk of aspiration)
3. Enemas
32
What should you do if a GI foreign body is suspected?
Image +/- surgery
33
Name 3 pathogens that can cause embolic nephritis?
○ Actinobacillus suis
○ Streptococcus suis
○ Streptococci
○ Staphylococci
○ E.coli
○ Erysipelothrix rhusopatuae
T.pyogenes
34
What can cause interstitial nephritis?
Leptospirosis and PCV2 infection
35
What urinary parasites can pigs get and how are they transmitted?
Stephanurus dentatus
Infective larvae enter when swallowed or by skin penetration. Eggs shed in urine
36
What is lameness associated with in pigs?
- Floor conditions
- Trauma and fractures
- Infections (arthritis, abscesses, tendonitis, osteomyelitis)
- Overgrown feet
- Heels/claws and wear conformation
- Osteochondrosis/osteoarthropathy
37
What musculotskeletal condition is most common in young pigs and what are the risk factors?
Purulent arthritis
- poor mothering
- poor milk supply
- poor colostral antibody protection/agalactia
- carpal joint skin lesions
- foot lesions associated with poor flooring
- Poor management: bad hygiene, improper cleaning, no all-in all-out system
38
What are the treatment options for fractures in pigs?
- NSAIDs (pain management)
- referral surgery for pins, screws and plates but this is wieght/signalment dependent
39
What clinical signs are associated with lameness on a clinical exam?
- Limbs: swelling, erosions, bleeding
- Feet: erosion, hoof damage
40
What does a response to pinching of the claw indicate?
abscess, infection or trauma
41
What does inflammation/vesicles around the coronary band indicate?
Irritants/viral vesicular disease
42
What is the treatment for arthritis?
- NSAIDs +/- antibiotics (if infection)
- Weight loss if required
- Nursing care: soft surface/deep bedding
- Pain management
- Euthanasia if severe
43
How if tetanus transmitted? What are the clinical signs? What is the treatment?
1. Clostridium tetani enter through punctures wounds/bites
2. Sudden/fatal infection
3. Tetanus antitoxin + antibiotics (give after every procedure) and vaccination
44
What can you use to cut tusks and how short should you cut them?
Embryotomy wire, dental drill, motor driven cutting disk
Cut 1cm from gingiva
45
What are the general clinical signs associated with CNS conditions? (list 5 minimum)
- Pyrexia
- Depresssion
- Ataxia/lack of coordination
- Abnormal sitting/dog sitting/posture changes
- Head tilt
- Abnormal gait
- Circling
- Abnormal eye movement (nystagmus)
- Seizures
46
What pathogens can cause bacterial meningitis and which pigs are more susceptible?
- Strep, salmonella, E.coli
- Younger pigs more common
47
What is the treatment for bacterial meningitis?
- Antibiotics, +/- fluid therapy, +/- NSAIDs
48
What risks factors can cause heat stress in pigs and what are the clinical signs associated?
Hot/humid conditions as cannot sweat
Depression, inactive, unresponsive
49
How do you treat heat stress and how to prevent it? What indicates that the prognosis is grave?
- Slow cooling: wet towels that are replaced, cool fluids
- Nursing care: monitor feed/water intake
- Prevent by providing wallowing holes and shade
- Grave prognosis = low temp before cooling
50
What causes salt poisoning in pigs?
1. No water for extended period then sudden water intake
2. High volume high salt diet (less common cause)
51
What are the clinical signs of salt poisoning?
- Seizures
- Walking aimlessly
- Blindness
- Abnormal sitting
52
How do you treat salt poisoning?
- GRADUAL rehydration
- Reduce brain swelling
53
How do you treat dry skin?
- Apply moistening lotions including aloe vera
- Supplement feed with oils (monitor calorie intake)
- Remove large flakes with wet towel
- Provide wallowing hole
54
What causes mange and what are the clinical signs?
Sarcoptic mites.
- Itching
- Scratching
- Open sores
- Licking
55
How do you treat mange?
Avermectin - may need 2nd treatment
Change bedding and disinfect
56
What are the clinical signs of sunburn?
- Weakness
- Paralysis in hindlimbs (pot-bellied pigs)
- Pain
57
How do you treat sunburn?
- Sun cream
- Shelter
- NSAIDs
58
What are the clinical signs of erysipelas and how do you treat it?
CS: diamond skin lesions +/- arthritis
Treatment: Penicillin
59
What should be palpated in a repro exam on a male pig and what are normal findings?
- Scrotum, testis and epididymis
- Normal = symmetric scrotum and testis, firm but not hard/nodular. Smelly fluid from preputial diverticulum can be normal
60
What does asymmetry/softening of the scrotum/testis indicate?
Testicular degeneration
61
What does purulent/haemorrhagic fluid from preputial diverticulum indicate?
Infection/abscess
62
When do pot bellied pigs enter puberty and when is it recommended to castrate pigs?
Puberty @ 3 months (4-6months more common), castrate before puberty
- Early = 10-14days
63
Describe the technique used for surgical castration in pigs.
1. Lateral recumbency - injectable anaesthesia
2. Local anaesthetic and manual restraint - careful of lidocaine toxicity
3. 4-6cm inscision cranioventral scrotum
4. Pull testis out of scrotum, remain in vaginal tunic, strip away fat and soft tissue using swab
5. Check for inguinal hernia
6. Tunic/chord twisted continuously untill all tightly compressed to level of external inguinal ring
7. Clamp cord to make crush bed or with emasculator, Place transfixing ligature (absorbable) around tunic and spermatic cord
8. Clamp/emasculator placed distally to ligature, place a circumferential ligature, cut cord with scalpel
9. Release clamp and assess stump for bleeding, skin left unclosed
10. Post-op: clean/dry bedding, antibiotics (amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin), NSAIDs (meloxicam, ketoprofen)
64
What do you commonly see on clinical exam after farrowing?
Haematoma and cellulitis
65
What clinical signs often indicate abortion/dystocia?
Haemorrhagic, purulent or necrotic vaginal discharge in pregnant sows
66
What can abnormal discharge after farrowing indicate?
Retained placenta, metritis, retained foetus
67
How can we induce parturition?
- PG2a: increase uterine contractility
- Oxytocin: decrease dispersions between births
- Give PG2a day 111-112, give oxytocin 20-24hrs later, labour should begin within 3 hours
68
How long should you wait before examining a farrowing sow? When does the neonatal mortality rate increase?
1. >1 hour between piglets
2. Farrowing lasts >4hrs in total
69
What is recommended for the sow after farrowing?
Walking sow encourages urination and defecation and increases appetite
70
What are the considerations should you asses before surgery?
* Different breeds – Vietnamese potbellied, New Zealand Kunekunes
* Smaller
* Brachycephalic
* Potbellies = More susceptible to inguinal hernias
* Fatter
* Reduced airway size
Testicular palpation can be difficult
71
How long should you fast adults and piglets for before sedation?
- Adults: 6-12 hours
- Piglets: 1-3 hours
- Water available
72
Give 2 sedation protocols and what can be given as top ups?
IM Sedation
Protocol 1:
- Ketamine (5mg/kg)
- Butorphanol (0.1-0.2mg/kg)
- Xylazine (1-3mg/kg)
Protocol 2:
- Ketamine (5-10mg/kg)
- Butorphanol (0.1-0.2mg/kg)
- Detomidine (50-100ug)
Top-ups: ketamine or A-2 agonist
73
Where is best to gain IV access for anaesthesia and what are the other options if this location is not attainable?
1. Marginal ear vein (avoid central auricular vessels)
Other options:
- Jugular vein
- Cephalic vein
- Lateral saphenous over hock
- Medila saphenous on inside of thigh
74
List 3 complications of anaesthesia in pigs
- Airway obstruction
- Malignant hyperthermia
- Delayed recovery as cannot use reversal agents
75
How regularly should you worm pigs and what anthelmintics can you use?
4-6 monthly
- Avermectin: covers mange
- Benzimidazoles
76
What is the vaccine protocol for erysipelas?
- All ages of pig
- Initial course of 2 injections
- 6 monthly booster
- Does not protect against lameness associated with condition
77
What do you need to vaccinate breeding sows and gilts for?
- Parvovirus
- Piglet enteritis/E.coli
- PMWS and PCV-2
78
When should you vaccinate for parvovirus? What are the telltale signs of parvovirus?
Vaccinate before breeding
- small litter numbers/mummified foetuses
79
When should you vaccinate for piglet enteritis/E.coli?
Vaccinate dam 3-6wks before farrowing
