Case Analysis of Diagnosis and Treatment of Swine Lungworm Disease
Swine lungworm disease is an endemic form of swine metastrongylosis caused by Metastrongylus. The disease mainly affects piglets weighing 30-50 kg. It causes pneumonia and bronchitis in pigs, severely affecting their growth and development and even leading to death.
1. Incidence situation
The vast majority of farmers in the Enshi region of Hubei raise pigs mainly through free-range methods, feeding them mostly feed, wild forage and farm vegetables, and most green feed is simply rinsed with water or not washed at all, so pigs are highly susceptible to parasitic infection.
On May 20, 2008, 2 pigs weighing about 30 kg raised by a household surnamed Xiang in Yingshang Village, Tunbu Township, Enshi City became ill, initially showing reduced feed intake, accompanied by coughing, vomiting, and dry hair, and were much thinner than others in the same group; on the 21st they stopped eating, the coughing worsened with a small amount of secretion flowing from the nostrils, and they were restless. Later, through disinfection of the pen and deworming treatment, and improvement of feeding methods (all green feed was washed clean with water), the symptoms were quickly brought under control. They began eating on the 23rd, and basically returned to normal on the 26th.
2. Clinical symptoms
This case was not a severe infection. The pigs were emaciated, stunted, with dry, lusterless hair, showed severe coughing and continuous squealing during morning and evening exercise or when the nighttime temperature was lower; a small amount of secretion flowed from the nostrils, with mild vomiting, constipation, and slight swelling of the eyelids.
3. Laboratory examination
Fecal examination for eggs was performed using the sedimentation method. Swine lungworm eggs are brownish-yellow, oval-shaped, measuring 57-59 micrometres x 43-49 micrometres, with a thick shell and a rough, uneven surface, and contain a coiled larva inside. White thread-like worms could be isolated from the viscous secretion flowing from the nostrils.
4. Diagnosis
Based on epidemiology, clinical symptoms and laboratory examination, the case was confirmed as swine lungworm disease.
5. Prevention and treatment
(1) For the infected sick pigs, levamisole was injected intramuscularly at 10 mL per head on one side of the neck, and on the other side was injected intramuscularly 10 mL of a special mixed-infection formula [Baicaosu injection (containing dried tangerine peel, licorice, hawthorn, malt, Atractylodes rhizome, mung bean, magnolia bark, Acanthopanax senticosus, gentian root, etc.), Chongqing Zhengtong Veterinary Medicine], plus 10 mL of Houttuynia cordata combined with one bottle of premium Xilin (containing 4 million U of benzylpenicillin, produced by Ruike Company of Beile Group), used continuously for 3 days. At the same time, as the pigs gradually resumed eating, 10 g of ivermectin was mixed into the feed at each meal, fed once every other day.
(2) Spray the pens and walls with quicklime water or 30% plant ash, rinse with clean water after about 1 h, once a day.
(3) Remove feces promptly, and also scatter some quicklime into the manure pit.
6. Discussion
(1) Swine lungworm disease is mostly caused by pigs eating @#@254@#@ containing eggs or swallowing soil contaminated with larvae. This is because the fields of wild forage and farm vegetables contain many earthworms serving as intermediate hosts of this worm. The worm develops twice inside the earthworm into infective larvae, and after being swallowed by the pig, invades the intestinal wall. It burrows into the mesenteric lymph nodes to develop, and after two moults, travels through the lymphatic system to the heart and lungs, maturing in the lung parenchyma and small bronchi, thereby causing the disease.
(2) Since the affected sites of this disease are the vital heart and lungs of the animal, early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment are necessary to achieve good results.
(3) The cause of this disease is related to the external environmental hygiene. While treating the sick pigs, attention must also be paid to cleaning and disinfection of the pens, so as to better prevent the occurrence of this disease.