Pig MOD Flashcards
Give some infectious causes of pig skin disease
Sarcoptic mange Septicemia Greasy pig Swine pox Ringworm Treponema
Describe Sarcoptic mange in pigs
Most common parasitic disease
Sarcoptes scabiei var suis
Encrusted lesions on legs, ears and body. Pruritus
Treat with Avermectins
Requires deep skin scrapings for diagnosis
Similar to hypersensitive form caused by mites
Boars a problem – can be difficult to treat due to deep lesions, and they transfer infection to sows at service
What causes Glassers disease?
Haemophilus parasuis
What effect does Glassers disease have on the pig?
Attacks the smooth surfaces of the joints, coverings of the intestine, lungs, heart and brain causing pneumonia, pericarditis (heart sac infection), peritonitis and pleurisy.
It is respiratory spread.
What is the name of the common pig louse?
Describe it
Haematopinus suis Rare on farms, more common in ‘back yard farms’ Large, similar in size to house fly Eggs seen on hairs Pruritus
Which areas are common biting sites in pigs?
Flanks, ears, tails and vulva
What kinds of skin lesions are seen in pigs?
SHOULDER SORES: associated with weight loss during lactation and rough surfaces
LOWER LIMB ABRASIONS
STIFLE SORES: mainly in fast growing finishers, kept at high density, no bedding
TEAT NECROSIS in piglets: can affect future breeding potential. Can stick tissue paper over front 6 teats at birth
Treatment: removal from offending area, and soft, comfortable bedding and surroundings
Which bacteria causes swine dysentry?
Brachyspira hyodysenteriae
Which bacteria causes digital dermatitis?
Treponema
Give some non-infectious causes of pig skin lesions
Sunburn-blistering and ulceration
Transit erythema-scalding by urine or chemicals
Hyperkeratosis-water trough overhead leads to stagnant humid atmosphere. Flaking of dorsal skin, no clinical importance
Hoe can you prevent piglets biting?
Straw bedding, toys eg chains
Farm assurance legislation now ensures pigs must have playthings which they can chew and destroy
What causes greasy pig disease?
Staphylococcus hyicus
Describe greasy pig disease
Chronic or acute
Dermatitis with greasy dark brown exudate over eyes, snout, chin, ears
Produces toxins which are absorbed into the system and damage the liver and kidneys, can be fatal
Non-pruritic
Common in piglets 5-35 days old
The bacterium multiplies profusely in sow’s vagina so piglets are infected during/after the birth process
Exotoxin produces cleavage between S.corneum and S.granulosum, loss of keratinocyte cell-cell adhesion in superficial epidermis, leaves skin open to secondary infection
How can you treat Greasy Pig disease?
Parenteral antibiotics eg amoxycillin
Mild cases- skin sanitiser eg Savlon
What causes ringworm in pigs?
Trichophyton mentagrophytes
Involves contact with rodents
What is epitheliogenesis imperfecta?
Absence of epidermis or mucosal epithelium
Congenital
Commonly on legs or flanks
Describe porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS)
Mainly growers and finishers
Mortality=15%
Extensive greasy brown, purplish red slightly raised blotches of various shapes and sizes over the chest, abdomen, thighs and forelegs. Majority of pigs with extensive skin blotching die.
Depressed, loss of appetite, fever, immobile/reluctant to move
Can affect kidneys
Describe swine dysentry
Causes severe inflammation of the large intestine with a bloody mucous diarrhoea
Common in pigs from 12-75kg
Incubation period= 7-14 days - 60 days
Pigs can be carriers which show clinical disease when stressed/change in feed
Develop immunity
High cost to farmers-low feed conversion rates, costs of continual in-feed medication
Difficult to eradicate from herd
What are the clinical signs of swine dysentry in piglets and weaners/growers?
Piglets:
- Severe acute dysentry
- Sloppy light brown faeces with/without mucous/blood
- Loss of condition
Weaners/growers
- Sloppy diarrhoea (initially contains jelly-like mucous, becomes watery. -May contain blood)
- Tail twitching
- Hollowing of flanks, poor condition
- Dehydrated, sunken eyes
- Sometimes sudden death
Describe brachyspira infection in pigs
Very resistant
Invades intestinal epithelium (particularly caecum, colon)
Produces toxins
Decreased reabsorption -> diarrhoea
How do pigs become infected with brachyspira?
Ingestion of infected faeces from carrier pigs
May enter the farm through introduction of carrier pigs, machinery, boots, birds
Can be spread by flies, dogs, mice, birds
Poor sanitation and wet pens enhance the disease
Overcrowding
How do you diagnose porcine brachyspira infection?
History
Clinical signs
PM
Gram-stained faecal or colonic smears (to rule out other organisms)
Fluorescent antibody tests on faecal smears
How can you reduce spread of brachyspira?
Prevent entry and/or spread Prevent entry to slurry pits Control flies Strategic medication with lincomycin in drinking water as soon as signs develop for at least 7 days. Inject badly infected pigs with lincomycin for 4 days. Reduce movement and handling of pigs Foot baths for farm staff Avoid overcrowding Isolate and quarantine incoming pigs
Which bacteria causes Porcine Proliferative Enteritis (PPE) and Haemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome (HBS)?
Lawsonia intracellularis
