The Ontario
Animal Health Network is alerting hog farmers that there has been a marked
increase in cases of erysipelas in Quebec and Ontario.
The
bacterial infection shows up as red skin blotches. It can be deadly to young
pigs.
Chronic
disease causes pigs to have arthritis that leads to stiffness and swelling of
joints. This affects growth rates and is responsible for significant losses in
prime cuts at packing plants.
Clinical
signs tend to worsen when combined with other infections as well as with
overcrowding and other environmental stressors.
The bacteria can be killed by penicillin and usually by tetracycline and common
disinfectants.
It’s resistant
to neomycin, streptomycin and sulphonamides.
There
usually is marked improvement within 24 hours of beginning treatment,
Herd health
management and implementing a vaccination program are the recommended control
measures. Veterinarians can set up a vaccination program.
When I was a lad, we successfully treated infected pigs by adding some zinc to their feed.
