Porcine neurology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the most common signs of neuropathy seen in pigs?

A
  • Paddling, twitching
  • Head tilting, uncoordinated, circling, staggering, goose stepping
  • Change in squeak
  • Pigs depressed, lying down
  • Anorexia
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2
Q

Outline a generic approach to neurological cases in pigs

A
  • Thorough history
  • Walk through farm and assess disease prevalence, assess staff, chek pen equipment, feed, water
  • Clinical examination of pigs
  • PM of 2 or 3 pigs
  • Serum from 10 pigs
  • Clinical assessment involving full clinical and neurological exam and lesion localisation
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3
Q

How will cerebral lesions present in pigs?

A
  • Altered mental state
  • Depression
  • Stupor
  • Hyperaesthesia
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4
Q

How will cerebeller lesions present in pigs?

A
  • Intention tremor
  • Dysmetria
  • High stepping gait
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5
Q

In pigs, what is a common cause of spinal cord lesions?

A

Tail bite injuries

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6
Q

What do conscious responses on skin sensitivity tests indicate?

A

Spinal cord and peripheral sensory nerves are in tact

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7
Q

Discuss the use of the panniculus, pedal withdrawal and patellar reflex in neurological examination of pigs

A
  • Panniculus: not very useful in older pigs
  • Pedal withdrawal: exaggerated responses = UMN, reduced respond = LMN
  • Patellar: only in sedated pigs
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8
Q

What are the main differentials for neurological disease in piglets?

A
  • Bacterial meningitis (strep)
  • Viral infections (Aujesky’s, CSF, Teschen etc.)
  • Congenital tumours
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning from heating devices
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9
Q

Outline the cause and presentation of congenital tumours in pigs

A
  • Common as outbreaks, viral or genetic cause
  • Shaking piglets
  • Many recover with nursing
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10
Q

List the differentials for neurological disease in growing pigs

A
  • Streptococcal meningitis
  • Water deprivation
  • Oedema disease
  • Aujesky’s disease
  • Teschen disease
  • Poisonings e.g. lead, organophosphates
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11
Q

List rare causes for neurological disease in pigs

A
  • Spinal abscesses
  • Toxicities e.g. selenium
  • Nutritional deficiency e.g. vit A, pantothenic acid
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12
Q

Describe the epidemiology of porcine streptococcal meninigitis

A
  • Universal problem in pig farms
  • Strep suis types 1, 2, 14 most associated with neurological presentation
  • Strep also causes arthritis, serositis
  • Most common diagnosis at PM
  • Survives in farm surfaces
  • Zoonotic (risk at PM)
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13
Q

Describe the transmission and prevalence of Streptococcus suis type 1

A
  • Carried in tonsils of carrier sows and enters piglet’s body through tonsilar crypts
  • Most common in piglets aged 10-14 days
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14
Q

Describe the clinical signs of Streptpcoccus suis type 1 meningitis

A
  • Pyrexia
  • Sudden death
  • Swollen joints
  • Recumbency
  • Convulsions
  • Nystagmus
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15
Q

Outline the diagnosis of Streptococcus suis type 1

A
  • Clinical signs and culture from PM
  • If joints affected can culture from joint fluid
  • On PM, may see small amounts of pus in meninges but few other lesions, confirm diagnosis by histology and bacteriology
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16
Q

Describe the treatment of Streptococcus suis type 1, 2, 14

A
  • 3-5d penicillin or TMS
  • NSAIDs
  • Prognosis poor if meningitis, consider euthanasia
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17
Q

Describe the control of Streptococcus suis type 1

A
  • Hygiene of farrowign accomodation (all in all out management, cleaning between litters)
  • Prophylactic antibiotics poor choice
  • Depopulation in severe outbreaks
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18
Q

How can Streptococcus suis type 2 and 14 spread to humans?

A

Via abrasions/oropharynx

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19
Q

Outline the occurrence of Streptococcus suis type 2 and 14

A

Usually growing pigs 3-7 days after stresses e.g. moving groups

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20
Q

Describe the clinical signs of Strep suis type 2 and 14

A
  • Sudden death
  • Pyrexia
  • Acute arthritis
  • Meningitis
21
Q

Outline the control of Strep suis type 2 and 14

A
  • Hygiene (survive in environment for several days)
  • Prophylactic antibiotic (short term to gain control)
  • Depopulation
22
Q

What are the common causes of water deprivation/salt poisoning in pigs?

A
  • Occasional outbreaks depending on cause e.g. water system failure
  • High salt diets (rare)
  • rapid rehydration following water deprivation (common)
23
Q

How does rapid rehydration following water deprivation cause neurological signs in pigs?

A

When water available again, enter brain causing cerebral oedema and raised intracranial pressure

24
Q

Describe the clinical signs of water deprivation/salt poisoning in pigs

A
  • Variable
  • Recumbency
  • convulsions
  • Ataxia
  • Dog sitting
  • Pigs agitated
  • Cystitis (aka discharges)
25
Q

Outline the diagnosis of water deprivation/salt poisoning in pigs

A
  • Based on history and clinical signs

- Or PM showing eosinophilic meningitis

26
Q

Outline the treatment and prevention of water deprivation/salt poisoning in pigs

A
  • Slow rehydration
  • Poor prognosis if severe
  • Control with adequate water supplies and warning systems for failure
27
Q

When does oedema disease of pigs occur?

A

7-10 days after weaning

28
Q

How does oedema disease of pigs develop?

A
  • E. coli VT required to proliferate in farms
  • E coli intestinal infection, produce shiga-like vero toxins VTe or STe
  • Cause vasoactive toxaemia
  • Vascular damage causes gelatinous oedema in the brain, eyelids, stomach, colon and larynx
29
Q

Describe the clinical signs of oedema disease in pigs

A
  • Sudden death
  • Swollen eyelids
  • Ataxia
  • Recumbency
  • Depression
  • Change in squeak due to laryngeal oedema (high pitched)
30
Q

Outline the diagnosis of oedema disease in pigs

A
  • Culture VTEC from intestine

- Look for other distinctive signs such as eyelid oedema, stomach wall oedema

31
Q

Which form of post-weaning colibacilliosis in pigs is most common?

A

Diarrhoeal

32
Q

Outline the control of oedema disease in pigs

A
  • Antibiotics e.g. neomycin in feed and water after weaning (limited effect, colistin ideal but protected)
  • Zinc oxide in feed controls E. coli toxins
33
Q

Describe the clinical signs of Aujesky’s in piglets

A
  • Encephalitis
  • Incoordination
  • Spasms
  • Paddling
  • High mortality
34
Q

Up to what age of pigs may be involved in Aujesky’s outbreaks?

A

14 weeks

35
Q

Describe the clinical signs of Aujesky’s in older pigs

A
  • Locomotor changes
  • Goose stepping
  • Run nose on floor
  • Rabid biting
  • Odd posture
  • Rhinitis, tonsilitis, pneuomonia also common
36
Q

What methods are used in the diagnosis of Aujesky’s?

A

Serology, histology, virology

37
Q

Outline the prevention of Aujesky’s in pigs

A
  • Stop feeding dogs potentially infected pig meat
  • Vaccine available
  • Eradication programmes if re-appears
38
Q

Where does Teschen disease proliferate?

A

In the intestine

39
Q

Describe the clinical signs of Teschen virus disease

A
  • Mainly piglets <2 weeks old
  • Ataxia, paddling
  • Paralysis, tremors, death
  • No gross lesions
40
Q

Outline the diagnosis of Teschen disease virus

A
  • Brain histology and virology

- Serology, paired samples

41
Q

Describe the presentation of congenital tremor in pigs

A
  • Sporadic disease in new born pigs
  • tremors, shaking of muscles of head and body
  • Piglets may appear normal at birth, clinical signs from 3 days old
  • Death if unable to suckle
42
Q

What causes the clinical signs of congenital tremor in pigs?

A

Hypomyelinogenesis

43
Q

Outline the treatment and prognosis of congenital tremor in pigs

A

Require good nursing but unlikely to survive

44
Q

Outline the 4 groups of causes of congenital tremor in pigs

A

1: Associated with classical swine fever
2: Possibly associated with circovirus and involving circovirus type 1 and 2 simultaneously
3: Associated with hereditary disorders seen in Landrace or saddleback breeds or organophosphate poisoning
4: Aujesky’s disease and Japanese encephalomyelitis virus

45
Q

Explain the common presentation of hypoglycaemia in pigs

A
  • common cause of mortality in newborn piglets
  • Low blood glucose due to inadequate milk intake
  • Little fat reserves at birth so quickly become hypoglycaemic if don’t suckle
46
Q

Describe the clinical signs of hypoglycaemia in pigs

A
  • Weakness
  • Ataxia
  • Hypothermia
  • Fitting opisthotonus
  • Champing of jaws
47
Q

Outline the diagnosis of hypoglycaemia in pigs

A
  • Clinical signs

- Blood glucose <2.8mmol/L

48
Q

Outline the treatment of hypoglycaemia in pigs

A
  • 15ml 20% glucose solution IP q5-6hrs

- Herds people generally good at sorting this out themselves