SWINE PARASITES AND PET PIG MEDICINE

AILBHE KING MVB, DACVIM (LAIM) ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN PRODUCTION ANIMAL MEDICINE
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Describe the presentation of common swine parasites and the recommended

treatment and control of infestation
2. Be familiar with common breeds of miniature swine
3. Describe appropriate preventative medicine and husbandry of pet swine
4. Describe the presentation and treatment approach to common miniature pig
diseases
Gillespie et al Veterinary Record 2017
SARCOPTIC MANGE

 Sarcoptes scabiei var suis

 Worldwide; most economically important ectoparasite of
swine
 In virtually all swine populations unless specific (and effective)
eradication measures involving each member of the
population have been carried out
 Mite infestation = rate of gain
SARCOPTIC MANGE
 PP:
 The mite resides in the hyperkeratotic crusts in the normal
external ear of adult carriers
 Sow baby pigs
 Signs usually in grower-finishers
 Transmission:
 Direct body contact
 Purchase of infested pigs
 Commingling at sales & shows
 Contaminated env’s (barn; stock truck)= reservoirs
 Adults survive up to 12 days
SARCOPTIC MANGE
 CS’s:  Dx:
 **Rubbing and scratching ** A pruritic pig =  Skin scrapings
sarcoptes until proven otherwise
 Deep scrapings from multiple sites
 Large patches of thickened, scaly, and
hyperkeratotic skin develop around and within  Use bone curette or melon baller
the pinnae, axillae, inguinal area, and trunk  Dip in mineral oil before scraping helps
 Linear scratches and patches of alopecia where pigs exfoliated debris to stick to scraper
can scratch with hindlimbs
 Painted or metal equipment may become polished
SARCOPTIC MANGE
 Simultaneous, whole-herd treatment
 Injectable ivermectin or doramectin
 Repeat every 1-2 weeks for 3 treatments
 For pet pigs, 2-4 treatments at 1–2 week intervals
 Repeated tx = critical
 Egg stage not affected by medication
 Helps ensure mites shed into env are killed
 Bathe blankets etc. the pet pig sleeps on
 Control:
 Tx and isolate newly purchased animals for at least 3
weeks
 Consider show pigs as suspect and tx as if they were
infested upon returning home
LICE-HEMATOPINUS SUIS

 Cause less pruritus than mange mites

 Io effect reflects blood loss with heavy infestation
 Survival off of the host is limited only a few
days
 Treatment, control, prevention as for mange
HYOSTRONGYLOSIS
 Hyostrongylus rubidus=red stomach worm (roundworm)
 1cm adult worms live on gastric mucosa- PLE- heavy infestations=necrosis and ulcerations
 Direct LC
 Worm egg count rise in sows in late gestation due to hormonal changes= risk for piglets
 Cs’s:
 Poor BCS, anorexia, melena, occasionally V+
 Dx:
 FEC
 Tx:
 Ivermectin, Dichlorvos
OESOPHAGOSTOMIASIS

 O. dentatum and O. quadrispinulatum- roundworm

 Adults 1.5cm long live in colon and cecum
 Direct LC
 Eggs passed in feces-infective larvae in 2-3 weeks
 CS’s: D+, weight loss, poor feed conversion
 Dx: FEC
 Tx: Ivermectin, Fenbendazole, Dichlorvos
OTHERS..

 Previously discussed….
 Ascaris suum
 Trichuris suis
 MINIATURE BREEDS OF SWINE
 Vietnamese Pot Belly
 African Pygmy Pig (Guinea Hogs )
 Ossabow Island Pig ('Feral’ pig)
 Yucatan Pig (Mexican Hairless)
 Kunekune Pig

 Lifespan ~12-20 years

 Obesity is a common limiting
factor
PHYSICAL EXAM
101.3-104F
 Observation from afar!
 Avoid tabletops
 Pigs tend to launch themselves/do not like restraint
 They can move FAST when necessary...esp
little ones!
 Examine on floor, in crate-a large dog carrier w/
top removed works well
 Expect squealing
 No pig snares!
 PBPs flip out!
PHYSICAL EXAM

 Body condition: Are ribs and hips (tuber coxae) easily felt or
covered in fat?
 If you can see vague outline of where hip bones and ribs
are...a pig in good body condition
 Ocular or nasal discharge?
 Character + rate of respiration
 Gait: get them to follow a treat
 Check hoof conformation
 Check skin
DIET

 Be direct with owners

 Tell them that their pig is morbidly obese if it is
 Diet:
 No fruit snacks; no sugar snacks
 Vegetables ok if in moderation
 1/3 cup Mazuri food BID
 There are guidelines on the Mazuri website + an “elder”
version which is lower calorie
 For exercise:
 Peanut butter in a bowling ball trick
ROUTINE ANNUAL PROCEDURES-SPA DAY
 Deworm
 0.3mg/kg ivermectin SC
 Vaccinate:
 Erysipelas
 Tetanus
 Rabies
 Hoof trim
 Tusk trim/examine teeth
 Ear cleaning
 Don’t push exudate into canal (very narrow)
 Just scoop out what you can see
 Some pigs get Malassezia otitis
 Do not pour water in ears- can present
vestibular
 Eye cleaning
ANESTHESIA/SEDATION
 Fast pig from midnight
 Mask with isoflurane
 Can premed with midazolam (0.4mg/kg IM), telazol (0.5-1
mg/kg IM)
 If no inhalant, lots of other options…
 For reference:
 Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 1996 Nov;12(3):501-29.
Pharmacology of drugs used for anesthesia and sedation. Tranquilli
and Grimm
ALTERNATIVE PROTOCOLS FOR SEDATION OF PET PIGS
CASTRATION AND OVH
 When to castrate:
 Ideal to wait to 4-5 months of age
 Or at least 15 #
 Pre-scrotal, Close inguinal rings!
 When to spay:
 Ideal to wait until at least 20#
 Difficult; unlike in a dog
 Intact older females: uterine/ovarian cancers often
 Uterine tumors: leiomyoma; leiomyosarcoma
 Ovarian tumors-adenocarcinoma
FAT PIGS – BLINDNESS AND SOMETIMES SECONDARY ENTROPION

 Severe over-conditioning in pot-bellied

pigs especially
 Rolls of fat above the eyes lead to
ptosis and blindness
 Eyelashes may turn in leading to corneal
scarring and entropion
 Severe cases require surgical fixation –
face lift!
 Important to monitor BCS in these
animals
RETAINED TESTICLE
PREPUTIAL DIVERTICULUM

 Dorso-lateral to the preputial cavity, just caudal to its

opening
 Poorly developed in castrated males but in mature boars,
they are important sources of scent for territorial marking
 NASTY smell
 Harbor Corynebacterium suis + other bacteria associated
with cystitis
 "balling up" where the penis enters one of the diverticulae
during attempted copulation ejaculates within the
diverticulum; a cause of infertility
 May occasionally prolapse through the preputial opening
 Diverticulectomy can be preformed
  Esp castrated males
 Watch out for the house pig with a large residual volume bladder
UROLITHIASIS  Usually struvite (magnesium-ammonium phosphate) +/- calcium
 Tx/control:
 Urinary diversion
 Urine acidification
 Methionine works well (1-2 grams SID to BID); perhaps better than
ammonium chloride
POISONINGS

 Rodenticides (Coumarins such as D-Con®;

Cholecalciferol based poisons such as Rampage®);
Snail bait: Metaldehyde; Ethylene Glycol; Chocolate;
NSAID overdose (they like the Rimadyl beef flavored
chews)
 Get activated charcoal into pig:
 1-2 g/kg
 Mix in apple sauce and pig may just drink it
GI OBSTRUCTIONS
 Peach pits; stone fruits;
 Usually vomit eventually if SI
 Like to lodge at the pylorus
 Choke (avocado pits): regurgitation
 Constipation- BEWARE THEY LIKE TO TRANSLOCATE
 In hospitalized pigs it’s a big problem!
 Let them exercise
 Use laxatives (soapy water; diluted methylcellulose)
 AB’s!!!
 Stool softeners: some fruits; metamucil; lactulose
 Neoplasia:
 Adenocarcinomas / lymphoma / repro tract tumors
SKIN DISORDERS
 Mange
 Dry Skin
 Add some vitamin E (200-400 IU a couple times per week)
 Fatty acids (Mighty Dog canned food 1-2x per week)
 Ringworm (uncommon)
 Erythema multiforme (“dippity pig disease”)
 Sore back; weeping serum over lumbar spine; oral lesions
 May present acutely neuro/off HL’s
 Tx: time/meloxicam 0.5mg/kg PO SID
 Sunburn
 White/pink pigs- tell O’s to use kids' sunscreen
DENTAL DISEASE
 Tusk root infections
 Removal not a good idea!
 Need a CT + specialist if going to tackle
this
 Lifelong AB’ s + regular rechecks
 Trimethoprim-sulfa/clavamox
 NSAIDs
 Use Dremel to grind down points
 Remove teeth if very loose
ARTHRITIS/DJD
 Very common in pet pigs “Incomplete ossification of the humeral condyle in
Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs”
 May or may not be related to OCD or congenital structural V F Samii 1,W J Hornof. Vet Radiol Ultrasound
abnormalities eg: Elbow dysplasia Mar-Apr 2000;41(2):147-53

 OCD characterized by defects in the articular cartilage and the

adjacent subchondral bone failure of the cartilage canal blood
supply leads to ischemic chondronecrosis
 Medial femoral condyle
 Humeral condyle
 Humeral head
 Glenoid of the scapula
 Distal ulna
 Lumbar vertebrae
ARTHRITIS/DJD
 Tx:
 Weight loss is key!!
 Oral NSAIDs:
 Carprofen, Meloxicam
 Joint supplements
 Joint injections
 Steroids/HA/antibiotics
 Opioids
 Tramadol
 Gabapentin 5-10mg/kg BID-TID
PHOTOSENSITISATION/SUNBURN
 DIPPITY PIG

 Cellulitis along the back

 Unknown etiology – probably traumatic skin
penetration
 Likely anaerobic bacteria involved
 Responds to treatment with oral or systemic
lincomycin and topical ointments and chlorhexidine
washes
 May slough a large amount of skin – long term
management
 HERNIAS

 Hernias are common in pigs

 Inguinal hernias most prevalent
 Very important to remember when
performing castrations
 No surgery performed in commercial
pigs
 Surgery is performed in pet pigs under
GA
 Similar approach to other animals
PET PIGS ARE STILL PIGS…

 Drug labelling/withdrawal times

 Susceptible to diseases discussed in production swine series
GOALS?
KNOWLEDGE CHECK

 You are presented with a 4 y/o kune kune female spayed pig. The owner reports that
she has not passed feces for 2 days and her appetite is much reduced. Her vitals are
as follows; HR 80 RR 24 T 103F.
1. Discuss two diagnostics that would be reasonable to start with in this case
2. You rule out an obvious obstruction on radiographs and elect to medically manage
the patient. What would you like to treat her with?
QUESTIONS?