What causes vomiting in pigs and how is it treated?

In production, the symptom of pigs vomiting can often be seen. Sometimes we may think it is just some ordinary gastrointestinal disease, but we must be careful, because it may be caused by certain infectious diseases. Below is a summary of the diseases that can cause vomiting in pigs.

1. Transmissible gastroenteritis of pigs

Transmissible gastroenteritis of pigs is a highly contagious viral infectious disease characterized by causing vomiting, severe diarrhea and high mortality in piglets under 2 weeks of age. Although pigs of different ages are all susceptible to this virus, the mortality rate of pigs over 5 weeks of age is very low. The clinical symptoms of growing pigs and finishing pigs are mild, showing only a few days of anorexia or diarrhea. Under normal circumstances, they can survive it in 7 days. Replacement gilts, base sows and boars show diarrhea or anorexia but can survive it. If there is a history of the disease, they may show no symptoms at all because of resistance. At present, commercial vaccines are not highly effective. The disease is characterized by high mortality in newborn piglets, and there is no practical and effective treatment method. It is prone to occur in winter and early spring, especially during the transitions of autumn to winter and winter to spring, when the weather changes suddenly. The typical symptoms of piglets are brief vomiting and yellow watery diarrhea. The excrement often contains curd lumps and has a foul odor. The morbidity and mortality rates of piglets under 2 weeks of age are high; growing pigs show anorexia and diarrhea for several days, accompanied by vomiting. They can survive it without medication; sows show a slight increase in body temperature, agalactia, vomiting, anorexia and diarrhea, and most sows have mild symptoms without diarrhea; replacement boars and gilts show symptoms similar to those of growing pigs. The incubation period of the disease is short, and most pigs become infected and develop the disease within 18 to 72 hours. This feature can serve as a basis for clinical diagnosis.

Do not introduce breeding pigs carrying the disease, and do a good job of disinfection. In winter, do a good job of cold protection and warmth preservation. During seasonal transitions and sudden climate changes, pay special attention to strictly preventing the intrusion of drafty wind. From October to March of the following year, do a good job of vaccine injection. The transmissible gastroenteritis vaccine produced by the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute can be used, and it must be used according to the instructions. It is best to start preventing the occurrence of this disease from the sow, and implement an all-in, all-out system in management.

2. Porcine epidemic diarrhea

Porcine epidemic diarrhea is an infectious disease caused by a virus and characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. The disease mainly occurs in spring and winter, and also occurs from time to time in summer and autumn. Pigs of all sizes are susceptible, and it occurs as an endemic. Sick pigs are listless and anorexic, and generally do not have a high body temperature. The symptoms of piglets and feeder pigs are more obvious: vomiting appears first, followed by severe diarrhea. The feces are as thin as water, grayish yellow or gray, and contain small bubbles. Sick pigs are obviously dehydrated and lose weight quickly. Some can lose 25% of their weight within 24 hours, and generally die in 5 to 6 days. Piglets within 5 days of age or piglets that have just been weaned die even faster, while pigs over 60 kg can often recover on their own. Necropsy reveals obvious catarrhal inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, yellow or grayish green feces in the small intestine, loose and thinned intestinal walls, and swollen mesenteric lymph nodes. The stomachs of suckling piglets are full of incompletely digested milk curds, and the mucosa of the greater curvature sheds and has ulcers. Because the disease is caused by a virus, drug treatment is not ideal, so only symptomatic treatment, prevention of bacterial infection and improvement of piglet resistance can be used.

3. Pseudorabies in pigs

Pseudorabies in pigs is an acute infectious disease of pigs caused by pseudorabies virus. In adult pigs, the disease often appears as a latent infection or has catarrhal symptoms of the upper respiratory tract, while pregnant sows develop reproductive disorders, manifested as abortion, stillbirth or mummified fetuses, and weak piglets. Suckling piglets develop fever, encephalomyelitis and septicemia symptoms, and finally die. Suckling piglets and weaned piglets have the most severe symptoms, often with elevated body temperature, difficulty breathing, salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and typical neurological symptoms. The mortality rate is very high, reaching up to 100%. Growing pigs commonly have constipation, and the general symptoms and neurological symptoms are milder than those in young pigs, with a lower fatality rate, and the course of disease is generally 4-8 days. Adult pigs often have latent infection, and the more common symptoms are slight fever, sneezing or coughing, with neurological symptoms rarely seen. Pregnant sows mainly show reproductive disorders. When sows are infected more than 40 days after conception, abortion, stillbirth or mummified fetuses, and delayed delivery may be seen. Before and after abortion or stillbirth, most sows have no obvious clinical symptoms.

4. Rotavirus infection

Porcine rotavirus is an acute intestinal infectious disease caused by rotavirus infection that triggers an outbreak of digestive tract dysfunction in piglets. Clinically, it is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and acid-base balance disturbance. This disease mostly occurs in the cold late autumn, winter and early spring seasons, and the mode of transmission is mostly outbreak or sporadic. Pigs of all ages can be infected with this disease, but piglets within 8 weeks of age are more commonly affected, and the infection rate can reach 90-100%. The digestive tract is the main route of transmission. Feces excreted by sick pigs contaminate feed, drinking water and various utensils, and can become a transmission factor for this disease. Sick pigs often vomit and rapidly develop diarrhea, which is watery or pasty. The color of the feces includes yellowish white, gray or dark black. Dehydration often occurs 2-3 days after severe diarrhea. There is no specific treatment for this disease, so symptomatic therapy can be used to prevent dehydration and stop diarrhea and secondary infection.

5. Strongyloides

Porcine strongyloidiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Strongyloides ransomi parasitizing the small intestine of pigs. This disease is most harmful to piglets, especially 3-4 week old piglets. It mainly occurs in warm and rainy seasons and is one of the causes of diarrhea in piglets. Sick pigs vomit, develop enteritis and diarrhea, and then become emaciated. If larvae infect through the skin, they often cause eczema; when they enter the lungs, they cause bronchitis and pneumonia, with elevated body temperature; if they migrate to the myocardium, brain and spinal cord, acute death can occur, and in severe cases they die from extreme weakness.

6. Gastric ulcer

Occurrence and prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer in pigs. Gastric ulcer in pigs mainly refers to keratinization, erosion and necrosis of the mucosa at the gastroduodenal junction, or autodigestion, forming round ulcer surfaces, and even gastric perforation. Symptoms include anorexia, abdominal discomfort, abnormal intestinal movement leading to constipation or diarrhea, and in some cases gastric bleeding and melena. In the early stage of this disease, the stomach shows slight bleeding, with only indigestion, which people often do not easily notice. After gastric perforation, when acute diffuse peritonitis occurs, death can be rapid. It often occurs sporadically, causing individual pig deaths within a group. This disease can occur at any age, but is more common in rapidly growing pigs over 50 kg and sows housed in individual gestation stalls. It occurs in all four seasons, but is more common in the hot summer and autumn seasons. Chronically affected pigs show reduced appetite or no eating. The body surface and visible mucous membranes of sick pigs are obviously pale, and they sometimes vomit blood or vomit with blood. They arch their backs or lie prone, and like to lie down because of weakness, with progressive emaciation. At first there is constipation, which later changes to tarry feces, and the occult blood test is positive. The condition sometimes worsens and sometimes eases, causing digestive disorders and abdominal pain. A small number of cases have symptoms of chronic peritonitis. The course of disease is 7-30 days. During acute onset, due to massive hemorrhage at the ulcer site, sick pigs can die suddenly; some sick pigs also suddenly vomit blood, pass tarry bloody feces, have decreased body temperature, rapid breathing, abdominal pain and restlessness, pale body surface and mucous membranes, and physical weakness after intense exercise, biting each other, or around farrowing, and eventually die from collapse. When sick pigs develop peritonitis due to gastric perforation, they generally die within 1-2 days after symptoms appear. The treatment principles are to eliminate triggering factors, neutralize gastric acid, and protect the gastric mucosa. For sick pigs with mild symptoms, keep them quiet and reduce stress responses.

For the specific disease causes, it is recommended that you contact the local animal husbandry and epidemic prevention station for on-site inspection, so as to make an accurate judgment and carry out early prevention and treatment, and avoid major losses caused by misdiagnosis.