CONDITIONS/DISEASES DURING THE SUCKLING PERIOD

AILBHE KING MVB, DACVIM (LAIM) ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN PRODUCTION ANIMAL MEDICINE
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. List the common diseases seen in piglets during the suckling period
2. Describe the presentation, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of..
1. Clostridium perfringens
2. Colibacillosis
3. Rota Virus
4. Transmissible Gastroenteritis
5. Porcine Epidemic D+
6. Streptococcus Suis
7. Splay leg
8. Epitheliogenesis Imperfecta
9. Hypogalactia or Mastitis, Metritis, Agalactia (MMA)
3. Recognize that savaging of piglets by sows occurs and know how to manage this problem
4. Be familiar with milk replacer options for piglets
ENTERIC DISEASE IN PIGLETS

 Many of the early infxn’s in neonatal piglets are related to infxn of the GIT
 Sows produce colostrum that has an anti-trypsin factor to enhance uptake of intact IG’s
 The pH of the stomach is close to neutral, and this makes young piglets extremely
susceptible to enteral infxn’s
 Low gastric motility due to factors like chilling may predispose to infection
CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE ASSOCIATED ENTEROTOXEMIA

 Piglets 2-10 days/o with D+, variable morbidity and low mortality
 Mesocolonic edema and colon filled with creamy D+
 Microscopically, there is multifocal suppurative and erosive colitis
 Dx: C. difficile enterotoxin confirmed by ELISA test on fresh feces
 Tx: Virginiamycin (Streptogramin class of antimicrobials similar to macrolides and
lincosamides) in sows before and after farrowing? Tylosin in piglets?
C. DIFFICILE INFECTED PIGLETS
The orange-stained D+ is caused by
C. difficile (A/B toxins) and isa sign of fecal
blood loss. In contrast to C.
perfringens type C, C. difficile
infxn’s have a lower mortality
CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE C “HEMORRHAGIC ENTEROTOXEMIA”

 Transmitted from skin and feces

 < 7 d/o typically. Older piglets show less severe dz
 Severe damage to the SI- hemorrhage and necrosis
 Beta toxin
 CS’s: Acute death, dark red feces + necrotic debris, dull, depressed, anorexic, +/- fever
 DDX: Coccidiosis
 Dx: PCR or ELISA for beta toxin on feces
 PM findings: Milk filled stomach, SI dark red and necrotic. If less acute-local peritonitis.
Fibrin tags within bowel + emphysema
CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE C
“HEMORRHAGIC ENTEROTOXEMIA”

 Tx:
 Whole litter + farrowing house
 Oral/parental ampicillin 3-5 days
 Severe cases-immunity can be boosted by lamb
dysentery antiserum (type B toxin, offers some
cross-protection)
 Control:
 Vaccinate sows 6 + 2 weeks pre farrowing
CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE A
 Enterotoxemia
 Piglets 2-10 days of age (< 3 weeks) with D+, variable morbidity and low mortality
 Minimal gross lesions, similar to colibacillosis
 Microscopically-mild multifocal suppurative enteritis with large Gram + rods
 CS: Yellow, watery D+
 Dx: Isolation + genotyping of an enterotoxigenic (beta 2 toxin) C. perfringens type A
in feces
 Tx: AB’s eg; Ampicillin 3-5 days
 Control: Hygiene,Vaccination
E COLI-COLIBACILLOSIS
 Neonates 1 day old to pigs up to 2-4 weeks postweaning
 Responsible for >30% GIT problems in neonatal pigs
 Virulence factors include fimbria (pili- K88, K99 + K987P), enterotoxins (exotoxins), endotoxins, +
capsules
 Syndromes
 Septicemic colibacillosis
 Enterotoxigenic colibacillosis

 Dams act as carriers, Gilts result in ↑ cases

 Risk factors: Continuous farrowing, accompanied by poor sanitation + chilling. Sudden diet change if
older.
 Dz presentation-dose ingested vs level of immunity derived from colostrum
 Coliforms survive in contaminated buildings + can infect successive litters of pigs
E COLI-COLIBACILLOSIS
 Neonates < 3 days old, unweaned older piglets, acute
postweaning enteritis
 CS’s:
 Body temperature often is subnormal
 Shivering often is noted, watery D+, possibly V+
 Hypoglycemia, dehydration
 May also cause fibrinous polyserositis
 Dx: Culture from SI + Identify enterotoxigenic E. coli
enterotoxins(s) and/or pili, usually by PCR
E COLI-COLIBACILLOSIS
 Tx:
 AB’s – oral or parenteral: ampicillin, neomycin,
potentiated Sulpha drugs
 NSAID’s
 Supportive care
 Control: good sanitation, all in all out, sow
vaccination (against toxin and pili) twice before
farrowing, colostrum mgt
 DDX:
 Rota, TGE, C perf C, Coccidiosis, PED (neonates)
 TGE, Salmonella, Swine dysentery (post weaning)
COCCIDIOSIS (ISOSPORA SUIS)

 Et: Isospora suis usually occurs in confinement-raised, 5-21 d/o, nursing

piglets
 Transmission:
 Fecal-oral. Occurs when naïve pigs are placed in highly contaminated
env’s
 Sows are source of infxn
 Oocysts ingested when piglets first nurse or by feed, water, feces
 CS’s:
 Yellow to clear, pasty to watery D+, dehydration, rough hair coat +
failure to gain weight
 Presents like colibacillosis but no response to AB’s for E Coli
COCCIDIOSIS (ISOSPORA SUIS)

 Dx: Fecal float and mc masters

 Control: good sanitation and disinfection of farrowing pens.
Steam cleaning may be needed.
 Tx: Toltrazuril, sulphonamides, Amprolium. Mortality up to
20% if untreated.
 No coccidiostats approved for use against coccidia in
swine, but are approved in other species
 Oral electrolyte replacement solutions
 TLC: warm + dry = happy
CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM
 Mostly subclinical in pigs, Zoonotic
 CSs: D+, ill thrift
 Dx: Fecal staining techniques
 Modified Ziehl-Nielsen
 Safranin-methylene blue
 Immunofluorescence
 Red doughnut-shaped structures
 Tx:
 Supportive care
 Prevention
 Prevent exposure
 Bio-security
 Reduce env contamination
ZN Stain
 No vaccination
ROTA VIRUS

 Group A most common in pigs, Endemic on some farms

 Usually 1–6-week-old piglets. Common about 1 week after weaning
 Sow shedding typically 5 days before and 2 weeks after farrowing
 IgA in colostrum is important for protection
 Yellow D+, occasional V+. Usually, nonfatal but more severe in cold env’s
 Variable enteritis with moderate villous atrophy
 Dx: Identify virus in feces of early cases by EM or ELISA or in SI epithelium by FAT or IHC
TRANSMISSIBLE GASTROENTERITIS (TGE)
 Coronavirus
 Transmission: Aerosol, fomites, carrier pigs
 Incubation: 18hrs-3 days
 High morbidity and High mortality
 All age groups susceptible if previously unexposed. Most severe in piglets <4 weeks old
 Acute form:
 V+ and v high mortality in piglets <3 weeks old
 Bright yellow feces often seen in older piglets
 Acutely infected sows may v+, are depressed and refuse to nurse piglets
 Endemic form: similar signs but much less severe and with reduced mortality
TRANSMISSIBLE GASTROENTERITIS (TGE)

 Dx: FAT or IHC on intestine of acutely affected pigs or PCR on feces from acutely affected pigs
 Tx:
 Often futile in young piglets
 Some positive effects of oral plasma from recovered sows
 Supp care in adults- electrolytes
 Control:
 Biosecurity
 Exposure of sows to virus > than 14 days prior to farrowing for specific IgA in colostrum
 Isolate sows < 14 days to farrowing to prevent infection
 Vaccine- dubious effectiveness
PORCINE EPIDEMIC DIARRHEA (PED)

 Coronavirus
 Type 1: < 5 wk/o
 Type 2: Any age
 Incubation: 1-4 days
 REPORTABLE
 Transmission: Aerosol, fomites, carrier pigs
 High morbidity and Low mortality
 CS’s:
 Profuse watery D+
 Abdominal pain,V+
 Dx: Virus isolation, IHC, FAT serology
 Tx: Supp care
Swine enteric coronavirus disease: A review of 4 years with porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus
 Control: As for TGE and porcine deltacoronavirus in the United States and Canada. M. C. Niederwerder, R. A.
Hesse
STREPTOCOCCUS SUIS

 Most NB streptococcal infxn of pigs-usually seen in nursing (10-14 d/o) or recently weaned piglets
 Characterized by septicemia, acute meningitis, polyarthritis, polyserositis, or bronchopneumonia
 Zoonotic
 35 serotypes – type 2 most virulent + most prevalent
 Transmission:
 Survives in dust and feces, can be isolated from the nasal cavity and palatine tonsils of normal pigs,
present in the feces and nasal secretions of carriers (sows typically)
 Ingestion, inhalation or nose-to-nose contact, wounds. Flies and rodents may play a role
STREPTOCOCCUS SUIS

 CS’s:
 Septicemia +/or localization of systemic infxn
 Young piglets – CNS signs (lateral recumbency
and paddling), polyarthritis (swollen joints). Type1
mainly.
 Older pigs – OA, ataxia, opisthotonos,
incoordination, tremors, convulsions, blindness and
deafness. Type 2 mainly.
 Can cause a heart murmur if veg endocarditis
 Dx: Hx, CS’s + culture on PM, culture CSF or
synovial fluid
CLINICAL SIGNS?
STREPTOCOCCUS SUIS

 Control:
 Elimination of stressors, particularly
overcrowding, poor ventilation, high humidity,
and inadequate sanitation, vaccination of sows
prior to farrowing
 Tx: AB’s inj (penicillin, ampicillin, TMS,
cephalosporins), water and in feed antibiotics in
high morbidity situations. NSAID’s.
ARTHRITIS/OSTEOMYELITIS IS AN IMPORTANT REASON WHY
PIGLETS HAVE TO BE CULLED. STREPTOCOCCI ARE OFTEN
ISOLATED. VACCINATION IS NOT EFFECTIVE AS THERE ARE TOO
MANY STRAINS INVOLVED AND THE PATHOGENESIS ISCOMPLEX
SPLAY LEG
 Abnormality of neonatal piglets characterized by lateral extension of the HL’s with inability to adduct
the legs; front legs may be variably affected.
 Et:
 Myofibrillar hypoplasia related in part to delayed development, and in part to degenerative change
 Risk factors: Genetic predisposition, slippery or sloped floors, choline deficiency, fusarium toxicity
 Tx:
 If affected piglets are helped to nurse and protected from accidental injury by the sow, can recover
in 1-2 wks
 Tying legs loosely together with sticky tape aka hobbles
 Control:
 Breeding selection
EPITHELIOGENESIS IMPERFECTA

 Inherited condition- Large white, Saddleback breeds

 Absence of discrete areas of skin, usually over a part of the
back, loin or thigh
 Lesions occasionally occur on the anterior surface of the
tongue
 Hydroureter and hydronephrosis commonly accompany
 Fetuses with extensive lesions may be aborted. Piglets born
alive with extensive lesions usually die from bacterial invasion +
septicemia
 Minor defects may heal but severe cases are euthanized
HYPOGALACTIA OR MASTITIS, METRITIS,AGALACTIA (MMA)

 Syndrome usually occurs within 3 days of farrowing- characterized by inadequate

milk production
 Although hypogalactia is the most consistent sign, mastitis, fever, vaginal discharge,
listlessness, weakness, anorexia, sternal recumbency and refusal by the dam to permit
nursing by the piglets is also common
 Cause(s) is unknown- Endotoxemia with E Coli? Beta hemolytic strep?
HYPOGALACTIA OR MASTITIS, METRITIS,AGALACTIA (MMA)

 Risk factors for hypogalactia:

 lack of nursing stimulation (too few pigs or small/weak pigs)
 bacterial metritis
 mastitis
 mammary edema from errors in ration formulation
 confinement with little opportunity for exercise
 poor feeding management, constipation, obesity, moldy feeds, and poor sanitation
in the farrowing env
infertility Farrowing issues and lameness
Nutrition during Gestation - Lactation
MAXIMIZE INTAKE!!!!
4.0
Lactation
28-30 mm

3.0

22-24 mm
Estrus Gestation
Estrus
2.0

16-18 mm

BCS Insem Diagnostic Parturition Weaning Insem

Gestation - Lactation
HYPOGALACTIA OR MASTITIS, METRITIS,AGALACTIA (MMA)

 Prevention:
 Be clean during OB procedures
 Avoid constipation in sows (exercise/laxatives in feed/bran mashes)
 Limit feeding pre-farrowing (keep sow hungry)
 Food fast for 24 hrs post farrowing
 Slowly increase daily feed to 1-2 # by 3-4 days, Get to 10-12 # by 7 days, then to full feed
 Tx:
 AB’s: penicillin, tetracyclines
 NSAIDs
 PGF2 alpha in case is a persistent CL-Stimulate uterine contractions; expel fluid
 Old timer trick if ONLY have agalactia: Manual stimulation of the repro tract triggers oxytocin release-Vaginal
palpation with rectal sleeve and lube
SAVAGING: SOW ATTACKING PIGLETS
 More common in gilts/younger sows
 Stressors in sow’s environment?
 People interfering with parturition
 Tx: deep sedation e.g Acepromazine
 Old timer therapy: inebriate the sow
 May require hand feeding piglets
 Sow milk replacer or alternatives
RECIPES FOR MILK REPLACER FOR ORPHAN’S/RUNTS

 2 different recipes:
1. 1000 ml whole milk + 250 ml half & half + 1 raw egg
2. 1 quart of cow whole milk + 1 oz (30 cc) of dextrose + 1
oz (30 cc) of cream
 Amount: 30% of body weight total per day
 Adapt to 3x daily feeding (start with more frequent feedings)
 Quickly learn to drink from bowl/pan
KNOWLEDGE CHECK

 You are doing one of your routine walk throughs in

a farrowing house and you notice multiple piglets
with the follwowing appearance (see image). It
appears to be effecting their ability to nurse.
1. List some risk factors for this disease
2. How could you treat effected piglets?
3. How could you avoid this happening in future?
QUESTIONS?