Treatment of newborn piglet diseases
Newborn piglets face many health challenges in their first days of life. Their immature immune systems combined with environmental stressors create favorable conditions for disease to develop. Proper treatment during this critical period can not only save the piglet’s life but also lay the foundation for healthy growth.
Controlling E. coli Infection
E. coli infection is one of the most common and dangerous threats to newborn piglets. E. coli diarrhea in newborn piglets usually occurs in the first four days of life, when piglets are exposed to bacteria from heavily contaminated farrowing environments and from the mother’s skin. In particular, litters of gilts are more susceptible than litters of adult sows, with an average infection rate of 30-40% and up to 80% in some herds.
The disease progresses rapidly, with diarrhoea appearing just 2-3 hours after infection. Therefore, early intervention is of utmost importance. Affected piglets typically present with the following symptoms:
- Profuse, watery, clear or white/brown diarrhoea
- Severe dehydration in severe cases
- Mortality can be as high as 70% in affected litters
Treatment should be initiated at the first sign of diarrhoea. According to veterinary protocols, the use of oral or injectable antibiotics is the mainstay of treatment. However, oral glucose-based electrolyte solutions are equally important in treating dehydration and acidosis. In severe outbreaks, prophylactic treatment may be required for all piglets immediately after birth.
It is particularly important to provide electrolytes to piglets via drinking water as an important first step, especially when rotavirus diarrhoea is present. Clean water should be provided 2-3 times daily in separate trays to ensure hygiene. If piglets are being fed milk replacer in the early days and develop diarrhoea, this should be stopped immediately as milk may worsen the condition.
Treatment of iron deficiency anaemia
Iron deficiency is an almost inevitable problem in piglets housed in closed pens. Newborn piglets have very small iron stores – about 50 mg – which is only enough to meet their needs for the first 3-4 days. Meanwhile, with rapid growth, piglets need 7-16 mg of iron per day, but breast milk only provides about 1 mg/day.
Signs of iron deficiency include:
Deterioration of physical condition, weak vocalization
Unsteady gait, cold skin
Severe cases can lead to convulsions, foaming at the mouth, coma and death
Prevention by iron supplementation is the most effective method.
Normally, iron is provided by injection or oral route on the 3rd-5th day after birth. The injection method (intramuscular injection) ensures an accurate dose of 200 mg of iron, usually injected into the neck muscle to avoid contaminating the valuable meat area. Meanwhile, the oral method requires multiple doses in the first two weeks and is less effective due to limited iron absorption in the small intestine in the early stages of life.
For piglets that are already anemic, a combination of intravenous fluids and iron supplementation should be given immediately.
Immunicated iron dextran at a dose of 300-500 mg (depending on age) is often most effective. Without timely intervention, severely anemic piglets can develop thin heart walls, pulmonary edema, and death.
Managing congenital malformations
Congenital malformations affect about 1.5% of piglets in most herds, but the actual number may be as high as 3% if well documented. These defects are present at birth and require prompt intervention to increase the chances of survival.
Splayleg (congenital muscular dystrophy)
is one of the most common deformities, especially in the Landrace breed. There are several different forms of the condition:
- Splayleg (most common): The hind legs are splayed to the sides and pointed forward
- Splayleg: Affects the ability to suckle
- Star form: Both the front and hind legs are splayed, making it impossible for the pig to stand
Treatment: Tape the hind legs together above the knee joint in a figure-8 shape, with moderate firmness for 2-4 days. With proper treatment, piglets usually recover within a week. However, the recovery rate is significantly reduced if the forelimbs are also affected.
In addition to clubfoot, other congenital anomalies such as syndactyly, cleft palate, and skeletal dysplasia often accompany other anomalies. Although the cause may be genetic, environmental factors may also contribute, including intrauterine viral infections, mycotoxins, or glucocorticoid use during pregnancy.
To deal with any health problems in newborn piglets, ensuring that they receive enough colostrum is the most important factor. Piglets require at least 100 ml of colostrum per kg of body weight in the first 16 hours after birth. Colostrum not only provides essential nutrients but also contains important antibodies that help piglets fight disease during the risky first days of life.
Managing the health of suckling piglets
As piglets move through their first week of life, they face a new set of health challenges that require specific treatments. Suckling piglets are still susceptible to many diseases that can severely impact their growth and survival if not treated promptly.
Effective treatment of coccidiosis
Coccidiosis, mainly caused by Isospora suis, affects piglets between 5 and 15 days of age. This parasitic infection damages the intestinal wall, resulting in diarrhea that ranges in consistency from creamy to watery to pale yellow. Without appropriate intervention, mortality rates can be as high as 20% in both indoor and outdoor systems.
Diagnosis of coccidiosis is challenging because clinical signs often appear before oocysts can be detected in the faeces. The condition should be suspected when piglets 7-21 days of age present with diarrhoea and do not respond well to antibiotic treatment. For definitive confirmation, laboratory examination of intestinal tissue is required rather than relying solely on stool examination.
Treatments include:
Toltrazuril (20 mg/kg orally, given once) for infected pigs
Amprolium (10-25 mg/kg orally for 4-5 days)
Sulfonamides for affected herds
Prevention: Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the farrowing area is essential. Unlike many other pathogens, coccidial oocysts are resistant to most disinfectants, however, products such as OO-CIDE are still effective. The use of Toltrazuril in piglets from 3 to 5 days of age can significantly reduce the amount of oocysts excreted and the incidence of diarrhea. Notably, recent studies have shown that the combination of Amprol and Sul-Q-Nox can significantly reduce the coccidia burden in suckling piglets, with an efficacy comparable to Ponazuril.
Control of exudative dermatitis
Exudative dermatitis (greasy pig disease) mainly affects piglets from a few days old to eight weeks of age. Caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus hyicus, which penetrates the skin through damaged areas and creates characteristic skin lesions with a greasy, brown surface.
The bacterial infection begins when the bacteria penetrates damaged skin areas, often due to the following causes:
Sharp teeth scratching the skin during the fight for the mother’s breast
Knee scratches when searching for milk
Poor quality barn floors causing skin lesions
Improper iron injection and tooth trimming techniques
Initial symptoms: Small dark areas of skin appear, localized around the face or limbs. As the disease progresses, the skin on the flanks, abdomen and between the legs turns brown, gradually spreading over the entire body. The skin becomes greasy, wrinkled and in severe cases may turn black due to necrosis. Heavily infected piglets often die, with a survival rate of only about 50%.
Treatment:
- Immediately isolate affected herds
- Administer parenteral antibiotics based on the results of antibiotic sensitivity testing for 5 consecutive days or every other day with long-acting antibiotics
- Use topical antibiotics to support treatment
- Oral electrolyte supplementation to rehydrate, as infected piglets are often severely dehydrated
Control of diarrhea
Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of death and reduced growth rate in suckling piglets. There are many different pathogens that cause this condition, the most common of which are:
- E. coli (48.6%)
- Clostridium perfringens (33.9%)
- Rotavirus
First, rehydration is the cornerstone of treating diarrhea. Providing electrolyte solutions through drinking water is an important first step, especially for diarrhea caused by rotavirus. This solution should be provided 2-3 times daily in separate trays to ensure cleanliness and freshness.
Treatment of infection: Depending on the severity of the outbreak, the following methods may be used:
- Individual cases: Administer appropriate antibiotics orally
- Rapidly spreading disease: Administer antibiotics initially orally, then mix the medication into drinking water for widespread treatment
Improving environmental conditions also plays an important role in the recovery process. Diarrhea makes the barn damp and cold, so regular use of desiccant powder and addition of dry shredded paper will help create a more favorable environment for the affected piglets.
Ultimately, controlling diarrhea in suckling piglets requires a comprehensive approach, focusing on both symptom control and finding the root cause. In nearly 95% of cases, diarrhea is associated with multiple pathogens at the same time, which emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis before initiating treatment.
