Pig Skin diseases Flashcards
Where ae porcine skin lesions most common?
*Ears
*Legs
*Tail
*Flanks
What are the causes of porcine skin lesions?
- Physical (objects), lying on rough surfaces
- Vices (biting)
- Vector driven (flies and lice)
- Infection (Bacterial, parasitic, viral, fungal)
- Congenital (epitheliogenesis imperfecta)
- Toxic (PDNS: porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome)
What can porcine skin lesions lead to?
- Can lead to:
*carcass condemnation
*septicaemia
*spinal lesions (from tail bites)
*culling - and in some cases death.
Why is porcine skin lesions a concern?
*Significant welfare issue - checked for farm assurance
What are the infectious causes of skin lesions?
- Bacterial septicaemia
- Viral systemic diseases
- Greasy pig
- Swine pox
- Ringworm
- Treponema
- Sarcoptic mange
What are examples of bacterial septicaemia?
- Salmonellosis (Caused by Salmonella spp.)
- Glasser’s disease- caused by Haemophilus parasuis.
- Erysipelas- skin blemishes
What is the salmonella that causes skin lesions in pigs?
Salmonella cholerasuis
high mortality
How is S. cholerasuis diagnosed, treated + controlled?
*Diagnosis = culture faecal material on selective media
*Treatment = antimicrobials
*Control = good hygiene
What causes Glasser’s disease?
Haemophilus parasuis
What are the clinical signs of Glasser’s disease?
disease characterized by
*red to purple discoloration of ears, abdomen and occasionally legs,
*wasting,
*fibrinous polyserositis, polyarthritis, and meningitis.
*Attacks joints, intestine, lungs, heart and brain causing pneumonia, pericarditis, peritonitis and pleurisy.
How is Glassers diagnosed?
based on clinical signs & detection of H. parasuis at systemic sites by isolation/PCR.
How is Glassers treated?
If treated early enough can lead to full recovery.
* Typically penicillin based treatments
How is Glassers controlled?
improve hygiene, strategic antibiotic treatment of affected pigs; also commercial/autogenous vaccines
What causes Erysipelas?
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
What are the clinical signs of Erysipelas?
can cause sudden death, or more general septicaemia symptoms such as fever, depressed and inappetent and rhomboid skin (diamond-skin) lesions involving many animals, or chronic with enlarged joints, lameness, and endocarditis.
How is Erysipelas diagnosed?
Clinical signs
Culture
PCR
Serology
How is ERysipelas treated?
Penicillin based Tx
How is Erysipelas controlled?
Vaccination
Improve hygiene
Prevent birds + mice
What are viral causes of skin lesions?
- Porcine reproductive and respiratory
syndrome. - Classical Swine fever.
- African Swine fever.
What are the clinical signs of Porcine reproductive + respiratory syndrome (PRRS)
Anorexia,
*fever,
*respiratory distress,
*vomiting,
*blue colouring due to decrease blood flow (cyanosis) of ears, abdomen and vulva,
*can be death in 10% of sows and neonatal piglets,
*infertility and occasional abortion stillbirths.
*Immunosuppressive effect -> exacerbates other diseases incl. bacterial (e.g. Glasser’s disease) hence driver of antimicrobial use.
How is PRRS diagnosed?
PCR
Serology (ELISA)
How is PRRS treated?
*Difficult + often unsuccessful
Broad spec antibiotics to prevent 2 infection + encourage eating+ drinking
*Anti-inflammatories
HOw is PRRS controlled?
*early weaning & isolation of piglets,
* vaccination protocols,
*regular serologic monitoring,
*remove persistent carriers,
*improve biosecurity.
What type of virus is classical swine fever?
Pestivirus
What are the clinical signs of classical swine fever?
*fever,
*haemorrhages,
* lethargy,
* yellowish diarrhoea,
*vomiting,
*purple skin discoloration of the ears, lower abdomen, and legs.
*Potential neurologic signs,
*reproductive failures/abortion also
How is classical swine fever diagnosed?
- virus isolation,
*immunofluorescence assay,
*detection of antibodies
(ELISA=APHA UK)
*virus neutralization.
Given similarities in UK test for both CSFV and ASFV (next) at same time.
What is the treatment of classical swine fever?
NO TREATMENT
Vaccinate in endemic countries
What are the clinical signs of african swine fever?
*death in nearly all pigs infected.
*Early = High fever, lethargy, loss of appetite. Occasional sudden death.
*Late= Reddening of skin > patches on ear tips, tail, feet, chest, belly. Diarrhoea, vomiting. Laboured breathing. Swollen red eyes + discharge. Abortions, still-births.
Unwillingness to get up. Death sometimes only sign, case fatality as high as 100%.
How is african swine fever diagnosed?
PCR
Serology (ELISA)
What is the treatment of african swine fever?
NO TREATMENT
Cull all infected animals
What is greasy pig caused by?
Staphylococcus hyicus
What does greasy pig cause?
- Can be chronic or acute
- Dermatitis which oozes greasy fluid
- It produces toxins which are absorbed into the system and damage the liver and kidneys
- Can be fatal
- Typically non-pruritic
What is greasy pig a problem in?
Weaned pigs
What is the pathogenesis of greasy pig?
- Lesions caused by ‘exfoliative toxin’
- Cause the loss of keratinocyte cell-cell
adhesion in the superficial epidermis - Leave skin open to secondary infection
What are risk factors of greasy pig?
Often initiated by injury, due to sharp objects, or unclipped teeth, mange or humid environment
How is greasy pig treated?
- Parenteral use of antibiotics such as amoxicillin or lincomycin in severe cases.
- However, in mild cases topical use of a skin sanitiser
What is prevention / control of greasy pig?
- Tackle above causes of initial tissue damage.
- Use of topical sanitisers to prevent infection of any tissue damage.
What does swine pox cause?
*Raised circular red skin spots 1-20mm
How is swine pox confirmed?
Virus isolation
What are the common causes of ringworm?
- Commonly caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes
- Involves contact with rodents
- Contact with cattle can lead to Trichophyton verrucosum
- Contact with cats can cause Microsporum canis
How is ringworm treated?
UNNECESSARY
What are the clinical signs of Porcine dermatitis + nephropathy syndrome (PDNS)?
- Appearance of extensive greasy brown,
*purplish red slightly raised blotches of various sizes and shapes over the chest, abdomen, thighs and forelegs. *The majority of pigs that develop extensive skin blotching die. - The pigs are depressed,
*loss of appetite,
*fever,
*immobile/ reluctant to move
What organ does PDNS affect?
Kidneys
What is the viral cause of PDNS?
Porcine circovirus 2
What causes sarcoptic mange?
Sarcoptes scabei var suis
How is sarcoptic mange treated?
Avermectins
How is sarcoptic mange diagnosed?
DEEP skin scrapings
How is sarcoptic mange controlled?
Meds
Hygiene measures
What does Treponemes cause in pigs?
Ear necrosis
Flank + tail lesions
Where are treponemes also found?
Digital dermatitis in cows/sheep
What are causes of physical damage skin lesions?
- Exposure to hard abrasive surfaces- just as in humans
- SHOULDER SORES, which are associated with weight loss during lactation; 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
What are other non-infectious causes of 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.
How does biting become a problem?
- Testosterone driven males are notorious biters, but females do too
- Competition for space, food, resources etc (particularly with intensive farming)
- Tail biting- common in finishers, Controlled (apparently) by tail docking. 3 times more common in undocked pigs.
How does vulval biting affect sows?
- Vulval biting- affects sows in late pregnancy. May affect farrowing and mating. Can cause prolapse and (rarely) lead to death
How do you prevent biting?
Straw bedding + toys to entertain pigs
What is the pig louse?
Haematopinus suis
What is false ringworm?
Pityriasis rosea
-genetic defect
-develops at 6-8wks
-disappears without Tx by 20wks
What is epithliogenesis imperfecta?
- Absence of epidermis or mucosal epithelium
- Congenital
- Commonly on legs or flanks
- Will heal slowly, but may require sutures in severe cases
- Very severe cases = destruction
