PORCINE STRESS SYNDROME

PORCINE STRESS SYNDROME IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS PSS, MALIGNANT

HYPERTHERMIA, OR TRANSPORT MYOPATHY. THIS DISEASE WAS FIRST NOTED
IN 1968 AND HAS SINCE BEEN A CONCERN TO THE SPECIES OF SWINE. IT IS
MOST PREVALENT IN BREEDS SUCH AS LANDRACE, PIETRAIN, AND THE
CROSSBREDS OF THESE TWO BREEDS AND ULTIMATELY AFFECTS THEM THE
MOST DUE TO THEIR LARGER MUSCLE MASS. THOSE WHO OWN SWINE WILL
KNOW IF THEIR PETS ARE AT RISK OR SHOULD EXPRESS CONCERN WHEN THE
PIGS IS CARCASS CONSIDERED TO BE PALE.

CAUSATIVE AGENT
There are very few agents responsible for this disease but PSS is
influenced (heat) stress, excitement, transportation and influenced
genetically as well. When passed down genetically the mutation is
formed in the ryanodine receptor gene.

TRANSMISSION
Truly the only way this disease can be considered transmittable or
contagious is if a pig with this disease is bred with another pig
and the piglets created end up having this disease as well.

CLINICAL SIGNS

Symptoms and clinical signs that are often associated with

Porcine Stress Syndrome include trembling of the tail, back/leg
muscles, incapable of walking, respiratory pain, hyperthermia,
skin becomes red and blotched, acute right heart failure, and
sudden death (15-20 minutes).

DIAGNOSIS
Porcine Stress Syndrome can be ultimately diagnosed with a
simple blood test or tissue examination. A test that is used is the
halothane test which can also be used in pigs as young as 9
weeks of age. PSS can be distinguished from other diseases that
have similar clinical signs by conducting tests or comparing the
symptoms carefully.

TREATMENT

A few specific things that can help treat or simply control Porcine
Stress Syndrome are spraying the pig with water to reduce the rise
in temperature, sedating it with stresnil, injection of calcium
gluconate, and injection of vitamin E.

PREVENTION
Preventing this disease in animals, specifically swine, means to
remove the gene from the population (breed out) and maintain a
PSS free herd. Another option

EFFECT ON THE INDUSTRY

This disease has positively impacted pork production as it has
helped evolve and improve the practices of one, but has severely
impacted the economy of the swine industry in the U.S. by nearly
$50 million a year.