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Common pig diseases
The pig diseases guide is intended as a reference list of pig diseases commonly encountered by the author. It is not intended as an aid for the diagnosis of pig diseases but to provide some basic information on diseases of which pork producers should be aware. It is recommended that a veterinarian be consulted for the diagnosis, treatment and control of disease in the pig herd. The recognition of disease is of prime importance, so that the adverse effect on production and the economic loss are kept to a minimum.
When an antibiotic is used for the treatment and control of a disease it is important to understand the reasons for its use, the correct dose rate and the withholding period for the antibiotic. The withholding period is the minimum period which must elapse between the last use of the antibiotic and the slaughter of the treated animal. Where antibiotics have been listed in this guide, the abbreviations following the word antibiotic stand for:
- I - injectable
- O - oral
- W - in-water medication
- F - in-feed medication.
Other chemicals, e.g. miticides, wormers and others also have withholding periods which must be heeded to prevent the detection of chemical residues in pork.
Where vaccines have been listed for the prevention of disease, it is imperative that they be used to the manufacturers' recommendations. Otherwise, optimum vaccine antibody protection will not be produced and disease breakdowns may occur.
| Diseases | Major signs | Treatment | Prevention | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colibacillosis (E. coli) | Diarrhoea (scours); sudden death | Fluid therapy; antibiotics (I,O,W); warmth | Improve hygiene; vaccinate sow/gilts; provide a warm clean creep area | Coccidiosis may be involved |
| Coccidiosis | Diarrhoea at 10 to 21 days of age | Fluid therapy; coccidiostats | Improve hygiene; provide a warm, clean creep area | |
| Overlay / trauma | Sudden death | None | Provide a warm, clean creep area; check farrowing crate design | |
| Starvation (hypo-glycaemia) | Weakness; death | Dextrose solutions; supplementary feeding | Improve sow's milk supply | Ensure gilts have adequate functional teats |
| Stillbirths | Born dead | None | Various methods | Many causes; consult a veterinarian |
| Miscellaneous infections | Lameness; sudden death | Antibiotics (I) | Improve hygiene; repair flooring | Infection due to bacteria; swollen joints commonly seen |
| Exudative epidermitis (greasy pig) | Skin lesions; death | Antibiotics; skin protectant; vitamins | Improve hygiene; provide a dry, warm, clean, creep area; prevent skin abrasions | Staphylococcus hyicus infection |
| Disease | Major signs | Treatment | Prevention | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colibacillosis (E. coli) | Diarrhoea; sudden death | Fluid therapy; antibiotics | Vaccination; improve hygiene; provide warmth for weaners; reduce stress at weaning | A common and expensive problem |
| Respiratory disease | Coughing; sneezing; reduced growth rate; sometimes death | Antibiotics (I,W,F); improve ventilation and environment | Improve ventilation; reduce stocking density; reduce stress; antibiotics; vaccination | Enzootic pneumonia; pleuropneumonia; pasteurellosis; Glasser's disease; Steptococcus suis |
| Swine dysentery | Diarrhoea with blood; diarrhoea; reduced growth rates; death | Antibiotics (I,W,F); reduce stocking density | Improve hygiene; antibiotics (F) | Avoid purchasing infected pigs; control rodents |
| Proliferative enteropathy (PE)(ileitis) | Diarrhoea with blood; diarrhoea; reduced growth rate; sudden death | Antibiotics (I,W,F); iron; vitamin B | Antibiotics (F) | Three main syndromes affecting different aged pigs |
| Sarcoptic mange | Itching, dermatitis; rubbing; scratching; reduced growth rate | Miticidal sprays; pour-ons; injection and in-feed premix | Strategic treatment of breeder pigs and weaners/growers | May go unnoticed in a herd; may add to pneumonia problems; pigs of all ages can be affected |
| Intestinal torsion | Sudden death | Diet manipulation | None | A common cause of death in some herds |
| Gastric ulceration | Loss of appetite; vomiting; death | Rarely effective | Diet manipulation including coarseness of feed; reduce stress; reduce disease | Probably feed and disease related; can affect pigs of any age |
| Erysipelas | Arthritis; skin lesions; reduced growth rate; condemnations at slaughter | Antibiotics (I) | Vaccination | Most losses occur between two to six months of age |
| Internal parasites (worms) | Diarrhoea; reduced growth rate; pneumonia | Parasiticides in-feed or injection | Parasiticides | Roundworm; whipworm; kidney worm |
| Exudative epidermitis (Greasy pig) |
Skin lesions Death |
Antibiotics; skin protectant; vitamins | Improve hygiene; provide a dry, warm, clean, weaner pen; prevent skin abrasions | Staphylococcus hyicus infection |
| Disease | Major signs | Treatment | Prevention | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farrowing sickness (MMA mastitis, metritis, agalactia) | Reduced milk production; loss of appetite; higher body temperature | Antibiotics (I,W,F); oxytocin; anti-inflammatory drugs | Reduce feeding prior to farrowing; good hygiene in farrowing crate; reduce stress on sows | Reduces number of pigs weaned per sow; infection due to bacteria |
| Lameness | Premature culling; reduced herd fertility | Rarely effective | Improve floor design; control erysipelas; prevent injuries; reduce conformation defects | Regularly check breeder pigs for leg lesions |
| Porcine parvovirus | Mummification; returns to service; stillborn and weakborn piglets | None | Vaccination | Endemic and epidemic forms of this disease; fewer pigs sold per sow a year |
| Vaginal discharge syndrome | Reproductive tract infections | Antibiotics (I,W,F); antibiotic treatment of boar's prepuce | Cull affected animals; improve hygiene of mating pens and dry-sow shed | Caused by bacteria and poor hygiene |
| Bladder infection (Cystitis) Kidney infection |
Blood-stained urine Reluctance to stand; sudden death |
Antibiotics (I,W,F) Antibiotic infection of boar's prepuce |
Antibiotics Increase water intake; improve hygiene in dry-sow shed |
Boars transmit bacteria to sows and gilts at mating |
| Leptospirosis | Stillborn or weakborn pigs; abortion; returns to service | Antibiotics (I,W,F) | Vaccination | This disease can also affect humans |
| Erysipelas | Abortions; reproductive failure | Antibiotics (I,W,F) | Vaccinations | Can also cause arthritis and skin lesions |
| Gastric torsion, see intestinal torsion | Sudden death | None | Feed twice or three times per day; do not overfeed hungry pigs | Commonly seen when level of feeding is increased |
| Gastric ulcers | Loss of appetite; vomiting; depraved appetite; blood in dung; sudden death | Antibiotics (I); wet feed | Investigate feed, fineness, crude fibre and vitamin E/selenium; reduce stress | Can occur in pigs of any age |
Further information
- Common salt in sow diets (relates to discharging sow syndrome)
- Infopest - a national database of registered agricultural and veterinary chemicals - includes trade names, active ingredients, registered uses, labels.
Author: Kit Parke
Page maintained by Alison Spencer
Last reviewed 04 August 2005
