A pig suffering from swine pneumonia needs quick and effective treatment. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, chemicals (manure gas), extreme temperatures, stress or parasites, and infects the animal's lower respiratory tract. Here's how to care for a pig with swine pneumonia.
Steps
Step 1. Check for pneumonia symptoms
Unfortunately, many of these symptoms do not show up in pigs until the situation escalates, putting life itself at risk. Any symptoms of lack of appetite during the winter should be considered a warning to which you pay close attention. Symptoms of swine pneumonia include:
- Disinterest in food, loss of appetite, difficult tastes. These are the first signs to worry about.
- Cough.
- Passivity (sick pigs generally tend to lie down, while healthy pigs are active).
- I wait off.
- Rapid heartbeat (rapid, shallow breaths).
- Fever and lethargy.
Step 2. Measure the temperature of the pig
In the pig any temperature over 38 ° C is equivalent to fever and pneumonia at the beginning varies from 39 ° C to 40 ° C. The temperature is measured in the rectum; for domestic pigs it can be quite a simple task, but for older pigs, who do not have regular contact with people, it is an operation to be performed with caution. Pigs are very strong animals and can cause serious injuries.
Step 3. Consult your vet quickly
The pig will need drug therapy of antibiotics or "antibacterials" and the sooner it is treated, the more likely it is to survive. The vet can prescribe drugs in the form of injections or medicines to be added to the food.
Step 4. Keep the pig in a warm, dry place during the healing period
Feed him well and make sure he takes the full course of antibiotics.
Step 5. Prevent a relapse and protect other pigs from getting pneumonia by taking proper precautions
Here's what you need to consider:
- Eliminate all sources of stress in the environment they live in.
- Make sure that the room in which you keep the pigs is adequately ventilated, without creating drafts.
- Prevent overcrowding.
- Keep pigs warm during the rigors of the cold season.
- Deworm them and vaccinate them against intestinal parasites.
- Talk to your vet to develop a plan by which to manage pigs in case they continue to contract pneumonia. All pigs and piglets at risk of contracting pneumonia should be vaccinated to prevent this possibility.
Advice
- In pigs, it is vital to detect pneumonia in time if they are to be given a good chance of survival.
- In pigs, drastic changes in temperature can cause pneumonia. If you have a pig used to living warm indoors (for example, a Vietnamese pig), avoid letting it out in the dead of winter more than necessary when it needs to perform its physiological functions.
- In pigs, the bacterium Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae often causes pneumonia, followed by a more severe infection with Pasteurella multocida bacteria.
- Piglets are often exposed to the bacteria that cause pneumonia. If a litter comes into contact with even just a pig with pneumonia, it is not uncommon to treat the entire litter with antibiotic therapy.
