Pigs Always Getting Sick for No Reason? It Could Be These Poisons
Are your pigs always getting sick for no apparent reason? Could it be that they have been poisoned by one of the following?
I. Mycotoxin Poisoning
Symptoms: reduced feed intake, lower feed conversion efficiency, diarrhea, disrupted reproductive cycles and abortion in sows, false estrus, pseudopregnancy, vulvovaginitis, prolapse and swollen teats, crusted necrosis of the teats, and agalactia in sows.
Lesions: anemia, jaundice, hemorrhagic diarrhea, yellowing and fibrosis of the liver, even hardening, gastric ulcers, pulmonary edema, etc.
Mycotoxins can contaminate feed ingredients, transport vehicles, feeding equipment, etc., and the symptoms after poisoning are unclear; poisoned pigs show only very mild abnormal behavior, making diagnosis very difficult. Large silos and feed lines require particular attention, as the risk of mycotoxin contamination is very high. Warm, humid environments cause molds to produce toxins, and if silos and feed lines are not cleaned regularly, toxins easily accumulate in these places. A lack of protein, selenium and vitamins in the diet are predisposing factors for mycotoxin poisoning, and moldy feed is the root cause of this type of poisoning.
In recent years, ergot toxin has been particularly prominent. If ergot is found in crops at harvest, it can enter feed and bedding. Some large feed companies check for it during procurement and storage, and some growers check for it at harvest. If pigs consume this ergot, dry gangrene may appear at the extremities of the body such as the ears, tail and hooves, along with crusting of the skin.
Zearalenone poisoning is also a relatively common type of mycotoxin poisoning. Its structure is similar to that of estrogen, making it very difficult to distinguish in pregnant sows. Swelling of the vulva, splayed legs and poor muscle development in newborn piglets are obvious signs of zearalenone poisoning. In sows, zearalenone can cause uterine and rectal prolapse after farrowing. Zearalenone poisoning is also the main cause of rectal prolapse in growing pigs.
A large dose of vomitoxin can cause pigs to become ill (vomit) within 10 minutes of eating, while a small dose reduces their appetite. When pigs show anorexia, it is very likely a mycotoxin infection.
Measures: Choosing high-quality feed ingredients, or changing the feed, is the only effective measure; as a preventive measure, high-quality mold inhibitors (or mycotoxin binders) can be used.
II. Feed Additive or Drug Poisoning
Poisoning by phenylarsonic acid compounds (arsenic preparations such as arsanilic acid)
Symptoms: ataxia followed by hindquarter paralysis, quadriplegia, with no obvious anatomical lesions.
Measures: Remove the arsenic preparations from the feed and drinking water as quickly as possible.
Sulfonamide Poisoning
Symptoms: kidney disease and uremia;
Cause: excessive content in the feed, too large a dosage, or insufficient drinking water can cause poisoning.
Measures: Stop feeding the medicated feed, or simultaneously add baking soda and increase the water supply.
Poisoning by Routine Drugs or Vaccines
Cause: Drugs themselves undergo very strict testing before approval and have a high safety level. What often causes animal poisoning is the inappropriate use of drugs and vaccines, such as overdose or improper storage.
Measures: Follow veterinary advice, pay attention to the rational use of drugs and vaccines, and stagger the timing of drug action.
III. Salt Poisoning
Symptoms: In the early stage, affected pigs have poor appetite, listlessness, flushed mucous membranes, increased thirst, constipation or diarrhea, followed by vomiting, excessive salivation, foaming at the mouth, spasms of the limbs, muscle tremors, difficulty breathing, pacing back and forth or charging, impaired hearing and vision, and no response to stimuli; severely affected pigs have paroxysmal spasms, hold the head and neck high in a sitting-dog posture, and show obvious neurological symptoms in the head. In the later stage, pigs show rigid opisthotonus, lie on one side, and twitch with limbs in a swimming motion, dying within 1 to 2 days. Chronic salt poisoning often occurs suddenly after water restriction is lifted and the pigs drink excessively, with symptoms such as constipation, thirst and itchy skin.
Cause: Salt poisoning or dehydration is caused by pigs not drinking enough water, which may be due to an insufficient water supply or too high a salt content in the feed. Liquid feeding requires particular attention, because some ingredients may contain relatively high levels of salt without this being known. In addition, without a separate water line, and if high temperatures occur, meningitis-like symptoms may very likely be triggered, because the central nervous system is affected. In cases of salt poisoning, rehydration must be carried out slowly; if rehydration is too rapid, it may cause more severe symptoms, or even death.
Measures: Feed poisoned pigs a thin, gruel-like feed or give small amounts of water several times. Intravenously inject 60 to 100 milliliters of 10% calcium gluconate, or administer 50 to 100 milliliters of 1% copper sulfate orally to induce vomiting, then give 150 to 200 grams of white sugar.
IV. Toxic Gas Poisoning
Ammonia
Symptoms: excessive tearing, shallow breathing, runny nose.
Cause: manure in the pig house decomposing on solid flooring with poor ventilation.
Hydrogen Sulfide
Symptoms: local inflammation of the moist mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, and in severe cases pulmonary edema.
Cause: poor ventilation around liquid manure pits.
Carbon Monoxide
Symptoms: non-infectious abortion in sows or death of newborn piglets.
Cause: poor ventilation in farrowing rooms where stoves are lit.
Coal Tar
Symptoms: acute and chronic liver damage, accompanied by jaundice, ascites and anemia, and even leading to death.
Cause: Some coal tar extracts such as phenol and cresol are widely present in paints and disinfectants. If pigs accidentally ingest these items, they can damage the liver and even cause death.
Measures: While maintaining a suitable temperature in the pig house and carrying out disinfection and purification measures, increase ventilation.
V. Pesticide Poisoning
Cause: The pesticides most likely to cause pig poisoning include organophosphates, carbamates and chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides. The main reasons are insecticides being accidentally mixed into feed, scattered in the pig house, or applied in excess or licked off during spraying and pouring. ⟦43 Organophosphate and Carbamate Poisoning
Organophosphate and carbamate poisoning
Symptoms: salivation, defecation, vomiting, unsteady gait, and then difficulty breathing and muscle tremors. Lesions: no characteristic lesions, but a large amount of fluid in the respiratory tract and pulmonary edema are usually seen.
Measures: Intravenously inject atropine sulfate at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight; in severe cases, oral activated charcoal can be given as well. ⟦46 Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Insecticide Poisoning
Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide poisoning
Symptoms: excessive excitement and tonic-clonic convulsive seizures. Lesions: only mechanical damage is seen.
Measures: There is no specific antidote, but long-acting barbiturates can be used to sedate the pigs. (Supportive measures: if contact was through the skin, wash with warm soapy water; if ingested orally, gavage with a suspension of activated charcoal and water; avoid oil-based laxatives; in severe cases, intravenously inject glucose and give fluids.)
VI. Mineral Poisoning
Copper Poisoning
Symptoms: jaundice, anemia, hemoglobinuria and nephritis.
Cause: the normal requirement in the diet is 5 to 6 mg/kg, and the maximum tolerance is 250 mg/kg; overdose.
Iron Poisoning
Symptoms: reduced feed intake and weight gain, along with rickets; if poisoning is caused by injected iron dextran, it presents as cardiovascular-origin shock with death within a few hours, along with pigmentation at the injection site, liver and kidneys.
Cause: the normal requirement in the diet is 40 to 150 mg/kg; overdose.
Selenium Poisoning
Symptoms: anorexia, hair loss, cracking of the hoof wall from the coronary band, degeneration of liver and kidney tissue; sows may show prolonged gestation, stillbirths and weak piglets.
Cause: the normal requirement in the diet is 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg; overdose.
Measures: Adjust the mineral content in the diet or temporarily stop feeding that type of feed.
VII. Rodenticides
Anticoagulant Rodenticides
Symptoms: lameness, lethargy, deep tar-colored feces. Lesions: hematomas, joint swelling, intermuscular hemorrhage, anemia, melena.
Measures: Inject vitamin K.
Strychnine
Symptoms: severe tonic convulsions, sensitivity to external stimuli, death possible within 1 hour. Lesions: no obvious lesions; the strychnine content of the stomach contents can be tested.
Measures: Long-acting barbiturate salts and other muscle relaxants to control convulsions.
Once poisoning occurs, promptly stopping the pigs from ingesting or coming into contact with the toxic substance is the first measure; symptomatictreatmentcan reduce losses, but standardized breeding management and preventing pigs from coming into contact with substances that may cause poisoning are the best and most effective methods.