35 Skin Diseases, Baby Pig Management, Foreign Animal Diseases

Exudative epidermitis (Greasy pig Disease), Sarcoptic Mange, Lice, Sunburns, Pityriasis rosea

Name a few skin conditions that commonly affect swine

Staphylococcus hyicus

What is the causative agent of Greasy Pig Disease aka Exudative Epidermitis?

Younger (8 weeks)

Greasy pig disease typically affects younger or older pigs

Greasy pig disease

A piglet 6 weeks of age presents like this, showing extensive seborrheic dermatitis and slow growth. Thoughts?

Greasy Pig disease

Thoughts?

Greasy pig Disease

A pig has a small damaged area of skin that spreads to infection. The piglet 5 weeks of age is in an area with poor ventilation, high humidity, and high stocking density. Thoughts?

Local skin treatment with antiseptic mineral oil, antimicrobials

How can you control Greasy Pig Disease (Staphylococcus hyicus)

1. Demodectic mange

2. Sarcoptic mange (Scabies)

What are the two different types of mange seen in swine?

Sarcoptes scabiei

What is the causative agent of Sarcoptic mange or Scabies in pigs?

It causes dec. growth rates, reduced feed efficiency, and dec. fertility in sows. It is STILL common in OUTDOOR operations

Sarcoptic mange (Scabies) is mostly eliminated from commercial US swine herds. But why do we still need to be cognizant of it?

Direct

note: mites (scabies) are NOT VIABLE away from the host

Scabies and Lice are transmitted between pigs via direct or indirect contact

They are sensitive to dessication + they are species specific (nonzoonotic)

Why is environmental contamination of little concern in pigs with Scabies (Sarcoptic mange)?

Pruritis, where intensity is related to number of mites. Skin may thicken

What is the most common clinical sign of pigs with Sarcoptic mange?

Inner ear

Where should you take a skin scrape off a pig to confirm scabies?

Scabies AND lice

note: treat, then wait 14 days, then treat again

Ascaricides such as amitraz and ivermectin are used to effectively treat WHAT skin condition in pigs?

Hog louse, Haematopinus suis

What is the ONLY species of louse that infects pigs?

LICE: CAN survive in environment

SCABIES: CANNOT survive in environment or away from host = dessicate easily

What is the difference between lice and sarcoptic mange in terms of environmental survivability?

Haematopinus suis (lice) = blood suckers

You observe a pig with extreme pruritis and subsequent self trauma. If this pig were smaller, you would expect anemia. Why? What is this?

Backyard

Lice in pigs are more common in backyard or commercial herds?

Haematopinus suis (lice)

Is this Haematopinus suis or Sarcoptes scabiei?

Sunburn

What is happening in this white pig without adequate shade?

Pityriasis rosea

What are these circular, radiating, slightly raised lesions in the underbelly and groin of the pig that is normally self-limiting?

1. When she has strained for 1 hour without pigs

2. It has been over 30 minutes between pigs

3. The pig is still farrowing after 2-3 hours

When should you intervene on a porcine dystocia?

Birth canal is clear

What must you CONFIRM before using oxytocin in a dystocia pig?

Backwards

With which dystocia presentation in pigs can you normally just remove and manipulate them with your hand?

Backwards or Forwards?

Forwards

With which dystocia presentation in pigs can you use cable snares or eye hooks if your hand is too big to manipulate them?

Backwards or Forwards?

Savaging

What is the term used to describe sows or gilts (more common) that kill piglets immediately after birth by biting them?

Keep rooms calm, remove piglets for about 12 hours until sow accepts them, inject with oxytocin

Savaging occurs when the gilt (more likely) or sow kills her own piglets after birth. How can you prevent this?

FALSE = dry piglets immediately after birth.

note: rubbing them like this also helps stimulate breathing and warm them

TRUE OR FALSE: Piglets should be left alone so the mother can dry them immediately after farrowing.

Rear limbs

Does splay legs in baby pigs more commonly affect their forelimbs or rear limbs?

This pig is splay legged. This supporting device should be removed after 4-5 days, and if the baby pig is still not better = euthanize

What is happening here, and at what point do you decide it will/will not work?

Splay leg piglet = support with tape, rubber bands, or velcro bands for 4-5 days

Shortly after birth, a piglet presents like this. You notice the floor is a little slippery. What is happening and what can you do to help?

Iron

Pigs are born deficient in WHAT mineral when they are born?

Iron (single dose of iron-dextran)

What mineral is ESSENTIAL to supplement in baby pigs within the first 3 days of life, ESPECIALLY if they are going to be indoor animals?

1. clip needle teeth

2. treat umbilical cord

3. iron administration

4. tail docking

5. scour prevention/treatment

6. castration

What procedures are performed in piglet processing plants?

An unpleasant odor called boar taint occurs when Androstenone and Skatole compounds accumulate in the fat

Why are pigs castrated in the first few days of life?

b. skatole

e. Androstenone

We castrated baby pigs in the first few days of life. This is because of "Boar taint", an unpleasant odor that is emitted when cooked due to WHAT COMPOUNDS accumulating in the fat?

a. estrogen

b. skatole

c. progesterone

d. GnRH

e. Androstenone

f. LH

Inguinal (scrotal) hernia

What is this, commonly see in males?

Clipping needle (canine) teeth = to minimize cuts and scratches to piglets and sow udder

What is this and why do you do it?

Dock tails = to prevent tail biting behaviors in nursery/finishers which would be a source of infection

What is this and why do you do it?

In first week of life

When do you castrate, tail dock, and teeth clip piglets?

At weaning

When do you vaccinate piglets for PCV2? (circovirus)

1. Foot and Mouth Disease

2. Vesicular stomatitis

3. Swine Vesicular Disease

4. Vesicular Exanthema of Swine

5. Seneca Valley Virus

Name the Vesicular diseases that can affect swine

They all are CLNICALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE = must differentiate thru diagnostic tests

What is the problem with vesicular diseases in terms of clinical manifestation?

Vesicles that progress to erosions in the mouth, nares, muzzle, teats and feet

What are the clinical signs of vesicular diseases?

REPORT TO AUTHORITIES

What should you do if you suspect a vesicular disease in pigs?

VESICULAR DISEASE

1. Foot and Mouth Disease

2. Vesicular stomatitis

3. Swine Vesicular Disease

4. Vesicular Exanthema of Swine

5. Seneca Valley Virus

Thoughts? Differentials?

Vesicular disease = REPORT TO AUTHORITIES

Thoughts? What are you doing if you see this?

VESICULAR DISEASE

1. Foot and Mouth Disease

2. Vesicular stomatitis

3. Swine Vesicular Disease

4. Vesicular Exanthema of Swine

5. Seneca Valley Virus

Thoughts? Differentials?

VESICULAR DISEASE

1. Foot and Mouth Disease

2. Vesicular stomatitis

3. Swine Vesicular Disease

4. Vesicular Exanthema of Swine

5. Seneca Valley Virus

Thoughts? Differentials?

nearly 100% for BOTH

What is morbidity and mortality like in African Swine Fever?

FALSE

TRUE OR FALSE: African Swine Fever is ZOONOTIC

NONE FOR EITHER

Are there any vaccines or treatments for African Swine Fever and what are they?

b. indirectly thru fomites

c. nose to nose

e. undercooked pork products

f. insect borne (ticks)

Select which of the following are routes of transmission for African Swine Fever in pigs:

a. transplacental

b. indirectly thru fomites

c. nose to nose

d. vertical transmission

e. undercooked pork products

f. insect borne (ticks)

YES, and any country infected is banned from exporting ANY pork products

Is African Swine Fever reportable?

100-200 million PIGS LOST

note: the ENTIRE US INDUSTRY only produces 110 million pigs per year

China suffers from African Swine Fever. What did the disease cost the industry in 2019 alone?

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER REPORT IMMEDIATELY

In the U.S., you see a pig with NUMEROUS hemorrhagic internal organs: skin discoloration, bloody diarrhea, petechiae on kidneys.

What is at the top of your differentials list and what do you do?

No, the US does not currently have African Swine Fever

Is the US currently affected by African Swine Fever?

68

Since 2022, 12 countries have reported having African Swine Fever for the first time. How many countries TOTAL have reported the presence of African Swine Fever?