Cardiovascular diseases of pigs

Question 1

At which position can we listen to the hearbeat in a pig?

Answer 1

Between the 2rd and 5th intercostal space.
Under the shoulder line, can’t be auscultated on the right side.

Question 2

If the pig has cardiac dullness, where can we find it?

Answer 2

Between 2-3rd intercostal space. Can only be heard in thin animals.

Question 3

Which arteries can we palpate

Answer 3

The peripheral arteries: Femoral or facial

Question 4

We have two main types of heart disease, what are they called?

Answer 4

Congenital and acquired

Question 5

What is a congenital heart disease?

Answer 5

A congenital disease could be due to abnormalities, such as tricuspid dysplasia, atrial septal defect or persistent/common atrioventricular channel

A congenital heart disease in swine has a poor prognosis.

Question 6

What are the clinical signs of congenital heart disease?

Answer 6

retarded growth, cyanosis, dyspnoea and typical heart murmur

Question 7

What is acquired heart disease?

Answer 7

Could be due to bacterial endocarditis, disease of the myocardium, disease of the pericardium and vascular diseases.

Question 8

What is bacterial endocarditis?

Answer 8

The most important cause to a heart disease.

The endocardium doubles the endothelial layer in the heart, so the valves applicate the epithelial layer. Every bacterium causing sepsis or bacteraemia can stop of the edge of the tricuspid valve or the mitral valve, because bacteria like to hide away on the spaces where it’s hard to catch. Microscopely they can form a thrombus, and inside the thrombus they can accumulate.

Question 9

What is the clinical sign of bacterial endocarditis?

Answer 9

Consistent weight loss, fever, high grade holosystolic cardiac murmur.

Question 10

What is diease of myocardium?

Answer 10

Also very important. The myocardium can be infected due to infectious agents, such as parvovirus, foot-and-mouth disease and the PRSS virus.

Most importantly is the vitamin E/selenium deficiency, the elementary myocardial disorders comes from the nutrition.

Question 11

Which disease can nutrient deficiency cause?

Answer 11

Mulberry heart disease.

Question 12

What is the mulberry heart disease?

Answer 12

It is caused by lack of antioxidants, vitamin E and selenium. As prevention we give vitamin E

Question 13

Exam question!
Is Vitamin given by injection or per os, to have the best outcome?

Answer 13

It is more effective, and more cheaper, to give it through the feed.

Question 14

Which age of the pig is most susceptible to the mulberry heart disease?

Answer 14

Young, rapidly growing animals.

Question 15

What are the clinical signs of mulberry heart disease?

Answer 15

Sudden death

Question 16

What is disease of the pericardium?

Answer 16

There will be a bacterial problem to the pericardium, fluid effusion in/under the pericardium. In every animal, fluid in the pericardium needs to be taken a sample from and analyse the fluid regarding to its origin. We need to differentiate between transudate and exudate, the exudate is an inflammatory process (probably a bacteria).

Question 17

Name a disease that is a disease of the pericardium

Answer 17

Glasser’s disease

Question 18

What is the glasser’s disease?

Answer 18

An infection due to the haemophilus parasuis infection in the central nervous sytem and other places where there are fibrin exudates. The disease affects several body organs.

There is a vaccination for this disease

Question 19

What is a vascular disease?

Answer 19

Infection of the blood vessels

Question 20

What are the clinical symptoms of a vascular disease?

Answer 20

Haemorrhage or oedema

Question 21

Name examples of vascular disease

Answer 21

African swine fever
classical swine fever
Ovine herpesvirus 2
porcine circovirus 2
PRRSV

Question 22

What is PRRSV?

Answer 22

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome