Pet pigs Flashcards
The basics
What legal documentation do you need for pet pig keeping?
- Must have a county parish holding (CPH) number from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA)
Inform Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that there are pigs on the premises within 30 days of first pig arriving - Issued a herd mark
– 1 or 2 letters followed by 4 digits - Pigs must be identifiable, especially if they are being moved
– tag/tattoo/mark - Licence from APHA to walk pig outside of home/premises
– must be approved by APHA
Equipment for handling
- pig boards
- gates
- crushes
- snare
- food orientated
Types of restraint
- chemical
- weight crates
- towels/blankets/duvets
Points for CE from a distance
- Stand and walk with straight or slight dorsal curve to spine
- Respiratory pattern
– even and without effort - Abdomen
– full but not distended - Body contour
– smooth, no lumps or bumps - Perineum
– clean, no discharge
What does excessive hunching of the back indicate?
- lameness or skeletal or abdominal pain
What does a gaunt or tucked up abdomen indicate?
- anorexia
Normal temperature (adult & growing pig)
- Adult 38.0–39.0C
- Growing pig 39.0–40.0C
Normal resp rate (adult & growing pig)
- Adults 10–20bpm
- Grower 24–36bpm
Normal heart rate (adult & growing pig)
- Adults 60–90bpm
- Grower 100–120bpm
Causes of pyrexia
- infectious disease eg Erysipelas
- Heat Stroke
Causes of hypothermia
- Terminally ill
- Renal or hepatic failure
Mucus membranes: where are they? colour? crt? peripheral perfusion?)
- Oral (only when sedated) vuvla, ocular
- Pale pink and moist
- CRT <2seconds
- Peripheric perfusion: distal extremity temperature – ears, feet and legs
Causes of colour changes to the mm
- toxaemia
- cyanosis
- jaundice
- anaemia
How can septicaemia appear on the mm?
- petechial haemorrhage
- +/- injected scleral blood vessels
Points to look for on the skin
- lumps
- bumps
- bite marks
- wounds
- lice
Causes of jaundice
- post weaning multi systemic syndrome
- hepatic cirrhosis
- leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae
CS of mites
- pruritus
- erythema
- thickened & crusty ski n
CS of resp dz
- coughing
- sneezing
- breathing difficulty
- open mouth breathing
Normal breathing
- quiet breath sounds
Abnormal breathing sounds
- crackles and wheezes
What do increased lung sounds ventrally indicate?
- bronchopneumonia
What do increased lung sounds dorsally indicate?
- pleural effusion
What can cause a pig to open mouth breathe?
- severe pneumonia
- porcine stress syndrome
How to tell a pig is in resp distress
- exaggerated chest wall movements
Respiratory conditions in pigs
- atrophic rhinitis
- swine influenza
- pneumonia
Atrophic rhinitis: causative agent
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Pasteurella
Atrophic rhinitis: contagious?
- yes, contagious spread
Atrophic rhinitis: CS
- sneezing
- bloody nose
- distortion of nose
- epistaxis
Atrophic rhinitis: control
- vaccination
Atrophic rhinitis: tx
- AB
- increase humidity
- NSAIDs
Swine influenza: zoonotic?
- yes
Swine influenza: spread
- pig to pig contact
- can be fatal
Swine influenza: control
- biosecurity, esp after shows
Pneumonia: causative agents
- Mycoplasma
- Pasteurella
- Actinobacillus (carrier status with no CS)
Pneumonia: CS
- coughing
- lethargy
- pyrexia
- difficulty breathing
- sudden death
- chronic lung damage
Pneumonia: tx
- AB
Pneumonia: control
- vaccine available
Normal faecal consistency
- formed & clumped
What do clumped and dark faeces indicate?
- dehydration
What do dark black faeces indicate?
- melena
What do watery faeces indicate?
- infectious enteritis/colitis
What do scant faeces indicate?
- intestinal obstruction
Common GI conditions
- congenital atresia
- rectal prolapse
- obstruction
- entrapment
- volvulus
- gastroenteritis
- E.coli/colibacillosis
- Salmonella/enterocolitis
- constipation
What does fluid/gas on ballotment and percussion of the abdomen indicate?
- obstruction
- entrapment
- volvulus
- gastroenteritis
When to tx GI conditions with AB
- d++ at < 1 week old
- Systemic involvement
- Severe disease
- Mortality in the group
Causes of E.Coli d+/Colibacillosis
- Feed and water contamination
- FPT
Which age group is E.Coli d+/Colibacillosis most common in?
- young pigs
- neonates
Tx/control for E.Coli d+/Colibacillosis
- Vaccine available for pregnant sows
- Antibiotics +/= fluids +/- supportive nursing care
Cause of salmonella/enterocolitis
- Samonella typhimurium / choleraesuis
- Contamination: waste feed, pig to pig spread
Most common age group affected by salmonella/enterocolitis
- weaners most common but can affect any age
CS of salmonella/enterocolitis
- D++ +/- blood +/- mucus
- Pyrexic, lethargic, signs of sepsis – discolouration of extremities
Tx of salmonella/enterocolitis
- ABs +/- fluids +/- supporting nursing care
- CARE AS ZOONOTIC
Causes of constipation
- FB
- reduced water intake
Tx of constipation
- Increase water intake – fruits, flavoured water: must monitor calorie intake
- Mineral oil/stool softener: not to be force fed in case of aspiration
- Enemas
- Imaging needed if FB considered +/- surgery
Male repro exam, incl normal findings
- Palpation of scrotum, testes and epididymis
- Normal: symmetric scrotum and testis- firm but not hard or nodular
- Smelly fluid from preputial diverticulum can be normal
What does asymmetry/softening on male repro exam indicate?
- testicular degeneration
What does purulent/haemorrhagic fluid from the preputial diverticulum indicate?
- infection/abscess
Castration - when? why?
- recommend castration before puberty if possible
- entire boars: can have undesirable behaviour e.g. aggressions, sexual behaviour, territorial marking
Puberty in pot bellied pigs
- can be as early as 3 months
Surgery considerations for Vietnamese potbellied & NZ Kunekunes
- smaller
- brachycephalic
- more susceptible to inguinal hernias (potbellied)
- fatter
- reduced airway size
- testicular palpation can be difficult
Laws/legislation regarding pet pig drug use
- Pet pigs are still considered to be food producing animals –
- European Commission (EU) 37/2010 regulations detailing drugs use in food producing species apply
Sedation/anaesthetic protocol - fasting
- adults: 6-12h
- piglets: 1-3h
- water available
Sedation/anaesthetic protocol
- Sedate IM
Protocol 1
- 5mg/kg ketamine
- 0.1-0.2mg/kg butorphanol
- 1 – 3mg/kg xylazine
Protocol 2
- 5 – 10 mg/kg ketamine
- 0.1 – 0.2mg/kg butorphanol
- 50 - 100μg/kg detomidine
Top Ups – ketamine or alpha-2 agonist (xylazine/detomidine)
Giving injections in pigs
- IM
- Base of the ear
- 90 degrees to skin
- Long needle – 1’1/2” 16/18g
- Extension line with air after
Anaesthesia
- IV access: marginal ear veins
- Avoid central auricular vessels: arteries for drugs
- Monitor HR/RR/non-invasive blood pressure/temperature
Anaesthesia complications
- airway obstruction
- malignant hyperthermia
- delayed recovery – can not use reversal agents
Early castration - timing and technique
- Early castration 10 -14 days
- Local anaesthetic and manual restraint
- Incision over testis in cranioventral scrotum: pull out of scrotum but leave inside vaginal tunic
- Pull or torse testis until separated
- Leave incision open
Later castration - timing, pre-op drugs, NSAIDs
- 4 – 6 months old- more common
- Lateral recumbency under injectable anaesthesia
- Lidocaine toxicity – 5mg/kg
- NSAIDs
– Meloxicam 0.4mg/kg IM
– Ketoprofen 3mg/kg IM
Surgical castration technique
- 4 -6cm incision: ventral aspect of scrotum
- Testis remain in vaginal tunic
- Strip away fat and soft tissue surrounding spermatic cord using a swab
- Check for inguinal hernia
- Tunic and cord twisted continuously until all is tightly compressed to level of external inguinal ring – to push up any herniated abdominal contents back into abdomen
- Cord clamped with emasculator or clamp to make a crush bed
- Transfixing ligature in absorbable material tightened around vaginal tunic and spermatic cord
- Emasculator or clamp distally to ligature and place circumferential ligature, and cut cord with scalpel
- Release clamp and assess stump for bleeding
- Skin closure not routine in the field
- Clean dry bedding
AB usage for surgical castrations
- amoxicillin
- ampicillin
- penicillin
Female repro system exam
- examine for symmetry, swelling and abnormal discharge
When can haematomas and cellulitis in females be seen?
- after farrowing
Signs of abortion/dystocia in females
- haemorrhagic, purulent or necrotic vaginal discharge in pregnant sows
What can abnormal discharge after farrowing indicate?
- retained placenta
- metritis
- retained foetus
How and when to induce farrowing
- PGF2α and oxytocin
- Oxytocin: decreases dispersions between births – all piglets born in a 3 hour period
- PGF2α to increase uterus contractility
- Give at Day 111-112 PGF2α, then 20-24 hours later oxytocin – labour should begin in 3 hours
Investigating the urinary system
- urinalysis
- US/radiography
- CE
– dysuria
– stranguria
– pollakiuria
Common urinary diseases and their causes
Glomerulonephritis – immunologic, thrombotic, toxic mechanisms
Bladder stones
Embolic nephritis - Actinobacillus suis, Streptococcus suis, streptococci, staphylococci, E.coli, Erysipelothrix rhusopatuae, T.pyogenes
Intersticial nephritis – Leptospirosis and PCV2 infection
Urethral obstruction – urolithiasis common
Worms - Stephanurus dentatus – nematode, eggs shed in urine; infective larvae enter pig when swallowed or by skin penetration.
Cystitis/urolithiasis - CS
- Frequent urination, straining to urinate
Cystitis/urolithiasis - tx & prevention
- Antibiotics for cystitis
- Vaccination for Lepto: ZOONOTIC
- Stones – emergency! – imaging – cystocentseis, removing stones surgically or medically, catheter/stent
Chronic Kidney Failure (CKF) - which animals is it more common in?
- older animals
CKF - CS
- lethargy
- inappetant
- ammonia smelling breath
CKF - diagnosis
- blood work
- urine tests
CKF - tx
- symptomatically
MSK - CE
- Limbs: examine for swelling, erosions and bleeding
- Feet: examine for erosion or damage to the hoof
- If any response to pinching the claw: abscess, infection or trauma
- Coronary band – if inflammation or vesicles -> irritants or viral vesicular diseases
Which pigs is septic arthritis most common in?
- commercial pigs
Which pigs is osteoarthritis most common in?
- older pet pigs
What is lameness associated with?
- Closely associated with floor conditions
- Associated with trauma and bone
fractures, infections (arthritis, abscesses, tendonitis, osteomyelitis), overgrown feet, heels/claws and wear conformation,
osteochondrosis/osteoarthropathy (most important)
Risk factors for MSK dz
- Poor mothering, poor milk supply, poor colostral antibody protection and agalactia
- Skin lesions (carpal joints)
- Foot lesions associated with very poor flooring
- Bad hygiene, poor management, no all-in all-out system, improper cleaning
What type of arthritis is most common in young pigs?
- purulent arthritis
Lameness assessment & tx
- Non weight bearing +/- vocalisation
- Minor injuries – sprains, ligament damage
Sedation - Imaging
- NSAIDs and rest
Where are fractures most commonly found?
- limbs
- spine
Fracture assessment & tx
- Imaging
- NSAIDS
- Referral: can use pins, plates and screws in pigs for repair – signalment and weight dependent
Arthritis: potential CS, tx
- +/- swelling
- +/- bacterial component – infectious
- Ageing/Joint stress – weight related
- NSAID +/- Antibiotics
- Dieting if required
- Nursing care – soft walking surfaces/deep bedding – pain management
- If severe – euthanasia
Tetanus - where can they get it? how severe is it? prevention?
- Clostridium tetani
- Vaccination available
- Give tetanus antitoxin and antibiotics after any procedure if not covered
- Puncture wounds, bites etc
- Sudden and fatal infection
Feet pairing - how to?
- Managed with sheep foot shear, light cattle toe clipper and rasp
Tusk pairing - how to? how often?
- Sedation
- Tusks are hysodont: constant state of growth
- Trim once or twice a year
- Embryotomy wire, motor driven cutting disks, dental drills
- Trim 1cm from gingiva
CS of neurological dz
- Pyrexia
- Depression
- Lack of coordination/ataxia
- Abnormal sitting/dog sitting/posture changes
- Head tilt
- Abnormal gait
- Circling
- Abnormal eye movement
- Seizures
CNS conditions in pigs
- bacterial meningitis
- heat stress
- salt poisoning
Causative agents of bacterial meningitis
- strep
- salmonella
- e.coli
Which age is bacterial meningitis more common in?
- younger pigs
Can bacterial meningitis zoonotic?
- yes
Bacterial meningitis tx
- antibiotics +/- fluid therapy +/- NSAIDs
Do pigs sweat?
- no
Causes of heat stress
- overheating in hot & humid conditions
Good or poor prognosis: temperature low before cooling for a pig with heat stress
- grave prognosis
Heat stress CS
- depression
- inactive
- unresponsive
Heat stress tx
- cool slowly, wet towels, cool fluids
- nursing care if needed, monitor feed and water intake
Heat stress prevention
- wallowing holes
- shade
Salt poisoning - causes
- no water for extended hours then sudden water consumption
- high volumes of high salt feed (less common)
Salt poisoning - CS
- seizures
- walking aimlessly
- blindness
- abnormal sitting
Salt poisoning - tx
- gradual rehydration
- reduce brain swelling
Skin conditions in pigs
- dry skin
- mange
- sunburn
- erysipelas
Dry skin - tx
- moistening lotions incl. aloe vera
- supplement feed with oils (but monitor calorie intake)
- allow for a wallowing hole
- remove any large flakes with a wet towel
Dry skin diagnosis
- rule out other differentials 1st
What causes mange?
- sarcoptic mites
Mange - CS
- itching
- scratching
- open sores
- licking
Mange - tx/control
- anthelmintic, may need a 2nd injection
– avermectin - change bedding and disinfect
Sunburn - CS
- weakness
- paralysis in hindlimbs
- pain
Sunburn - prevention & tx
- suncream
- wallowing
- shelter
- NSAIDs
Erysipelas CS
- diamond skin disease
- +/- arthritis
Erysipelas tx
- penicillin
Is erysipelas zoonotic?
- yes
Vaccinations - how often?
- annual
- or 6 monthly
Which pet pigs do we recommend to be vaccinated?
- all ages
- usually breeding gilts & sows
What do/can we vaccinate pet pigs for?
- erysipelas
- parvovirus
- piglet enteritis/e.coli
- (PMWS & PCV-2 in commercial units, rarely used in pets)
Erysipelas vaccination course
- initial course of 2 injections
- followed by 6 monthly booster
Does the erysipelas vaccination protect against the lameness associated with the disease?
- no
Why might you vaccinate for parvovirus?
- if concerned over small litter numbers and mummified foetuses
When and who to vaccinate for parvovirus?
- vaccinate before gilt is 1st bred
When and who to vaccinate for piglet enteritis/e.coli?
- vaccinate dam 3-6w before farrowing
How often to do worm egg counts?
- 4-6 monthly
Which wormers to use?
- ivermectin (also covers mange)
- benzimidazoles
Euthanasia
- IM sedation
- place catheter in ear vein
- IV barbiturates
Euthanasia if the ear vein is not an option
- lateral saphenous vein over the hock
- medial saphenous vein on the inside of the thigh
- cephalic vein
- jugular
- may require US guidance
Why is the base of the ear the best place for IM injections?
- there is too much fat elsewhere on a pig
-> the needle may not get through and the drug would be metabolised by fat
