How to prevent and treat swine influenza? A comprehensive guide to integrated prevention and control techniques

Swine influenza is an acute, highly contagious infectious disease caused by the synergistic action of swine influenza A virus and Haemophilus suis. It occurs in pigs of different ages, sexes and breeds. Once the disease breaks out, it rapidly spreads throughout the whole herd. Symptoms include high fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. Most affected pigs show a benign course, but death can occur when complications are present.

I. Causes: Abrupt climate changes with sudden cold and heat mean the protective qi cannot defend the exterior; pathogenic wind-cold and wind-heat invade the skin and muscles, then pass to the lungs, causing this disease.

Affected pigs suddenly develop fever, with body temperature rising to 40.3-41.5°C, sometimes as high as 42°C; appetite is reduced or completely lost; muscles and joints ache, and the pigs are unwilling to stand; breathing is rapid, with abdominal breathing and spasmodic coughing; feces are dry and hard; the skin all over the body turns red, and there is mucus discharge from the eyes and nose.

II. Prevention: The main measures are to strengthen the feeding and management of pigs and avoid colds caused by exposure to cold. In late autumn and early winter, the pens must be kept warm. Regular deworming for lungworms and roundworms is of great benefit in preventing this disease.

In addition, piglets are vaccinated after weaning with inactivated swine influenza virus H1N1 or H3N2 vaccine, and sows are vaccinated before mating, after mating, or 4 weeks before farrowing.

III. Treatment: After the disease occurs, treatment is mainly symptomatic. Based on a summary of nearly 20 years of treatment experience, the condition can generally be cured in 1-2 days.

(1) For pigs with persistent high fever and reduced or completely lost appetite, use per affected pig, according to body weight, 5-15 ml of Chaihu injection, 3-10 ml of 30% analgin, 5-15 ml of virazole, and 2-6 mg of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, mix them and give a single intramuscular injection, 1-2 times daily, with marked effect.

(2) Hydro-acupuncture therapy: Mix 10-15 ml of egg white, 5-10 ml of compound aminopyrine, and 400,000-800,000 units of penicillin, then inject together into the Dazhui acupoint. Once daily for 2-3 consecutive days.

(3) Blood-letting acupuncture treatment: At acupoints such as the ear tip, tail tip, Yongquan and Dishui, use a wide needle or three-edged needle to let 3-10 ml of blood.

(4) Traditional Chinese medicine therapy: 10 g of chrysanthemum flower, 12 g each of perilla and mint, 15 g each of dried tangerine peel, Chaihu, tuckahoe and forsythia, 25 g of fresh bamboo leaves, and 8 g of licorice, decoct in water and administer by drenching, 1 dose daily.

Choose any 1-2 of the above methods and use them in combination for very good results.