Symptoms of helminthic infestation in pigs and treatment methods for infestation
Pigs have been kept as farm animals for a long time. Due to the high calorie content of meat and a greasy layer, they are often bred by both large enterprises and private livestock breeders. Like most domestic animals, artiodactyls are susceptible to infection by various parasites.
Worms in pigs
Roundworms are in the first place among harmful organisms. Worms in pigs can appear for various reasons, but most often this is due to a violation of sanitary standards for maintenance, poor-quality feed and lack of prevention. In the treatment of ascariasis, both medications and alternative methods are used.
Types of nematodes in pigs
Before starting treatment, you should determine what kind of worms in farm pigs. Some of them have special signs of being in the body and are excreted by separate drugs. The most famous nematode species in artiodactyls are the following:
- Pork roundworm. These are white roundworms 40 cm long. They affect the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx of the animal.
- Genus Globocephalus. These are smooth worms no more than 8 mm in length. They attach to the intestinal walls using pig blood.
- Genus Gnathostoma. Roundworms of brown color, 10 mm long. They enter the body of artiodactyls after consuming other carriers: frogs, fish or snakes. Habitat - stomach.
- Genus Oesophagostomum. Roundworms up to 20 mm in size. They attack the digestive system, creating nodular growths on the walls of the stomach and intestines. These parasites are deadly to an animal if they enter the liver.
- Pork tapeworm is a tapeworm that leaves behind cysts in the internal organs of an artiodactyl. In pigs, the helminth lives only in the larval stage.
Ways of infection of pigs with parasites
Worms in pigs and piglets share common routes of transmission. The most common cause of infection is violation of the rules for keeping farm animals. Among them are:
- keeping the herd in a dirty barn;
- poor-quality disinfection of drinkers and feeders;
- a large number of artiodactyls in tight corrals;
- poor quality feed;
- lack of antiglust prophylaxis.
A favorable habitat for worms is the feces of adult animals, dirty water or grass in the pasture. Most often, parasites enter the body of a cloven-hoofed animal in the form of eggs, which are called "cysts". The roundworm egg does not pose a danger to pigs at rest, however, if the cysts are in the environment they need for development, then very soon worms may appear from them.
First of all, such parasites are dangerous for piglets and pregnant sows.Young animals do not have strong immunity, unlike adults, and worms can cause various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Worms in piglets without surgical treatment can be fatal.
Also, for dairy-fed cubs, a sow is a danger, since worms can enter the body of young animals through the mother's milk. The female undergoes mandatory preventive treatment a month before giving birth.
Also, worms can get to the farm through newly acquired individuals. In the first week, new artiodactyls should be kept in the quarantine zone. In addition to being tested for other diseases, all pigs are treated for worms. The procedure is repeated 1.5 months after the purchase of the animals.
Symptoms of the disease of pigs worms
First of all, infected individuals gain weight poorly and eat little. Worms in pigs and piglets have the following symptoms:
- artiodactyls develop coughing and wheezing;
- body temperature rises;
- the animal is rapidly losing weight;
- pigs begin to itch and do not come into contact with the general herd;
- in some individuals, the level of aggression increases.
Ascariasis is dangerous because the first symptom is often mistaken for a cold. This is due to the fact that parasites very quickly begin to lay down cysts that move along the nasopharynx and throat. Because of this, the treatment of the disease is significantly slowed down, which gives the roundworm time to breed throughout the body. When cleaning the barn, you should look at the manure for worms: roundworms have a long body shape and white color. Such worms are very visible in animal feces. Beginners in animal husbandry are advised to look at photos of different types of parasites in order to determine the degree of danger to the animal.
Symptoms of a helminth or roundworm infestation include the pig's nervous behavior. Potentially infected individuals should be screened as many types of helminths do not remain in animal feces.
Some parasites lead to an increase in appetite, but the artiodactyl continues to lose weight at the same time. The thirst of pigs may also increase.
Signs of ascariasis are often mild in the early stages of the disease, so prevention of the disease should be carried out.
Medical treatment of helminthic infestation in pigs
Before treating pigs and piglets for worms at home, you should contact your veterinarian. Depending on the type of nematode, the preparations may vary. Also, if the dosage is incorrect, drugs can destroy the microflora of the stomach of young animals. First of all, infected animals should be removed from healthy ones. If the piglets are infected, then it is imperative to treat the entire litter. There are several common drugs that can remove roundworm and helminths:
- Sodium fluorosilicon;
- Hygrovetin;
- Nilferm;
- Ivermek;
- Alben.
The most famous drug against ascaris is sodium fluorosilicate. The medicinal powder is mixed with cereal feed and given to artiodactyls at every meal.
How to give pets anthelmintic drugs
The dosage of the drug depends on the weight of the animal.
The food with the medicine is poured into the feeders, after having subjected them to treatment with disinfectants. Worms begin to die and come out naturally on the second day after taking the drug. Cleansing the gastrointestinal tract occurs within a week. The largest number of parasites emerge on the fourth day. Sodium fluorosilicate should not be given to dairy-fed cubs. It is also forbidden to treat a pregnant sow with it. This can lead to miscarriage and diseases of the reproductive system.
Gigrovetin is a food additive to conventional feed that helps to remove worms and cysts. This worm remedy is intended for pigs over 2 months old. The feed additive in powder form is mixed with conventional concentrates.Treatment continues for 2-3 months until the worms completely disappear. Young animals are given this drug for one month.
Ivermek and Nilverm are worm remedies for the treatment of suckling pigs. The medicine is a vaccine that is given to the pups subcutaneously. Injections should be given once a day.
Alben worm tablets can also be used to treat suckling pigs. This product is for babies under 5 months of age. The dosage also depends on the weight of the individual. To make it easier for the cubs to take the medication, you can crush the tablet to powder and give it in formula. The young growth is soldered until the last signs of roundworm disappear.
Traditional methods of dealing with helminths in pigs
You can get rid of parasites at home using folk remedies.
Garlic is a popular herbal product for worm control. It should be crushed and mixed with concentrates. The garlic should be dosed: pigs will not eat too spicy food.
Also, for treatment, they use such a folk remedy as tansy. This plant in the summer is given to artiodactyls in unlimited quantities. Tansy is mixed with other herbs and fed to pigs as green feed. If the symptoms of ascariasis were found in piglets, then they can be drunk with a weak decoction from this plant or a teaspoon of dry grass can be given. The duration of treatment depends on how much nematodes leave in artiodactyls. It should be soldered with a decoction of individuals for another week after the last sign of the presence of parasites.
Prevention of ascariasis in pigs
Worms can enter the body of a cloven-hoofed animal during grazing, so preventive treatment of roundworms is a very important measure. To do this, the entire herd is necessarily soldered with medications. It is also recommended to use garlic broth or tansy infusion. Deworming should take place twice a year when the season changes.
To reduce the risk of infection of cloven-hoofed worms, the following sanitary standards should be observed:
- The pens should be cleaned daily and treated with disinfectants 2 times a week. The bedding in the pens is changed every day.
- Before each serving, the feed container must be cleaned of food debris and manure.
- Once every 10 days, the pigs' feeders and drinkers are treated with boiling water.
- Pens should be regularly whitewashed with lime and treated with a solution of lye.
Infected manure should be removed with a mask and overalls, since pork roundworms can infect humans. Such feces cannot be used to fertilize plants, so the manure is burned.
If the worms were found during the slaughter of the animal, then the meat is processed depending on the type of nematodes. In some cases, part of the pork can be eaten, but the internal organs are disposed of.
Pigs that have not undergone mandatory deworming are prohibited from selling or breeding. Before selling the final product, the farmer must have confirmation from the veterinarian that the meat is fit for consumption. Any symptoms or signs of a roundworm infestation may result in restrictions being imposed on the farm.
Conclusion
Ascariasis is a common disease of farm animals. Most often, parasites infect pigs due to the uncleanliness of artiodactyls. Ascaris eggs enter the body of animals in different ways. The reason may be a violation of sanitary standards for keeping, poor-quality feed or grass for pasture.
Signs of infection are difficult to determine in the early stages of the disease, so all livestock should undergo compulsory preventive treatment. The meat of the treated animals can be eaten, but if the worms were found in the body of the pig after slaughter, then such a carcass is disposed of in most cases.