Swine Neonatal Disease Flashcards
65% of piglets lost before weaning are lost
within the first _____ days
4 days
Someone should be present at farrowing to
give _______, because sow’s milk is deficient in this.
Iron
At birth, piglets should have these clipped
to avoid injury to the sow, which would increase
her risk of mastitis
needle teeth
The weight of the piglet at birth is
an indicator of _______
survivability
The sow stays in the farrowing crate for
______ weeks, until the babies are weaned.
She will come back into estrus
______ after weaning, which means you can get
2.5 litters/sow/year!
The sow stays in the farrowing crate for
3 - 4 weeks, until the babies are weaned.
She will come back into estrus
7 to 10 days after weaning, which means you can get
2.5 litters/sow/year!
These 3 things should be done
to piglets within the first 3 days of birth
Ear notching (ID the first or last born)
Tail-docking (prevent tail biting and ascending meningitis/polyarthritis)
Castration (sour meat taste if intact when slaughtered)
There are 2 requirements for baby pigs. What are they?
A steady flow of milk from the sow
A warm, dry environment (90F or higher!)
Baby piglets need to be in a warm, dry environment, at a
temperature of 90F or higher.
This is too hot for the sow, which need to be in her farrowing crate
at this temperature.
Sow in temp of 70 - 80F
- Piglets can be comfortable at 90F if floors are heated, or if*
- there are supplemental heating lamps for them*
Below _____ days of age, piglets cannot maintain
blood glucose, which is why they need a steady stream of milk
Below 10 days old
Piglets are prone to hypoglycemia.
Within ___ hours, 75% of liver glycogen is depleted
Within _______ hours, ALL liver glycogen is depleted
Within 12 hours, 75% liver glycogen depleted
Within 18 - 24 hours, all liver glycogen is depleted
Hypothermic pigs will try to increase their metabolic rate to compensate,
or shiver (which uses up ______) and huddle together.
This is why hypoglycemia and hypothermia often occur together
glycogen
Hypothermic piglets = slow motility of the GIT
which causes changes in their _______
GI Flora
In piglets, profound hypoglycemia may cause convulsions.
Convulsions occur with glucose levels less than _______.
Coma occurs with glucose levels less than _________.
Convulsions: Glucose less than 50 mg/dL
Coma: Glucose less than 40 mg/dL
What is the treatment for hypoglycemic piglets?
Intraperitoneal glucose
To treat hypoglycemic piglets,
a warm solution of glucose is given via this route
Intraperitoneal
To treat hypoglycemic piglets,
a warm solution of glucose is given intraperitoneal
at _______ grams/kg.
Do NOT give a concentration greater than ____%
1 - 2 grams/kg
No greater than 20% glucose solution!
How is hypothermia and subsequently hypoglycemia
in piglets prevented?
Keep environment between 90F - 95F
_______ is the most common problem
in neonatal piglets
diarrhea
What are the 5 most common infectious agents
responsible for neonatal diarrhea in piglets?
Rotavirus
E.coli
TGE
C. perfringens
Isospora suis (coccidiosis)
Multiple infections are very common!!!
TGE (transmissible gastroenteritis)
is more common in neonates that are ________
stressed
Coccidiosis due to Isospora suis
occurs early in the neonatal period,
and can show up as early as _______ days after birth
6 - 8 days
What protective mechanisms are in piglets
that prevent neonatal diarrhea?
Only when all mechanisms fail do you see diarrhea
Acidity of the stomach
Non-pathogenic bacteria
Ingested immunoglobulins
Ability of the SI to replace lost epithelium
Ability of the colon to absorb excess fluid
How do non-pathogenic bacteria help
prevent diarrhea in neonatal pigs?
By competing for attachment sites to block
colonization of pathogens, and by stimulating local
immune responses
What is responsible for stimulating local immune
responses in the gut prior to 5 - 10 days after birth
when IgA and IgM (from ingested colostrum)
take over?
Non-pathogenic bacteria
In regards to non-pathogenic bacteria (NPB) and prevention of neonatal diarrhea:
________ is the NPB found in the stomach
Lactobacillus
In regards to non-pathogenic bacteria (NPB) and prevention of neonatal diarrhea:
________ is the NPB found in the Small Intestine
Streptococci
In regards to non-pathogenic bacteria (NPB) and prevention of neonatal diarrhea:
________ and ________ are the NPB found in the colon
E. coli and Clostridium
What 3 immunoglobulins are passed down to piglets
through colostrum?
IgA, IgM, IgG
- Piglets need to suckle immediately after birth*
- because the stomach closes within a few hours*
The quality and quantity of colostrum affects immune status of piglets.
Low quality colostrum and subsequently, immunodeficient piglets are more commonly seen
in ______, because they have not been exposed to as many things.
gilts
Viral enteritis (TGE and Rotavirus)
is spread in the _____ by rodents, cats, dogs, and birds.
winter
Describe the pathogenesis of
Viral Enteritis (TGE and Rotavirus)
Virus replicates in enterocytes→destroys the cells→intestinal lesions.
Damaged epithelium contracts→ less surface area for nutrient absorption (villous atrophy).
Lactose→converted to lactic acid→negative osmotic effect.
Fluid drawn into gut→cannot be absorbed due to damaged epithelium→ DIARRHEA
In regards to E.coli as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
E. coli attaches to the villous epithelium by ______
pili
In regards to E.coli as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
E.coli colonizes to produced heat labile or heat stabile
____________
enterotoxins
In regards to E.coli as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
Enterotoxins stimulate the mucosal epithelium
to secrete excess ________ fluid,
resulting in diarrhea
alkaline
In regards to E.coli as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
______ is the major enterotoxin that causes issues from
weaning to post-weaning
K-88
In regards to E.coli as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
What are the 3 major enterotoxin types
produced by E. coli which stimulate the mucosa to
produce excess alkaline fluid resulting in diarrhea?
K88
K99
987P
In regards to E.coli as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
This toxin may be produced in addition to enterotoxins
and produce lesions of the gut, resulting in Edema Disease
Cytotoxin (Shiga-Like Toxin) = Edema disease
In regards to Isospora suis (Coccidiosis) as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in piglets:
Isospora suis replicates in the basement membrane of enterocytes
and is rapidly colonized by bacteria, resulting in a
______ membrane
fibrino-necrotic membrane
This causative agent of neonatal diarrhea in piglets
attaches to the surface of small intestine and produces
necrotizing lesions which leads to blood in the feces
Clostridium perfringens Type C
What is the toxin associated with Clostridium perfringens Type C
that causes necrotizing lesions in the SI and subsequently
hemorrhagic diarrhea?
necrotizing BETA-toxin
Over _____% of piglets may die from
some type of diarrhea before weaning
10%
E. coli is responsible for _____% of
diarrha associated piglet deaths before weaning
80 - 90%
Piglets less than 3 days old
are experiencing bloody diarrhea.
What is your primary ddx?
C. perfringens TYPE C
You are called out to a farm in December for
piglet losses occurring across several litters in a piggery.
The piglets affected are less than 3 weeks old and are
vomiting undigested milk as well as having
very watery diarrhea.
What is your primary ddx?
TGE
1 week old piglets present with bloody diarrhea and some have died.
Necropsy on a dead piglet revelas a fibrino-necrotic membrane
in the GIT. When gathering history from the owner,
you realize the sows were not dewormed prior to
entering the farrowing crate.
What is your primary ddx?
Isospora suis (Coccidiosis)
Several piglets a few days old
are dehydrated, failing to nurse, and dying as a result.
They are suffering from yellow watery/pasty diarrhea
and have wet, straight tails.
Some even have discoloration of their perineal area.
What is your primary ddx?
E. coli
T/F:
Survivors of E.coli diarrhea as a neonate
may be chronically affected
TRUE
Piglets less than 3 days old
are experiencing bloody diarrhea which you have attributed to
C. perfringens Type C.
How do you treat these piglets?
Give C. Perfringens ANTITOXIN
and treat for dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
caused by the diarrhea
In general, how do you treat neonates with diarrhea?
Fluids and electrolytes + glucose ORALLY
Antibiotics (to prevent secondary bacT infections)
Warm and dry environment above 90F
Which 2 antibiotics are used to treat
neonates with diarrhea?
Lincomicin
Spectinomicin
In regards to components of colostrum:
This immunoglobulin comprises 30% and
protects internal surgaces from bacterial invaders
IgA
In regards to components of colostrum:
This immunoglobulin comprises 10% and triggers immune response;
the volume determines whether pathogens cause disease or not
IgM
In regards to components of colostrum:
This immunoglobulin comprises 60%
and serves as a secondary line of defense
as well as providing whole body protection from septicemia
IgG
What is the most prevalent immunoglobulin
found in colostrum?
IgG (60%)
IgG > IgA > IgM
Piglets require ___mL of colostrum within the first
5 to 7 hours of life
40 mL of colostrum
Piglets need _______ grams of milk
within the first 24 hours of life
250 grams of milk
Immunoglobulins ingested in colostrum in the first few hours of life
begin to decline rapidly after the first week,
and fall below protective levels by ________
fall below protective levels by week 3
Piglets need to develop their own immunity after the first week of life
_______ is the most common causative agent of
neonatal polyarthritis in suckling piglets
Streptococcus
neonatal polyarthritis is most common in
piglets in this age range
neonatal polyarthritis: 1 - 3 weeks old
This causative agent of neonatal polyarthritis
is most common in suckling pigs.
Aerosol and Vaginal contamination are the main routes of infection
by this agent.
Streptococcus equisimilis
This causative agent of neonatal polyarthritis
is most common in weaned pigs (4 - 8 weeks old)
and can cause meningitis as well as polyarthritis.
Aerosol transmission is the most common route of infection
of this agent.
Streptococcus suis Type 2
Since the incidence of neonatal polyarthritis is
_______, prevention is difficult
sporadic
What is the best way to prevent neonatal polyarthritis
despite the sporadic occurrence?
Good management!
Prophylactic antibiotics (neonates)
Autogenous vaccine (sows if organism known)
Good ventilation (prevent aerosol transmission)
Alternatives to gestation crates
What is the prophylactic vaccine protocol
for prevention of neonatal polyarthritis?
Oxytetracycline IM in the neck
at birth and at 1 week old
