How to prevent and treat gastric ulcers in pigs? Practical techniques for large-scale pig farms
Prevention and treatment techniques for common gastric ulcers in pigs in large-scale pig farms
Etiology The cause of this disease is currently not yet conclusively determined. Primary gastric ulcers may be related to factors such as feed quality, feeding management, and environmental hygiene. Secondary gastric ulcers can be seen in catarrhal ulcers caused by acute and chronic gastric catarrh, and inflammatory ulcers caused by gastrointestinal inflammation. Cases of gastric ulcers in pigs caused by fungal infection are relatively numerous, especially with high susceptibility in piglets, and they are also often secondary to haemonchosis, mucosal disease, foot-and-mouth disease, vesicular disease, pox disease, Ascarops strongylina infection, and other infectious diseases andparasitic diseases。
Clinical symptoms This disease usually has no obvious clinical symptoms and is not easily detected before death; apart from acute death, it is generally discovered at slaughter. It can occur in pigs of any age, but is more common in growing-finishing pigs. Some affected pigs show indigestion, and sometimes present with depression, anorexia, weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, and even visibly pale mucous membranes, anemia, and black pasty feces. Some healthy pigs may die suddenly after exercise or excitement due to internal bleeding; the carcass is extremely pale, and necropsy reveals extensive gastric hemorrhage. In most cases, lesions of gastrointestinal erosion and ulceration are only seen at postmortem examination or slaughter.
Diagnosis Antemortem diagnosis of this disease is difficult. A diagnosis can be made based on black feces, a pale carcass indicating hemorrhagic anemia, acute death, and necropsy findings of gastric mucosal hemorrhage, erosion, necrosis, and ulceration.
Prevention and treatment
TreatmentTo eliminate allergic reactions, antihistamine drugs such as diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, and cimetidine can be used; to clear the gastrointestinal tract and prevent putrefaction and fermentation, oily laxatives and weak disinfectants can be used; to stimulate appetite and aid digestion, artificial salt and yeast tablets can be used; to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa, protective and astringent agents can be used, such as synthetic aluminum silicate, bismuth subnitrate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium silicate; for sedation and pain relief, ammonium bromide and 2.5% chlorpromazine hydrochloride can be used; to prevent ulcer bleeding, tannic acid, vitamin K, calcium chloride, and 1% Congo red can be used, with blood transfusion if necessary; antibiotics or sulfonamides should be used appropriately to prevent infection.
Prevention It is necessary to reduce the feeding of irritating, putrid, and hard-to-digest feed, and supply easily digestible feed; feed should not be ground too fine; feed should be stored in a dry place and not allowed to become moldy; copper should not be added excessively to the feed; and selenium and vitamin E levels should be adequate. A good environment should be created to reduce the presence of stressors.