Do you know what greasy swine disease is? A prevalent skin condition that impacts pigs and swine may not sound pleasant. If not correctly handled, this disease, also known as exudative Dermatitis, can seriously harm pig herds. Understanding the signs, causes, prognosis, and management of exudative Dermatitis is crucial for swine farmers. Let’s check out Exudative Dermatitis (greasy pig disease) management in Pig/Swine.
Pigs with exudative Dermatitis develop skin sores, scabs, and oily skin. These symptoms can worsen over time, causing discomfort and, in extreme circumstances, even mortality. Exudative Dermatitis can have a variety of causes, but environmental variables, diet, and genetics are all possible offenders. It’s critical to identify the risk factors for the disease’s onset and take action to manage and avoid it.
Pigs with exudative Dermatitis can be treated with topical medications, antibiotics, and nutritional modifications. It is crucial to know the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment choice and when to use them. Preventing the disease from spreading to swine farms is also possible. Sanitation, a healthy diet, and pig pen overcrowding are examples. Pig herds must handle exudative Dermatitis for productivity and health.
Disease tracking and testing prevent outbreaks and ensure early intervention. Pig farmers need to have to prevent the disease. This blog article will delve deeper into the signs, causes, care, management, and prevention of exudative Dermatitis in pigs. You can contribute to ensuring the health and well-being of your pig herd by comprehending this disease. So let’s get going!
Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Management in Pig/Swine
Causes of Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease in Pig/Swine
Exudative Dermatitis, also called Greasy Pig Disease, is a bacterial skin infection in pigs. Bacteria commonly found on the skin of swine, Staphylococcus hyicus, is the primary cause of the disease. In contrast to other pig skin diseases, exudative Dermatitis is non-irritant, making it simple to diagnose clinically.
The disease can manifest in various ways, from localized lesions to systemic infection. It can affect pigs of all ages, from shortly after delivery to maturity. Exudative Dermatitis is one of the most prevalent skin diseases in pigs and, if not adequately managed, can significantly impact pig health and productivity.
Disease Cycle of Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease
The disease cycle of Exudative Dermatitis begins with introduction of the Staphylococcus hyicus bacteria onto the pig’s skin. This can occur through contaminated equipment or personnel or from inapparent carriers in the herd. Abrasions or lacerations on the pig’s skin allow the bacteria to colonize and produce exfoliative toxins, leading to lesions. Piglets are most commonly and severely affected, with cross-infection occurring after mixing at weaning. Resistance to the disease increases with age, and mature sows can protect piglets via their colostrum.
What are the Symptoms of Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease?
- Inactivity and skin reddening in one or more infants in the litter.
- Rapid depression and refusal to eat.
- Increase in body temperature early on.
- Thickening of the skin with reddish-brown spots around eyes, nose, lips, and ears
- Exudation of serum and sebum from lesions, which become vesicular or pustular
- Moist, greasy exudate covers the body, becoming crusty and black with accumulated dirt.
- Involvement of feet with erosions at the coronary band and heel and possible shedding of the hoof.
- The chronic form is seen as thick, crusty lesions over the body
- Mortality is low, except for very young suckling piglets, who suffer from delayed recovery and stunted growth due to diarrhea, malnutrition, and dehydration.
- Necropsy reveals marked dehydration, lung congestion, lymph node inflammation, and enlargement of kidneys and ureters with mucus, cellular casts, and debris in peracute and acute forms.
Diagnosis of Exudative Dermatitis in Pigs
Exudative Dermatitis in pigs can be diagnosed based on clinical signs such as skin lesions that are red, inflamed, and oozing with a foul-smelling discharge. If necessary, bacterial culture of the lesions can confirm the diagnosis and help identify the causative organism for producing an autogenous vaccine.
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Differential diagnoses for exudative Dermatitis in pigs include sarcoptic mange, zinc deficiency (parakeratosis), ringworm, and porcine juvenile pustular psoriaform Dermatitis. It is important to distinguish exudative Dermatitis from other skin conditions to ensure proper treatment and prevent the spread to other pigs.
Treatment and Control of Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease
- Antibiotics to control Greasy Pig Disease, like amoxicillin, erythromycin, penicillin, tylosin, and cephalosporins may be effective, but antibiotic resistance is common, so treatment selection should be guided by susceptibility testing.
- Daily spraying of antiseptics like chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine may be enough for mild cases.
- Severe cases require high-dose antibiotics for 7-10 days and oral fluids to prevent dehydration.
- In-contact pigs should also be sprayed and may require antibiotics.
- Hygiene, disinfection, and ventilation are essential to control outbreaks.
- Other procedures like clipping needle teeth, providing soft bedding, segregating infected animals, and avoiding mixing can decrease the severity.
- Autogenous bacterins can reduce disease incidence in chronically infected herds.
Preventive and Management Measures to Control Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease
- Minimize mixing and moving to reduce fighting, maintain stable groups, and provide free access to feed, water, and lying space
- Clip or grind teeth within the first three days of life to reduce skin damage from fighting
- Reduce fighting at weaning by temporarily leaving pigs in the dark, washing them with soap or disinfectant, or spraying them with deodorant
- Wash pigs with disinfectant to reduce skin contamination and the risk of secondary infections
- Ensure appropriate flooring to prevent lesions around the feet
- Use strategic medication in-feed or in-water in farms with long-standing problems
- Prepare autogenous or farm-specific vaccines for sows or young pigs in some cases
- Correct trigger factors, such as skin damage, as a priority to prevent outbreaks.
Vaccination Schedule for Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease in Pig/Swine
Exudative Dermatitis (greasy pig disease) in pigs/swine has no marketed vaccine. Autogenous bacterins from the causative organism isolated from affected pigs can lower disease incidence in chronically infected herds. Keeping pigs in stable groups, giving them free feed, water, and lying area, and clipping or grinding teeth reduces fighting. Weaner housing should have good flooring and hygiene, and farms with long-term issues may benefit from strategic medicine. Antibiotic sensitivity testing and high doses of antibiotics early in the disease’s course should direct treatment.
Impact of Exudative Dermatitis (Greasy Pig Disease) Disease
Pigs between the ages of 5 and 60 days old can develop generalized Dermatitis called the exudative epidermis, which has a morbidity rate of 10%-90% and a mortality rate of 5%-90% upon sudden start. Suckling piglets are more likely to contract the acute form, while matured pigs are more likely to contract the chronic form—the disease affecting most of the world’s pig-rearing regions.
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Conclusion
Exudative Dermatitis, or Greasy Pig Disease, is a staphylococcal pig infection that causes nonpruritic pustules. Treatment with antibiotics and antiseptic sprays is available, but improved management, vaccination, and preventive measures are key to controlling the disease.
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