Swine GI Disease Flashcards
What are the top 3 causes of diarrhea in swine?
- Salmonella
- E. coli
- Porcine Coronavirus
+/- Clostridium, Coccidia, Rotavirus
What ages of pigs are typically affected by Clostridial diarrhea?
Clostridium perfringens type A & C - 1-14 days
C. difficile - 1-7 days
(almost exclusively in neonates)
What is characteristic of the 3 causes of Clostridial enteritis?
- C. perfringens type A - pale yellow/white diarrhea, death uncommon, does not affect all litters
- C. perfringens type C - sudden hemorrhagic diarrhea, nearly all affected piglets die
- C. difficile - dyspnea, abdominal distension, scrotal edema, yellow pasty diarrhea, majority of litters affected
How is Clostridial enteritis treated?
- antibiotics - Penicillin, Ampicillin
- antitoxin to C. perfringens type C helpful for outbreaks
- fluids with dextrose
- NSAIDs
How is Clostridial enteritis transmitted?
C. perfringens type A - normal comensal in gut
C. perfringens type C - spread from sow to piglets via spores in feces –> contamination of farrowing crates is a common source
How is Clostridial enteritis prevented?
- vaccine available for type A and C in sows (give booster 2-3 weeks prior to farrowing)
- medicated sow feed to limit spread
- sterilize farrowing areas
What age of pigs are commonly affected by ETEC?
1 day to post-weaning - most common 0-4 days
What are some signs of ETEC enteritis?
- secretory diarrhea - watery, clear, white, yellow, or brown
- vomiting
- depression, lethargy
What is considered a confirmation of ETEC diagnosis? What are some other options?
culture, fimbrial adhesion ID, and toxin ID
- gut tissue histopath shows G- rods adhered to jejunum and ileum
- alkaline diarrhea
How is ETEC enteritis treated? How is it prevented?
antibiotics (Ceftiofur) and fluid therapy with electrolytes and glucose
- vaccination of sows and gilts
- ensure piglets ingest quality colostrum
- provide ambient temperature of 86-93 F –> colder slows peristaltic activity
- sanitation, disinfection, and farrowing crate hygiene
What are 2 characteristic parts of ETEC’s virulence?
- adhesive fimbriae (pili) that adhere to gut epithelium
- enterotoxins induce movement of fluid into gut lumen
What causes transmissible gastroenteritis in pigs? What are characteristic signs?
Coronavirus –> 1 day old to adults
- transient vomiting
- watery, yellow, fetid diarrhea + curds of milk
- pigs >3 weeks tend to survive but are poor doers for some times
When is transmissible gastroenteritis most commonly seen? In what herds is it less of a problem?
winter (rare in summer as sunlight kills the organism)
endemic herds - natural exposure allows herd to develop immunity and sows pass antibodies to piglets
How is transmissible gastroenteritis diagnosed? What are 3 necropsy findings?
pig sacrificed for necropsy + detection of viral antigen in small intestine
- villous atrophy of small intestines, especially in the jejunum and ileum
- stomach distended with curdled milk and congested
- thin-walled small intestine filled with foamy fluid
How is transmissible gastroenteritis treated?
- fluids with electrolytes and glucose
- warm, dry environment
- antibiotics for secondary infection
- cross-suckling piglets to sows with good colostral antibodies
What acts as carriers to transmissible gastroenteritis?
- carrier pigs
- subclinical infections
- dogs, cats, foxes, starlings
A 5 day old piglet developed yellowish diarrhea. Colonic edema was found on necropsy. What is the likely pathogen that caused this?
a. C. perfringens type C
b. Coronavirus
c. C. difficule
C
Which neonatal pig diarrhea etiologic agent is spread by starlings?
a. C. perfringens type A
b. Coronavirus
c. E. coli
B
(TGE)
A 3 day old piglet developed bloody diarrhea. What is the most likely etiologic agent?
a. C. perfringens type A
b. Coronavirus
c. E. coli
d. C. perfringens type C
D
Profuse diarrhea developed in a gilt’s litter within 3 hours of birth. What is the most likely etiologic agent?
a. C. difficile
b. E. coli
c. Coronavirus
B
What age of pigs are most commonly affected by Rotavirus? What are characteristic signs?
1-6 weeks - avg. 19 days
mild yellow or white diarrhea for 2-3 days
How is Rotavirus transmitted? What is essential for prevention?
fecal oral
- sanitation and disinfection of farrowing areas
- booster sows and gilts in late gestation with MLV
Which of the following control measures is the most important for Rotavirus control?
a. biosecurity to keep it out
b. medicated feed
c. sanitation and disinfection
C
What age of pigs are most commonly affected by Cryptosporidiosis? What signs are associated? How is it prevented?
3 days to weaning (up to 12 weeks)
usually subclinical, but can develop nonhemorrhagic diarrhea
sanitation to prevent fecal-oral transmission
What causes Coccidiosis in pigs? What ages are most commonly affected?
Isopora suis
5-15 days –> lifecycle is only 6-7 days
What signs are associated with Coccidiosis?
- yellowish gray diarrhea that is initially loos or pasty and becomes more fluid
- dehydration
- high morbidity, moderate mortality
NO blood in feces
What are 4 ways to confirm Coccidiosis?
- villous atrophy of jejunum and ileum
- diarrhea does not respond to antibiotics
- fecal floatation
- necropsy + histopath
How is Coccidiosis treated? What is not typically effective?
- Sulfas
- Toltrazuril
labeled coccidiostats
What acts as a source for Coccidiosis? How is it prevented?
environment
sanitation
What vaccine is commonly used to prevent diarrheal in pigs?
Intervet ProSystem –> Rotavirus, Coronavirus, C. perfringens type C, E. coli
- for sows and gilts
- can be administered orally and IM
What ages of pig are affected by swine dysentery? What is the most consistent sign?
4 weeks to 6 months –> 30-150 lbs
bloody diarrhea
What are the 4 possible sequela to swine dysentery?
- severely affected become weak, uncoordinated, emaciated, and will die
- chronic poor doers
- asymptomatic
- complete recovery
What are 3 common histories associated with swine dysentery?
- recent movement of swine into a clean herd
- recent movement of naive swine into a dirty herd
- show pigs and breeding sows/boars sent to different farms or shows
will spread gradually through an infected herd with new pigs affected each day
What causes swine dysentery? What samples are commonly collected at necropsy?
Brachyspira hyodysenteriae - spirochete
- mucosal scraping of large intestine (not SI) –> darkfield microscopy
- large intestine will be filled with blood and mucus
How is swine dysentery treated?
medicated feed or water –> Tylan
When do clinical signs develop in cases of proliferative enteropathy? What are the most common clinical signs? What are the 2 forms?
2 weeks after stressor –> lapses in water or food, poor ventilation
diarrhea and/or wasting
- ACUTE - massive hemorrhage and sudden death
- CHRONIC - seen in pigs 6-16 weeks, poor growth, intermittent diarrhea
What causes proliferative enteropathy?
Lawsonia intracellularis - found in crypt epithelium
- curved rods
How is proliferative enteropathy diagnosis confirmed?
- necropsy - thickened mucosa confined to ileum and colon (acute = hemorrhage, chronic = necrotic)
- histopath - mucosal hyperplasia with intracellular curved rods
(difficult to culture)
What areas of the intestine is proliferative enteropathy typically confined to?
ileum and colon
- can cause blockage at ileocecal junction
How is proliferative enteropathy treated?
- Tylan
- feed or water antimicrobials - Tylosin, CTC, Lincomycin, Tiamulin, Carbadox
How is proliferative enteropathy prevented?
- avoid stredd - comingling, shipping, poor weather, high humidity, disruptions in feed intake, mixing pens at market
- sanitation
- effective microbial in feed (Tylosin)
- oral vaccine
What whipworm commonly infects pigs? What ages are most susceptible? In what pigs is it not typically as much of a problem?
Trichuris suis
1-6 months
confinement-raised swine –> eggs survive in the environment
What is the pathophysiology of whipworm infections?
- enter SI mucosa
- moves to cecum and colon
- results in mucofibrinous typhlocolitis with hemorrhage
What clinical signs are seen with whipworm infections? What treatment/control is recommended?
- anorexia
- mucohemorrhagic diarrhea
- dehydration
- death
deworming –> Fenbendazole, Dichlorvos > Levamisole > Piperazine, Pyrantel, Thiabendazole, Ivermectin
What can be a misleading diagnostic for whipworm infections? What is seen on necropsy?
fecal floatations
worms in the cecum/colon
What are the 2 forms of salmonellosis in pigs? What causes each? What signs are associated?
SEPTICEMIA –> S. cholerasuis –> sudden onset of fever, purple skin, and sudden death
ENTERIC –> S. typhimurium –> diarrhea, chronic poor doers, rectal stricture
What is the typical red flag for Salmonella infection? How is it diagnosed?
red to purpling discoloration of extremities and ventrum
- culture
- necropsy, histopath
What necropsy lesion is commonly seen with the enteric form of Salmonellosis?
focal necrotic enterocolitis –> volcano/calamari lesions
What is a possible sequela to salmonellosis seen in pigs?
rectal stricture –> severe constipation and distended abdomen
How is salmonellosis treated?
- antibiotics - Ceftiofur, Neomycin, Apramycin, Gentamicin, Enrofloxacin, Amikacin, TMS
- anti-inflammatories for enterotoxemia
- protect other pigs
poor prognosis for septicemia form
How is Salmonellosis controlled?
- sanitation
- remove diseased stock and carriers/shedders
- early weaning of piglets
- vaccines
- antibiotics in feed
What are the most common signs of gastric ulcers? In what pigs are they most common?
- gothic pig syndrome - colic = hunched, grimacing, stilted gait
- reduced feed intake
- vomiting
- black and tarry feces
finishers
How are gastric ulcers diagnosed?
- fecal occult blood
- necropsy
- endoscopy - impractical
How are gastric ulcers treated?
anti-acids –> H2 blockers, PPI
- most commonly done in valuable show pigs, not in commercial herds
What 4 risk factors contribute to the development of gastric ulcers?
- finely ground feed
- overcrowding
- unsanitary environment
- being off feed
How are gastric ulcers prevented? What pigs have higher mortality?
- alter feed - don’t ground feed as much
- avoid stress
- Omeprazole
- running out feed
barrows - castrated males eat more and are typically girthier (most 10-12 week old pigs with have ulcers with no symptoms)
Proliferative enteropathy typically affects…
a. any portion of the intestines
b. ileum and colon
c. cecum and colon
d. rectum
B
Which of the following is most difficult to culture?
a. Proliferative enteropathy
b. Salmonella
c. Swine dysentery
A
Grower pigs are developing diarrhea with no blood. What is the most likely disease process?
a. swine dysentery
b. salmonella
c. whipworms
d. proliferative enteropathy
D
What disease is associated with rectal strictures?
Salmonella
What part of the gut is a common site to find whipworms?
cecum and colon
A pig is having watery and bloody diarrhea with flecks of mucosa noted. What is the most likely diagnosis?
swine dysentery
Which of the following diseases has the best vaccine?
a. swine dysentery
b. proliferative enteropathy
c. cryptosporidiosis
B
Necropsy reveals lesions confined to the colon. What is the most likely diagnosis?
a. swine dysentery
b. proliferative enteropathy
c. whipworms
A
What is the most effective dewormer for swine whipworms?
a. Ivermectin
b. Fenbendazole
c. Tramisol
B
There are 100 feeder pigs in a barn. 2 of them vomit after eating. No other feeders are vomiting. What is the most likely diagnosis?
a. feed allergies
b. gastric ulcers
c. TGE
B
