Pig Lameness Flashcards

Question

What is the treatment for osteochondrosis dessicans?

Answer 1

There is no specific treatment for OCD, however, at an early stage the sow should be moved from its existing environment to a well-bedded pen where the foot can grip. If not, the lesions progress and ultimately arthritis and permanent lameness develop. Gilts that are confined in stalls or tethers, or group housed on floors that are wet and slippery should be moved as soon as clinical signs appear

Answer 2

Puncture or trauma to lower leg

Answer 3

* Open wounds not uncommon * In the early stages, there will be little other signs than a reluctance of the sow to put weight on the foot. She will act as if she is touching something hot. Over a few days, swelling may appear above the horn and the foot will be noticeably hot and painful. Unless action is taken, the developing abscess will infiltrate all tissues of the foot, including the joint cavity,tendons and bone, setting up a septic arthritis or osteomylitis and tendonitis. Ultimately, the pressure above the hoof will be so great that the skin will die off (necrosis) and the abscess will burst with pus and blood leaking out. The animal is likely to be 100% lame, be off food and reluctant to rise. Swelling of connective tissue may extend above the foot as far as the hock or elbow

Answer 4

* Treat with antibiotics * Vigorous Tx, failure to respond quickly = RIP * Move piggy to compromised pig pen with straw and inject with lincomyacin or another suitable AB

Answer 5

* Long toes/ claws * Overgrowth of claws which may make rising difficult and will alter the gait of the pig which can put additional strain on joints. * Cracks and defects in the claw allowing faecal contamination resulting in sepsis and ultimately bush foot.

Answer 6

* Regular inspection * Small grinder to trim feet

Answer 7

* Wet dirty pens. * Wet feeding systems, particularly if milk by-products are used, can become major sources for multiplication of the organism * Continually populated houses with no all-in and all-out procedures and disinfection. * Water systems that have become contaminated with the organism. * Virus infections. * Feed back of faeces. * The movement of pigs involving mixing and stress. * Sudden changes in temperature and warm summer weather. * Sudden changes in diet. * Common in straw based systems. * Feeding milk waste products.

Answer 8

* Piglets * Rarely in sucking pigs. * Sows * Per-acute or acute disease * * The onset is sudden. * Often the only sign being death. * Death - generalised infection. * High temperatures 40?C (108?F) - Fever. * Obviously ill, although others can appear normal. * May cause abortion. * Mummified piglets. * Stillbirths. * Restricted blood supply causes small raised areas called diamonds in the skin. These are clearly defined become red and finally black, due to dead tissue but no abscesses. Most heal in 7 - 10 days. * Often these lumps can be palpated in the early stages before anything can be seen. * Stiffness or reluctance to rise indicating joint infection - arthritis. * Sudden death is not uncommon due to an acute septicaemia or heart failure. * Sub-acute disease * Inappetence. * Infertility. * Characteristic skin lesions and ulceration. * The temperature ranges from 39-40?C (102-104?F) - Fever. * The disease can be so mild as to be undetected. * Some piglets may die in the womb following sub-acute disease and become mummified. * Abortion with ill sows and dead piglets. * Chronic disease * This may or may not follow acute, or sub-acute disease. * The organism either: * - Affects the joints producing lameness or * - The heart valves producing growths. * Boars * Boars infected with erysipelas develop high temperatures and sperm can be affected for the complete development period of 5-6 weeks. Infertility is demonstrated by returns, sows not in pig and poor litter sizes. * Weaners & Growers * Acute infection: * * Sudden death. * Acutely ill pigs running high temperatures. * Characteristic skin lesions may also be evident as large 10 to 50mm raised diamond shaped areas over the body that may turn from red to black. They may be easier to feel than to see in the early stages and often resolve over 7 - 10 days. * Commonly the disease is less acute and mild. * Skin lesions may appear but the pigs may not appear to be ill in spite of a high temperature 42?C (107?F). * The organism may settle in the joints causing chronic arthritis and swellings which can be responsible for condemnations at slaughter. * Lameness.

Answer 9

Swine erysipelas is very susceptible to penicillin which is the medicine of choice. Affected sows should be treated with long-acting preparations unless disease is acute. Usually a single injection is adequate but in severe cases it is necessary to repeat this two to three days later. The normal dose rate would be 1ml/10kg body weight. In acute cases a quick acting penicillin injected twice in the first 24 hours should bring about a rapid response. Continue daily injections for 3-4 days. Where a large number of sows are involved water medication with amoxycillin or phenoxy-methyl penicillin should be carried out. The dose level will depend upon the purity of the antibiotic powder used. (See chapter 4 Water medication). In prolonged outbreaks in-feed medication using 200-300g/tonne of phenoxymethyl penicillin for two weeks should control disease.

Answer 10

* Vesicular diseases such as FMD * Leg fractures * Trauma * Femoral head fracture * Split hips

Answer 11

The causal agent is an enterovirus of the family Picornaviridae. It belongs to the species Human enterovirus B and is thought to have evolved from the human pathogen coxsackievirus B5, with which it shares a close antigenic and genetic relationship. There is only one serotype of SVD virus, although isolates may be differentiated by antigenic or genetic typing and may differ in virulence. SVD virus is transmitted by direct or indirect contact or by feeding infected pork or pork products. Infection is via the oral route or through skin abrasions and can give rise to viremia, fecal viral shedding, and generalized vesicles that rupture to release large amounts of virus.

Answer 12

The primary signs are fresh or healing vesicular lesions on the feet, especially the coronary band, and less often other areas such as the mouth, lips, teats, or snout. The lesions may be mild or inapparent, especially when pigs are kept on soft bedding. The lesions are similar to those of foot-and-mouth disease (see Foot-and-Mouth Disease), vesicular exanthema of swine (see Vesicular Exanthema of Swine), and vesicular stomatitis (see Vesicular Stomatitis); however, affected pigs usually do not lose condition, and the lesions heal rapidly. Nervous signs have been described but are rarely seen in the field. The OIE recommends that any outbreaks of vesicular disease in pigs should be assumed to be foot-and-mouth disease until proved otherwise by laboratory testing.

Answer 13

* No treatment or vaccine available * On-going vesicular disease surveillance program with tracing and humane slaughter of all test positives and contacts * Elimination of infected and contact pigs * Control of vehicles used for transporting pigs * Thorough disinfection of premises, transport vehicles, and equipment * Strict import requirements, movement controls and quarantines for animals and animal products * Either prohibition of garbage feeding or enforcement of thorough cooking of garbage used to feed animals * Prohibition of feeding with ship or aircraft garbage through collection and destruction at ports of entry

Answer 14

* Bone disease such as osteomalacia, osteoporosis or leg weakness (OCD). * Low levels of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D levels in the diet. * Trauma. * Fighting. * Fractures in piglets are usually caused by trauma from the sow

Answer 15

* The onset is always sudden and painful. * The pig is unable to rise on its own without difficulty. * Incoordination. * A significant feature is the reluctance to place any weight on the affected leg and lameness. * The pig is very reluctant to move unless on three legs. * The muscles and tissues over the fracture site are often swollen. * Crepitus or the rubbing together of the two broken ends of the bone can often be felt. * Fractures of the spinal vertebra are common particularly in the first litter gilt during lactation and after weaning. * The pig usually adopts a dog sitting position and exhibits severe pain on movement. * In chronic cases joints may be swollen and abscessed.

Answer 16

The affected pig should be slaughtered on the farm * Prevent in the future: * If fractures are a recurring problem it is necessary to check that there are no diseases such as osteomalacia, osteoporosis or leg weakness (OCD). * Check the calcium phosphorus and vitamin D levels. * Check management procedures during the period of effect.

Answer 17

Trauma associated with bullying, pushing through a narrow doorway or a mating injury

Answer 18

Sudden unilateral hindlimb lameness Collapse of gluteal (hip) muscles – mostly on one side

Answer 19

No effective treatment

Answer 20

* It is more common in the Landrace breed and in males. * The disease is caused by the immaturity of muscle fibers of the hindquarters, around the pelvis and occasionally the forelimbs. * This condition worsens when the pig is standing on very soft, wet and slippery floors.

Answer 21

The pig does the splits with the back legs Inability to rise (this is due to a tear in pelvic muscles)

Answer 22

* No treatment * Euthanasia * Review the flooring and environment

Pig Lameness Flashcards

(47 cards)