Mini Pig Diarrhea
What should I do if my mini pig has diarrhea?
It can occur at any time, from first obtaining a pig through the last day of life. It can become a chronic condition that persists for weeks. Diarrhea can be caused by nutrition, infectious diseases, internal parasites, obstruction, ingesting GI irritating substances or a combination of these.
Dietary Causes
The first thing that should be done is excluding an infectious cause for the diarrhea. This should be done by a veterinarian. Having said that, nutritional causes are relatively easy to detect and correct. Show pigs are typically fed high protein rations to develop maximum muscling. Overfeeding protein can, in itself, cause loose stools or diarrhea. If a pig is growing well but has a chronically loose stool, reduce the protein and/or increase fiber in the diet. If the stool does not firm up, there are probably other causes of diarrhea. The most common non-infectious cause of diarrhea is an imbalance of cereals, particularly a high wheat inclusion. New crop cereals, particularly barley, may also cause problems. The reason for these issues is the presence of non-starch polysaccharides. These are xylose and arabinose, which are NOPT digestible by pigs unless cooked. In the raw state they pass through the small intestine and absorb water. When they reach the large intestine, they are altered by bacteria and release the water. The pig is not able to absorb all of this and diarrhea occurs. The excessive use of soy meal to increase protein levels may cause colitis. There is evidence that rape meal in excess will also cause colitis. The proven level is over 5% of the diet. Such a high level is unlikely unless there is a real mistake at the feed mill or you have elected to feed an all-natural diet and you're not properly calculating the nutritional requirements. Click here to read more about appropriate nutrition for pigs.
Parasitic Causes
Whipworms are a major cause of diarrheal disease in pigs. Infection occurs after pigs ingest microscopic whipworm eggs while rooting or eating in a contaminated environment. Whipworm eggs remain viable for as long as six years so contaminated premises are an important source of infection. Whipworms cause inflammation of the cecum and spiral colon, resulting in loose stools or diarrhea between three to seven weeks after ingestion of eggs. Dark stools containing blood can occur. Untreated whipworm infection causes a chronic wasting disease that lasts for several weeks to months. Infected pigs have a loose or diarrheic stool, and "rail out" or become extremely emaciated. Death can occur or pigs can become chronic poor performers. Swine whipworms are not important as a human disease. Click here to read about parasite control, prevention and treatment.
Cryptosporidium spp protozoa rarely cause inapparent infection or mild diarrhea in swine. Cryptosporidiosis in humans primarily occurs after ingestion of water or food contaminated with human-type C. parvum. This is discussed in the Texas Agricultural Extension Service fact sheet L-5162, "Human Cryptosporidium and Cryptosporidiosis." You can read that article by clicking here.
Giardia spp protozoal infection in swine is rare, but it does cause disease in humans. Contaminated water is the main source of Giardia spp.
Piglet coccidiosis is caused by a protozoan parasite called isospora suis. Although emir debliecki has been known to cause clinical disease in piglets, it seems that the only important pathogenic species known to cause clinical disease in piglets is isospora suis. This disease is very hard to eradicate and is commonly found on pig farms. You can read more about this by clicking here.
Bacterial Causes
Swine dysentery or "bloody dysentery" from infection with Brachyspira (Serpulina) hyodysenteriae is a major cause of diarrheal disease in show pigs. Pigs can be exposed to the organism from the feces of recovered carrier pigs or from contaminated premises, trailers, or scales. Pigs affected with this disease usually become very sick. This organism infects the cells lining the cecum and spiral colon (the same area as whipworms) and prevents reabsorption of fluids. Affected pigs severely dehydrate and up to 30% can die. Most affected pigs will drink but will not eat. Pigs that recover are intermittent shedders of B. hyodysenteriae and are a source of infection for clean pigs. Swine dysentery bacteria are not known to cause disease in humans.
Salmonella typhimurium infection is another important cause of diarrheal disease in show pigs. They become infected by exposure to contaminated swine manure on premises, trailers, or scales. Chronic diarrhea persists until effective treatment is administered. Death can occur in untreated animals.
Salmonella choleraesuis infection also is very important in swine. It causes only a transient or short-term diarrhea followed by systemic or blood stream infection. Affected pigs are very sick and can die or become chronic poor performers if not promptly diagnosed and treated. Both S. typhimurium and S. choleraesuis are called host-adapted salmonella because they cause sickness in swine. Fecal contamination from other livestock, wild animals (including rodents, reptiles, and amphibians), pets, and birds also can contain many species of salmonella. There are more than 2,200 known species that can cause infection in swine but not obvious disease (called nonhost-adapted salmonella). Swine that become infected with nonhost-adapted salmonella shed these bacteria in the feces primarily within the first two weeks after exposure. Regardless of the source of salmonella, if humans ingest a host-adapted or nonhost-adapted type from their own contaminated skin, clothing, equipment, or food, sickness can occur.
Ileitis is an important postweaning disease of swine, especially in commercial operations. This disease causes a range of problems from sudden death to chronic diarrhea that reduces the rate of weight gain. Lawsonia intracellularis is the causative bacterium. Though it is rarely the cause of diarrheal disease in mini pigs, veterinarians consider this organism as a potential cause when making a differential diagnosis. L. intracellularis does not cause human disease.
Viral Causes
Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus causes vomiting and profuse watery diarrhea after exposure to contaminated swine manure. Fecal exposure to TGE virus can be directly from sick pigs with diarrhea or indirectly from contaminated footwear or bird migration from one swine farm to another. The seasonal peak for TGE infection of swine is winter, when bird migrations occur. The incubation period for TGE is only 18 to 36 hours. This means that pigs taken to prospect shows on a weekend can be affected with TGE disease signs by the following Monday. TGE causes extreme loss of condition in pigs ranging in weight from 25 to 280 pounds. Two weeks or more are necessary for full recovery. As many as 100% of unweaned pigs can die from the disease, but death rarely occurs in animals above 25 pounds or older than five weeks of age. Pigs that have recovered from TGE are carriers of the virus and can spread TGE to uninfected swine for many weeks. TGE does not cause human disease.
PEDv
PEDv is an extremely contagious agent spread by the fecal-oral route, causing severe diarrhea in swine and 100 per cent mortality in piglets less than 3 weeks of age. While numbers vary between different reports and because the situation is so dynamic, it has been estimated that between 3-7 million piglets have been lost from hog operations spanning 30 states since the first reports in the US about a year ago.
PEDv is a member of the Coronaviridae family of enveloped virus (genus Alphacoronavirus), approximately 90-190 nm in diameter, with malabsorptive diarrhea (affecting the ability of the small intestine to absorb water and nutrients) as the main presenting symptom within 1-3 days of infection. Damage and destruction of the microvilli of the small intestine is typically observed upon histological analysis. Suckling pigs present symptoms that include watery diarrhea, vomiting and wasting; almost 100 per cent of infected suckling piglets ultimately die of dehydration. Upon necropsy, the small intestine of infected piglets undergoes extreme thinning, and becomes gas-filled and translucent. Clinically, PEDv is indistinguishable from the symptoms of transmissible gastrointestinal epidemic virus (TGEV), another Alphacoronavirus.
Other Causes
Obstructions or partial obstructions can be due to fecal impaction or because your pig ingested a foreign object that is obstructing or partially obstructing preventing stool to pass through the GI tract and out of the body. A partial obstruction leaves some space for stool to pass, but not enough to ease the pressure of the intestines. Typically with a partial obstruction, the stool that does pass is a watery diarrhea type stool leading you to believe there isn't the possibility of an obstruction. Sometimes this worsens, but sometimes this may go undiagnosed for quite some time and the only symptom may be death.
Toxic substances that your pig may have ingested can also be the cause for diarrhea. (Click here to see our list of toxic substances) The body's natural reaction is to rid itself of any possible agents that are potentially harmful. Vomiting and diarrhea are 2 ways the body attempts to heal itself. There are OTC medications that can be given to help an upset belly, however, if your pig is having diarrhea, there is usually an underlying cause and that needs to be determined. Keeping tract of what was eaten beforehand as well as any activity that occurred prior to the diarrhea may be helpful in determining the cause. Click here to read about first aid supplies you should have on hand including over the counter medications that can be used for various issues.
Clinical Diagnosis
The stool of the normal pig should be firm and well-formed. When a normal pig is on free-choice feed and water, the stool tends to loosen to the consistency of a cow patty as feed consumption increases. Feed restriction reduces the amount of stool and tends to be constipating, particularly if water also is restricted.
When feces are totally liquid with no solid form, diarrhea is occurring. A pig with diarrhea caused by infectious agents and/or parasites usually has a reduced appetite or is anorexic, but is still drinking. Vomiting can occur at the start or during diarrheal disease. Weight loss accompanies diarrheal disease and is usually obvious if your pig is weighed frequently or you are monitoring weight gain. It is common for pigs to be affected with more than one diarrheal disease condition and have dramatic weight loss. If your pig is having diarrhea episodes, record the number of times your pig is going to the bathroom as well as any distinct characteristics such as a foul smell or particular colored feces.
As soon as the pig develops diarrhea, the cause or causes need to be determined. Loose stool or diarrhea caused by diet usually does not result in weight loss. Restricting feed intake, reducing the protein content of a feed by about 4% and/or substituting rolled or crimped oats or oatmeal as 25% to 50% of the ration usually cures dietary induced diarrhea.
Consult a veterinarian to diagnose infectious and/or parasite-caused diarrheal disease because death is often a result of undiagnosed, chronic diarrheal disease in pigs.
TGE is the least important of the diarrheal diseases because it is self-limiting and almost never causes death loss in older pigs. Electron microscopic examination of feces at a diagnostic laboratory is the most rapid way to diagnose TGE. For other diseases, a veterinarian typically does the following:
If Escherichia coli is isolated during fecal culture for salmonella, it is probably not important as a cause of diarrhea in show pigs weighing above 40 pounds. If sensitivity testing of the E. coli isolate demonstrates that most antibiotics tested in the laboratory will kill it, then the veterinarian has evidence that this E. coli is normal gut flora and not a pathogen.
During microscopic examination for whipworms, Coccidia oocysts (eggs) and/or Balantidium coli protozoan ciliates might be observed. Coccidiosis usually is considered to be a self-limiting and co-occurring infection that needs no treatment to improve. The B. coli are commensals, benefitting from their relationship with another infectious agent. Neither of these two organisms are the primary cause of diarrhea.
Postmortem Diagnosis
If a pig with signs of diarrheal disease dies, a necropsy can be performed by a veterinarian to determine the cause or causes. Rapid decomposition of organs and tissues, especially in hot weather, can make the animal unsuitable for testing. Place the deceased pig in a plastic bag and pack in generous amounts of ice in an insulated container to prolong preservation until veterinary examination. If the animal is well preserved, the veterinarian can either send the entire animal carcass to a diagnostic laboratory or perform a necropsy and submit tissues to a diagnostic lab for further tests to confirm a presumptive diagnosis. Other pigs on the same premises could benefit by early disease recognition and treatment if a diagnosis is confirmed on the deceased animal.
Treatment and Control
Veterinarians use no specific treatment for TGE but prescribe electrolytes to minimize dehydration and possibly antibiotics to control secondary bacterial infection.
If salmonella diarrhea is diagnosed via culture, a veterinarian will choose the antibiotic that is the most effective and has the shortest withdrawal time. Typically, salmonella that cause diarrhea in pigs are resistant to the majority of antibiotics; this is why laboratory culture and sensitivity testing are so important.
If pigs, treated for possible swine dysentery with lincomycin (Lincomix®*) or tiamulin (Denagard®*) plus electrolytes in the water, pass a firmer stool in several days, this indicates to the veterinarian that swine dysentery is at least one cause of diarrhea. Medicated water treatment is continued for five days after improvement with lincomycin or for a total of five days of therapy with tiamulin. At the end of the water treatment, recovering animals should be continuously fed medicated feed containing lincomycin (40 grams/ton, no withdrawal time) or tiamulin (35 grams/ton, two-day withdrawal time) to prevent swine dysentery from recurring.
Fenbendazole (Safe-Guard®*) given orally for three days is an excellent parasiticide for whipworm adults and most developing larval stages; deworming should be repeated in a month. Dichlorvos (Atgard®* C) is another commonly used dewormer for whipworms. Ivermectin (Ivomec®*) and doramectin (Dectomax®*) are excellent injectable dewormers and also kill lice and mange, but have variable effectiveness against whipworms. Click here to read our page about parasite control.
Prevention
Prevention of diarrheal diseases, and diseases in general, starts with preparation before producing, obtaining or purchasing one or more pigs. Pigs that are farrowed at one location, never exposed to other swine, and fed at that location until exhibition should be very healthy. When rescuing, it is best to isolate that pig from any others you may have until you are provided with a history and track record of excellent health. Consider these separate isolation pens as totally different locations and wash and disinfect boots, equipment, etc., before going from one pen to another. In fact, it could be practical to keep these pigs isolated for a substantial time if you are unsure or your vet feels as if this patient will pose a threat to any other pigs health.
The greater the exposure, the greater the likelihood of disease problems. Treating pigs with an antibiotic to compensate for poor health management is usually ineffective. Also, highly effective vaccines are not available for many diseases. As a general rule, it is much easier to prevent swine diseases using good management practices than to successfully treat or vaccinate against disease.
Diet-induced diarrheal disease can be prevented by not overfeeding protein and other ingredients such as fat. Gradually switch the pig from one type ration to another. Make sure the pig finds the water source because water intake is important for adequate feed consumption. A lack of water for a couple of days followed by overconsumption of water can be fatal; this condition is called salt toxicity or water deprivation. Click here to read more about salt toxicity/water deprivation. Pigs that are "held back" or limit fed to prevent excessive weight gain should always have access to plenty of water.
Whipworms can be prevented by routinely deworming healthy pigs with an effective product (Safe-Guard®* or Atgard®* C) at least once during the feeding period and by housing them on clean dirt, sand, or pasture or uncontaminated concrete floors. Routine deworming in show pigs is commonly performed during the first week after purchase at about 8 to 10 weeks of age or 50 pounds, and then about a month later. Another option is to take a fresh stool sample to a veterinarian for fecal flotation and microscopic examination for whipworm eggs. It takes a minimum of 42 days from the time a pig is infected until adults are present and eggs are passed in feces. This means fecal examination for whipworm eggs before six weeks of age is not necessary. Also, whipworm adults are intermittent egg layers so one negative fecal flotation does not completely rule out whipworm infection. Click here to read our page regarding parasite control and appropriate anti-parasite regimens for pigs.
Swine dysentery is preventable by obtaining pigs directly from a farm that is free of swine dysentery and minimizing exposure to other swine or feces-contaminated premises, trailers, and equipment such as scales. Absence of diarrhea containing blood and mucus, excellent growth performance, and no significant death loss in pigs from weaning through market weight are evidence of freedom from swine dysentery in a herd. In reality, the credibility of swine dysentery-free status is based on each breeder's reputation.
The best prevention for salmonellosis is to obtain the healthiest pigs possible and to manage pigs to reduce stress and maintain good sanitation practices.
TGE can be prevented by not exposing swine to sources of the virus. Vaccines are available that control the effects of disease; they do not prevent infection with TGE. The same is true for PEDv, no exposure to pigs who have this virus or are carriers of the virus will lessen the chances of it being spread to other pigs. There is no vaccination for PEDv, but it is being worked on. Proper sanitation and disposal can also help reduce the chances of viral infections to be spread from pig to pig. Isolate any pig showing signs of illness.
The take away message?
Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important because chronic, undiagnosed diarrhea frequently results in death. A veterinarian should be consulted to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this and other conditions.
Dietary Causes
The first thing that should be done is excluding an infectious cause for the diarrhea. This should be done by a veterinarian. Having said that, nutritional causes are relatively easy to detect and correct. Show pigs are typically fed high protein rations to develop maximum muscling. Overfeeding protein can, in itself, cause loose stools or diarrhea. If a pig is growing well but has a chronically loose stool, reduce the protein and/or increase fiber in the diet. If the stool does not firm up, there are probably other causes of diarrhea. The most common non-infectious cause of diarrhea is an imbalance of cereals, particularly a high wheat inclusion. New crop cereals, particularly barley, may also cause problems. The reason for these issues is the presence of non-starch polysaccharides. These are xylose and arabinose, which are NOPT digestible by pigs unless cooked. In the raw state they pass through the small intestine and absorb water. When they reach the large intestine, they are altered by bacteria and release the water. The pig is not able to absorb all of this and diarrhea occurs. The excessive use of soy meal to increase protein levels may cause colitis. There is evidence that rape meal in excess will also cause colitis. The proven level is over 5% of the diet. Such a high level is unlikely unless there is a real mistake at the feed mill or you have elected to feed an all-natural diet and you're not properly calculating the nutritional requirements. Click here to read more about appropriate nutrition for pigs.
Parasitic Causes
Whipworms are a major cause of diarrheal disease in pigs. Infection occurs after pigs ingest microscopic whipworm eggs while rooting or eating in a contaminated environment. Whipworm eggs remain viable for as long as six years so contaminated premises are an important source of infection. Whipworms cause inflammation of the cecum and spiral colon, resulting in loose stools or diarrhea between three to seven weeks after ingestion of eggs. Dark stools containing blood can occur. Untreated whipworm infection causes a chronic wasting disease that lasts for several weeks to months. Infected pigs have a loose or diarrheic stool, and "rail out" or become extremely emaciated. Death can occur or pigs can become chronic poor performers. Swine whipworms are not important as a human disease. Click here to read about parasite control, prevention and treatment.
Cryptosporidium spp protozoa rarely cause inapparent infection or mild diarrhea in swine. Cryptosporidiosis in humans primarily occurs after ingestion of water or food contaminated with human-type C. parvum. This is discussed in the Texas Agricultural Extension Service fact sheet L-5162, "Human Cryptosporidium and Cryptosporidiosis." You can read that article by clicking here.
Giardia spp protozoal infection in swine is rare, but it does cause disease in humans. Contaminated water is the main source of Giardia spp.
Piglet coccidiosis is caused by a protozoan parasite called isospora suis. Although emir debliecki has been known to cause clinical disease in piglets, it seems that the only important pathogenic species known to cause clinical disease in piglets is isospora suis. This disease is very hard to eradicate and is commonly found on pig farms. You can read more about this by clicking here.
Bacterial Causes
Swine dysentery or "bloody dysentery" from infection with Brachyspira (Serpulina) hyodysenteriae is a major cause of diarrheal disease in show pigs. Pigs can be exposed to the organism from the feces of recovered carrier pigs or from contaminated premises, trailers, or scales. Pigs affected with this disease usually become very sick. This organism infects the cells lining the cecum and spiral colon (the same area as whipworms) and prevents reabsorption of fluids. Affected pigs severely dehydrate and up to 30% can die. Most affected pigs will drink but will not eat. Pigs that recover are intermittent shedders of B. hyodysenteriae and are a source of infection for clean pigs. Swine dysentery bacteria are not known to cause disease in humans.
Salmonella typhimurium infection is another important cause of diarrheal disease in show pigs. They become infected by exposure to contaminated swine manure on premises, trailers, or scales. Chronic diarrhea persists until effective treatment is administered. Death can occur in untreated animals.
Salmonella choleraesuis infection also is very important in swine. It causes only a transient or short-term diarrhea followed by systemic or blood stream infection. Affected pigs are very sick and can die or become chronic poor performers if not promptly diagnosed and treated. Both S. typhimurium and S. choleraesuis are called host-adapted salmonella because they cause sickness in swine. Fecal contamination from other livestock, wild animals (including rodents, reptiles, and amphibians), pets, and birds also can contain many species of salmonella. There are more than 2,200 known species that can cause infection in swine but not obvious disease (called nonhost-adapted salmonella). Swine that become infected with nonhost-adapted salmonella shed these bacteria in the feces primarily within the first two weeks after exposure. Regardless of the source of salmonella, if humans ingest a host-adapted or nonhost-adapted type from their own contaminated skin, clothing, equipment, or food, sickness can occur.
Ileitis is an important postweaning disease of swine, especially in commercial operations. This disease causes a range of problems from sudden death to chronic diarrhea that reduces the rate of weight gain. Lawsonia intracellularis is the causative bacterium. Though it is rarely the cause of diarrheal disease in mini pigs, veterinarians consider this organism as a potential cause when making a differential diagnosis. L. intracellularis does not cause human disease.
Viral Causes
Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus causes vomiting and profuse watery diarrhea after exposure to contaminated swine manure. Fecal exposure to TGE virus can be directly from sick pigs with diarrhea or indirectly from contaminated footwear or bird migration from one swine farm to another. The seasonal peak for TGE infection of swine is winter, when bird migrations occur. The incubation period for TGE is only 18 to 36 hours. This means that pigs taken to prospect shows on a weekend can be affected with TGE disease signs by the following Monday. TGE causes extreme loss of condition in pigs ranging in weight from 25 to 280 pounds. Two weeks or more are necessary for full recovery. As many as 100% of unweaned pigs can die from the disease, but death rarely occurs in animals above 25 pounds or older than five weeks of age. Pigs that have recovered from TGE are carriers of the virus and can spread TGE to uninfected swine for many weeks. TGE does not cause human disease.
PEDv
PEDv is an extremely contagious agent spread by the fecal-oral route, causing severe diarrhea in swine and 100 per cent mortality in piglets less than 3 weeks of age. While numbers vary between different reports and because the situation is so dynamic, it has been estimated that between 3-7 million piglets have been lost from hog operations spanning 30 states since the first reports in the US about a year ago.
PEDv is a member of the Coronaviridae family of enveloped virus (genus Alphacoronavirus), approximately 90-190 nm in diameter, with malabsorptive diarrhea (affecting the ability of the small intestine to absorb water and nutrients) as the main presenting symptom within 1-3 days of infection. Damage and destruction of the microvilli of the small intestine is typically observed upon histological analysis. Suckling pigs present symptoms that include watery diarrhea, vomiting and wasting; almost 100 per cent of infected suckling piglets ultimately die of dehydration. Upon necropsy, the small intestine of infected piglets undergoes extreme thinning, and becomes gas-filled and translucent. Clinically, PEDv is indistinguishable from the symptoms of transmissible gastrointestinal epidemic virus (TGEV), another Alphacoronavirus.
Other Causes
Obstructions or partial obstructions can be due to fecal impaction or because your pig ingested a foreign object that is obstructing or partially obstructing preventing stool to pass through the GI tract and out of the body. A partial obstruction leaves some space for stool to pass, but not enough to ease the pressure of the intestines. Typically with a partial obstruction, the stool that does pass is a watery diarrhea type stool leading you to believe there isn't the possibility of an obstruction. Sometimes this worsens, but sometimes this may go undiagnosed for quite some time and the only symptom may be death.
Toxic substances that your pig may have ingested can also be the cause for diarrhea. (Click here to see our list of toxic substances) The body's natural reaction is to rid itself of any possible agents that are potentially harmful. Vomiting and diarrhea are 2 ways the body attempts to heal itself. There are OTC medications that can be given to help an upset belly, however, if your pig is having diarrhea, there is usually an underlying cause and that needs to be determined. Keeping tract of what was eaten beforehand as well as any activity that occurred prior to the diarrhea may be helpful in determining the cause. Click here to read about first aid supplies you should have on hand including over the counter medications that can be used for various issues.
Clinical Diagnosis
The stool of the normal pig should be firm and well-formed. When a normal pig is on free-choice feed and water, the stool tends to loosen to the consistency of a cow patty as feed consumption increases. Feed restriction reduces the amount of stool and tends to be constipating, particularly if water also is restricted.
When feces are totally liquid with no solid form, diarrhea is occurring. A pig with diarrhea caused by infectious agents and/or parasites usually has a reduced appetite or is anorexic, but is still drinking. Vomiting can occur at the start or during diarrheal disease. Weight loss accompanies diarrheal disease and is usually obvious if your pig is weighed frequently or you are monitoring weight gain. It is common for pigs to be affected with more than one diarrheal disease condition and have dramatic weight loss. If your pig is having diarrhea episodes, record the number of times your pig is going to the bathroom as well as any distinct characteristics such as a foul smell or particular colored feces.
As soon as the pig develops diarrhea, the cause or causes need to be determined. Loose stool or diarrhea caused by diet usually does not result in weight loss. Restricting feed intake, reducing the protein content of a feed by about 4% and/or substituting rolled or crimped oats or oatmeal as 25% to 50% of the ration usually cures dietary induced diarrhea.
Consult a veterinarian to diagnose infectious and/or parasite-caused diarrheal disease because death is often a result of undiagnosed, chronic diarrheal disease in pigs.
TGE is the least important of the diarrheal diseases because it is self-limiting and almost never causes death loss in older pigs. Electron microscopic examination of feces at a diagnostic laboratory is the most rapid way to diagnose TGE. For other diseases, a veterinarian typically does the following:
- Cultures the feces for salmonella infection
- Starts the pig on a water medication of lincomycin (Lincomix®*) or tiamulin (Denagard®*) plus electrolytes as a treatment for swine dysentery, and
- Performs a fecal flotation to check for microscopic whipworm eggs.
If Escherichia coli is isolated during fecal culture for salmonella, it is probably not important as a cause of diarrhea in show pigs weighing above 40 pounds. If sensitivity testing of the E. coli isolate demonstrates that most antibiotics tested in the laboratory will kill it, then the veterinarian has evidence that this E. coli is normal gut flora and not a pathogen.
During microscopic examination for whipworms, Coccidia oocysts (eggs) and/or Balantidium coli protozoan ciliates might be observed. Coccidiosis usually is considered to be a self-limiting and co-occurring infection that needs no treatment to improve. The B. coli are commensals, benefitting from their relationship with another infectious agent. Neither of these two organisms are the primary cause of diarrhea.
Postmortem Diagnosis
If a pig with signs of diarrheal disease dies, a necropsy can be performed by a veterinarian to determine the cause or causes. Rapid decomposition of organs and tissues, especially in hot weather, can make the animal unsuitable for testing. Place the deceased pig in a plastic bag and pack in generous amounts of ice in an insulated container to prolong preservation until veterinary examination. If the animal is well preserved, the veterinarian can either send the entire animal carcass to a diagnostic laboratory or perform a necropsy and submit tissues to a diagnostic lab for further tests to confirm a presumptive diagnosis. Other pigs on the same premises could benefit by early disease recognition and treatment if a diagnosis is confirmed on the deceased animal.
Treatment and Control
Veterinarians use no specific treatment for TGE but prescribe electrolytes to minimize dehydration and possibly antibiotics to control secondary bacterial infection.
If salmonella diarrhea is diagnosed via culture, a veterinarian will choose the antibiotic that is the most effective and has the shortest withdrawal time. Typically, salmonella that cause diarrhea in pigs are resistant to the majority of antibiotics; this is why laboratory culture and sensitivity testing are so important.
If pigs, treated for possible swine dysentery with lincomycin (Lincomix®*) or tiamulin (Denagard®*) plus electrolytes in the water, pass a firmer stool in several days, this indicates to the veterinarian that swine dysentery is at least one cause of diarrhea. Medicated water treatment is continued for five days after improvement with lincomycin or for a total of five days of therapy with tiamulin. At the end of the water treatment, recovering animals should be continuously fed medicated feed containing lincomycin (40 grams/ton, no withdrawal time) or tiamulin (35 grams/ton, two-day withdrawal time) to prevent swine dysentery from recurring.
Fenbendazole (Safe-Guard®*) given orally for three days is an excellent parasiticide for whipworm adults and most developing larval stages; deworming should be repeated in a month. Dichlorvos (Atgard®* C) is another commonly used dewormer for whipworms. Ivermectin (Ivomec®*) and doramectin (Dectomax®*) are excellent injectable dewormers and also kill lice and mange, but have variable effectiveness against whipworms. Click here to read our page about parasite control.
Prevention
Prevention of diarrheal diseases, and diseases in general, starts with preparation before producing, obtaining or purchasing one or more pigs. Pigs that are farrowed at one location, never exposed to other swine, and fed at that location until exhibition should be very healthy. When rescuing, it is best to isolate that pig from any others you may have until you are provided with a history and track record of excellent health. Consider these separate isolation pens as totally different locations and wash and disinfect boots, equipment, etc., before going from one pen to another. In fact, it could be practical to keep these pigs isolated for a substantial time if you are unsure or your vet feels as if this patient will pose a threat to any other pigs health.
The greater the exposure, the greater the likelihood of disease problems. Treating pigs with an antibiotic to compensate for poor health management is usually ineffective. Also, highly effective vaccines are not available for many diseases. As a general rule, it is much easier to prevent swine diseases using good management practices than to successfully treat or vaccinate against disease.
Diet-induced diarrheal disease can be prevented by not overfeeding protein and other ingredients such as fat. Gradually switch the pig from one type ration to another. Make sure the pig finds the water source because water intake is important for adequate feed consumption. A lack of water for a couple of days followed by overconsumption of water can be fatal; this condition is called salt toxicity or water deprivation. Click here to read more about salt toxicity/water deprivation. Pigs that are "held back" or limit fed to prevent excessive weight gain should always have access to plenty of water.
Whipworms can be prevented by routinely deworming healthy pigs with an effective product (Safe-Guard®* or Atgard®* C) at least once during the feeding period and by housing them on clean dirt, sand, or pasture or uncontaminated concrete floors. Routine deworming in show pigs is commonly performed during the first week after purchase at about 8 to 10 weeks of age or 50 pounds, and then about a month later. Another option is to take a fresh stool sample to a veterinarian for fecal flotation and microscopic examination for whipworm eggs. It takes a minimum of 42 days from the time a pig is infected until adults are present and eggs are passed in feces. This means fecal examination for whipworm eggs before six weeks of age is not necessary. Also, whipworm adults are intermittent egg layers so one negative fecal flotation does not completely rule out whipworm infection. Click here to read our page regarding parasite control and appropriate anti-parasite regimens for pigs.
Swine dysentery is preventable by obtaining pigs directly from a farm that is free of swine dysentery and minimizing exposure to other swine or feces-contaminated premises, trailers, and equipment such as scales. Absence of diarrhea containing blood and mucus, excellent growth performance, and no significant death loss in pigs from weaning through market weight are evidence of freedom from swine dysentery in a herd. In reality, the credibility of swine dysentery-free status is based on each breeder's reputation.
The best prevention for salmonellosis is to obtain the healthiest pigs possible and to manage pigs to reduce stress and maintain good sanitation practices.
TGE can be prevented by not exposing swine to sources of the virus. Vaccines are available that control the effects of disease; they do not prevent infection with TGE. The same is true for PEDv, no exposure to pigs who have this virus or are carriers of the virus will lessen the chances of it being spread to other pigs. There is no vaccination for PEDv, but it is being worked on. Proper sanitation and disposal can also help reduce the chances of viral infections to be spread from pig to pig. Isolate any pig showing signs of illness.
The take away message?
Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important because chronic, undiagnosed diarrhea frequently results in death. A veterinarian should be consulted to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this and other conditions.
Diarrhea in pigs is similar to diarrhea experienced by human beings. It can be brought on by eating too much of one thing or by a sudden change in diet. It can also occur as a result of stress, such as being moved, crated, introduced to a new pig herd, or during pregnancy. Here is what to do to try to prevent it.
• Know the symptoms.
These are easy – your pig will have diarrhea. For older pigs, this will often clear up in a few days and the pig will be fine. For piglets, however, this can be fatal. Changes in bowel or bladder function should be monitored closely and your veterinarian may need to intervene. For piglets with diarrhea, vet care should be a priority.
• Ensure that the pigs are getting a balanced, healthy diet.
Don't feed them too much of any one thing and ensure that the food is of good quality. Check feed for spoilage as this can also cause diarrhea in mini pigs.
• If diarrhea starts, you need to be sure your pig stays hydrated.
If it persists more than 24 hours, your pig will need to be seen by your veterinarian. If this is a piglet with diarrhea, especially a super young piglet, you may need the veterinarian much sooner than 24 hours. Click here to read more about underaged piglets so you will know the signs to look out for.
• Know the symptoms.
These are easy – your pig will have diarrhea. For older pigs, this will often clear up in a few days and the pig will be fine. For piglets, however, this can be fatal. Changes in bowel or bladder function should be monitored closely and your veterinarian may need to intervene. For piglets with diarrhea, vet care should be a priority.
• Ensure that the pigs are getting a balanced, healthy diet.
Don't feed them too much of any one thing and ensure that the food is of good quality. Check feed for spoilage as this can also cause diarrhea in mini pigs.
• If diarrhea starts, you need to be sure your pig stays hydrated.
If it persists more than 24 hours, your pig will need to be seen by your veterinarian. If this is a piglet with diarrhea, especially a super young piglet, you may need the veterinarian much sooner than 24 hours. Click here to read more about underaged piglets so you will know the signs to look out for.
Information collected and written by Brittany Sawyer 2016
Sources:
https://www.aasv.org/diarrhea-in-growing-pigs
http://www.admani.com
https://www.extension.purdue.edu
http://www.octagon-services.co.uk/articles/diarrhea
http://canadianfoodinsights.com/basic-facts-PEDv
Sources:
https://www.aasv.org/diarrhea-in-growing-pigs
http://www.admani.com
https://www.extension.purdue.edu
http://www.octagon-services.co.uk/articles/diarrhea
http://canadianfoodinsights.com/basic-facts-PEDv