Analysis of Common Medication Misconceptions in Clinical Treatment at Pig Farms

Dexamethasone sodium phosphate. This drug is used to treat inflammatory and allergic diseases, with a daily dosage of 4 mg to 12 mg for pigs, and was previously commonly used for synchronized farrowing in female livestock. In recent years, the abuse and excessive use of dexamethasone by farmers has been relatively common. For example, at a certain pig farm, due to elevated body temperature in suckling and weaned piglets, each piglet was injected with 10 mg to 20 mg, and even continuous medication was administered. This not only failed to solve the fundamental problem of the disease, but also affected the survival rate and growth development of the piglets.

Oxytocin injection. It is mainly used for assisting delivery and inducing labor in sows. At present, farmers mainly use this drug before farrowing (after the water breaks), during farrowing (after 2 piglets are born) and after farrowing, using it for every litter. This has led to the progression from pre-farrowing delivery assistance to prolonged labor and dystocia. Large doses of oxytocin also promote premature lactation, which is out of step with the needs of suckling piglets, and can even cause lactation inhibition or agalactia syndrome. Therefore, attention should be paid to avoiding the use of labor-inducing drugs when the sow has abnormal fetal position or a narrow birth canal. It is recommended to use oxytocin for sows at or above the 3rd parity, and to use this drug after farrowing to promote the expulsion of the placenta.

Penicillin powder for injection. There are two products on the market, penicillin potassium and penicillin sodium, which need to be diluted with sterile water for injection. Some farmers prefer to dilute with traditional Chinese medicine (Chinese herbal medicine) injection types, such as Maxing Shigan injection. When the temperature is relatively low, flocculent substances are prone to appear, making it unusable for injection; some dilute with lincomycin injection, producing turbidity, flocculent substances or precipitation, seriously affecting the efficacy; some dilute with sulfonamide drugs, because sulfonamide injection is strongly alkaline, and mixing it with this product for injection can destroy the antibacterial properties of penicillin. Some farmers use aminopyrine, analgin, etc. to dilute this product for a long time, which can cause granulocytopenia in sows and affect the immune effect.

Lincomycin injection. It is clinically used to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections in livestock and poultry, especially infections caused by penicillin-resistant bacteria that are sensitive to this product. It can also be used to prevent and treat swine dysentery caused by Brachyspira and mycoplasma-induced enzootic pneumonia in pigs. Some farmers give this injection orally to piglets, some inject it into suckling piglets, and even inject it into pregnant sows, causing adverse consequences. Oral administration of lincomycin can cause fatal diarrhea and intestinal wall edema in horses, rabbits and other herbivorous animals. Injecting this product into pigs also causes painful stimulation.

Tilmicosin injection. At present, many veterinary drug manufacturers produce this product, with two dosage forms of 20% and 30% content, most of which are compound drugs. It is mainly used to prevent and treat pneumonia in livestock (caused by infections with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella, mycoplasma, etc.), mycoplasma disease in poultry, and mastitis in lactating animals. Some farmers use this product to treat sick animals and cause death, some inject this product together with aminophylline, and some use this product plus dexamethasone to treat piglet asthma (pleural effusion) and cause death. Tilmicosin injection mainly acts on the cardiovascular system and can cause tachycardia and weakened contractility. Intramuscular and subcutaneous injection can produce local reactions (edema, etc.), and attention should be paid to the method of use.

Chloramphenicol class. Chloramphenicol has been banned in animal clinical practice. Currently on the market there are thiamphenicol premix, florfenicol premix and florfenicol injection (available in three specifications of 10%, 20% and 30%). Some farmers add high-concentration florfenicol premix to piglet feed. Some intramuscularly inject this injection as soon as pigs have elevated body temperature and respiratory symptoms. Although florfenicol does not suppress bone marrow, it has embryotoxicity, is contraindicated in pregnant sows, and has a certain immunosuppressive effect. According to relevant reports, the drug concentration of florfenicol injection is highest in the uterus, followed by the lungs and intestinal tract, so attention should be paid to compatible application.