Pigs

Question 1

Splayleg in piglets

Answer 1

Myofibrillar hypoplasia linked to mycotoxin toxicity

Question 2

Joint ill causes

Answer 2

Trueperella pyrogenes, strep suis type-2, staphylococcal species.
Cause often unknown

Question 3

Tx joint ill

Answer 3

penicillin-streptomycin

±small dose NSAID

Question 4

NSAID for pigs

Answer 4

ketoprofen

Question 5

Glassers disease is caused by

Answer 5

Haemophilus parasuis

Question 6

Streptococcus suis type 1

Answer 6

Mainly piglets 10-14d
Meningitis, joint involvement (swollen, warm, painful), endocarditis.
Tx: penicillin
Prevention: improve hygiene, prevent abrasions, max colostral intake.
Dx: PM culture

Question 7

Strep suis type 2

Answer 7

weaners/growers/finishers 3-7d following stress.
Most common 5-6wks (post weaning)
CSs: sudden death, pyrexia, anorexia, acute arthritis, meningitis.
Dx: PM culture
Tx: penicillin & metaphylaxis when outbreaks anticipated.

Question 8

Enzootic pneumonia is caused by

Can be worsened with

Answer 8

Mycoplasma hypopneumoniae ± fr. secondary infection with pasturella multocida (Type A)

atrophic rhinitis or ascariasis

Question 9

Predisposing factors for enzootic pneumonia

Answer 9

Poor housing, high humidity, mixing from different sources, continuous throughput systems.

Poor colostral intake (can be spread from sow to piglet but usually protected by AB)

Question 10

Enzootic pneumonia in

1. naive herd
2. chronically infected herd

Answer 10

1. disease all ages >10d old

2. growing (post weaning) most affected. Reduced daily live weight gain. Up to 90% show pathology at slaughter.

Question 11

Enzootic pneumonia CSs

Answer 11

Dry, barking cough - non-productive, worsened by exercise ±dyspnoea

If secondary pasturella multocida infection - pyrexia ± open mouthed breathing, increased lung sounds.

Question 12

Enzootic pneumonia dx

Answer 12

heard hx, CSs, Serology, PCR nasal swab. PM

monitoring at slaughter - Goodwin lung scoring system

Question 13

Enzootic pneumonia tx

Answer 13

Draxxin = tx early
Tilmicosin in feed 15d
Steroids or NSAIDs

Question 14

Enzootic pneumonia control

Answer 14

Improve environment, all in all out system, depopulate & repopulated vaccines.

Monitoring at slaughter - Goodwin lung scoring system

Question 15

Glassers disease causes

Answer 15

Polyserositis - pleuritis, peritonitis, pericarditis
Arthritis
Meningitis
Resp. signs in older pigs.
Can see sudden death.
Outbreaks associated with stress e.g. transport

Question 16

Glassers disease transmission

Answer 16

Sow to piglets then P-P

Dz most commonly seen post weaning - decline in maternal AB

Question 17

Glassers disease CSs

Answer 17

Sudden onset, several pigs affected
Anorexia, pyrexia, cough dyspnoea, lameness, swollen joints, walking on tiptoes.
CNS sings
Discolouration of the skin prior to death

Chronic: arthritis, peritonitis, heart failure.

Question 18

Glassers disease dx

Answer 18

PCR on swabs or culture from joints/tissues (avoid lung - non-virulent strains here)

Question 19

Glassers disease tx

Answer 19

Pen/strep

Metaphylaxis for in contacts - abx in water or drain injection

Question 20

Glassers disease control

Answer 20

Avoid stress, strategic medication at times of stress

Vaccinate - 1st dose <1wk, 2nd 2/3wks later

Question 21

Erysipelas is caused by

Answer 21

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Found in normal pigs, esp. tonsils, soil in pig keeping areas, excreted in urine & faeces of septacaemic pigs.
Short lived immunity - incidence increase if vaccination abandoned.
Reservoir species.

Question 22

Erysipelas peracute

Answer 22

found dead, bloated carcase, purple/reddish discolouration of skin.
Others in group may be acutely ill

Question 23

Erysipelas acute

Answer 23

Often follows stress
Dull, depressed, pyrexic
Diamond shaped skin lesions (necrotic vasculitis)

Sows in late pregnancy may abort
May see fibrinous polyarthritis

Question 24

Erysipelas chronic

Answer 24

1. chronic arthritis - non-suppurative, proliferative. Usually no joint capsule distension. Dry, ankylosed joints.
2. endocarditis - vegatative lesions on AV valves

Question 25

Erysipelas dx, tx,

Answer 25

Culture organism at PM
Penicillin, high dose q12h
Vaccination used widely in breeding herds.

Question 26

Aujeszky’s disease is caused by

Answer 26

Swine herpes virus -1

also known as pseudorabies

Question 27

Aujeszky’s disease CSs

Answer 27

<4wks piglets: V, D, pyrexia, CNS signs, recumbency, death, may have cold-sore lesions around face.

Weaned piglets: anorexia, resp. signs, incoordination, hindlimb paresis.

Question 28

Ear tip necrosis

Answer 28

Septicaemia or primary damage then bacteria becomes sealed in under a greasy film.
Staph aureus and hyicus implicated.

Biting usually secondary to necrotic area being blocked off and ear bleeding.

Question 29

Greasy pig disease

Answer 29

Exudative epidermitis caused by staphylococcus hyicus - contracted by piglets from sow.
Usually <6wks (esp. <2wks) sudden onset facial lesions & depressed suckling.
Skin reddened then thickened & covered in greasy brown exudate.
Can get secondary infection.

Question 30

Tail biting

Answer 30

Mainly result of environmental stress & poor husbandry - boredom.
Tail tip relatively insensitive - one pig bites - bleeds - other pigs attracted.
Severe damage can occur rapidly - whole tail removed - biting into perineal tissues.
Infection can enter via damaged tail - spread locally or haematogenously.
Vertebral body abscesses common sequale.

(ear biting may be more prevalent in pigs which have been docked)

Question 31

Consequences of tail biting

Answer 31

Welfare - on farm + transport
Economic - trimming or total seizure of carcase.
Public health - staphs in abscesses.