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Swine Dysentery disease is common in pigs that are just weaned from the
sow and severe cases can be seen in the sow and piglets just
after birth. This disease is caused by bacteria called
Brachyspira Hyodysenteriae. These bacteria are transferred
through feces. If a pen is not properly cleaned when needed
an outbreak of this particular disease can occur. Dysentery
can also be transferred from rodents to swine.
The bacteria will survive in the feces for over two months
in cold, moist conditions but dies quickly in warm dry
conditions. It spreads through the pig herd slowly and will
incubate in the pig anywhere from a week to two weeks. If a
pig survives swine dysentery it is unlikely that it will get
it again having developed a low-grade immunity to it.
The disease usually causes a reduction in weight gain, a
reduction in feed conservation and efficiency, mucousy
diarrhea often with blood in it, twitching of tail, staining
of the area around the anus, dehydration and possibly death.
What happens to the pig when it gets Swine Dysentery is that
this particular bacteria infects the large intestine, making
it swell up and become irritated and causing mucousy
diarrhea with blood in it.
If you see that your pig's stool has become watery with
mucus and its body is black with irritation around the anus
take it to the veterinarian immediately. The only way to
fight Swine Dysentery is through antibiotics, and the
disease has become fairly resistant to antibiotics so it may
a problem for a while before the antibiotics and the pig's
body win over the bacteria. You will also have to have your
other swine checked for the disease as well.
You will then have to improve the conditions in which your
pigs live. Reduce stock density and be sure to properly
clean and maintain their pens daily. This disease is only
spread through a pig eating an infected pig or rat feces, so
controlling your pig's environment and keeping it sanitary
will help cure the problem and prevent it from happening
again. Be sure that when you purchase a pig it is checked
out by a veterinarian for disease and quarantined for a few
weeks before you introduce it into your pig herd.
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