The causative agent and causes of scabies in pigs, symptoms and treatment methods
Animal farmers often experience scabies in pigs. It seems to many that this is a frivolous disease that can even be left untreated. However, it is imperative to treat scabies, since it causes a lot of discomfort to piglets.
The causative agent of scabies
Before you start treating the disease, you need to familiarize yourself with its causative agent in more detail. In young animals, scabies appears due to an intradermal mite. This parasite looks like most common ticks, but its body length does not even reach one millimeter. His body has an oval shape, it is slightly flattened. Parasites have a gnawing mouth apparatus, thanks to which they gnaw through the skin surface and penetrate into it.
First, parasites enter the surface layer of the skin's epidermis. Then they create special moves in it that allow them to move. During movement, females begin to lay eggs under the skin. During her entire life, each female leaves behind about sixty eggs. Over time, small larvae appear from them. After a week and a half, adults grow out of them, which are able to fertilize.
Adult mites come to the surface of the skin and fertilize the female. Then they make new passages under the skin and re-lay eggs in it. This is repeated until the pig dies.
Reasons for infection
People who want to breed gilts should be familiar with the causes of scabies. The main source of infection for small and adult gilts is considered to be infected with ticks piglets. In some already grown wild boars, the disease is asymptomatic and therefore it is difficult to determine whether they are sick with something or not. Such animals pose a serious threat to the entire livestock. Therefore, if the piglets itch too often, it is necessary to isolate them from the rest of the herd and monitor them.
The spread of the disease occurs after the contact of sick animals with healthy ones. Often, sows infect small suckling pigs that feed on breast milk. Sometimes itch mites enter the pigsty through people's clothing or through equipment that is used inside the barn. Scabies can also be carried by rodents, which often enter pigsties and dig holes in them. If there are a lot of mice and rats in the room, the chance of contracting scabies is 95-100%. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly disinfect the barn and get rid of rodents.
Symptoms of the disease in pigs
In order to diagnose scabies in piglets in a timely manner, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the main symptoms of the disease.At first, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, and the animal looks quite healthy. However, over time, redness appears on the surface of the skin in the form of red dots. These are the places where the mites began to penetrate the skin. Many farmers are oblivious to such red footprints. In summer they are mistaken for insect bites. However, the red spots that appear during scabies are different, for example, from mosquito bites. Itchy marks are located in pairs on the skin, and not separately.
Gradually, red spots spread throughout the piglets' body. Most often they appear near the snout, behind the ears and near the eyes. If you do not treat scabies, scabs appear in places with redness. Then sarcoptic mange appears throughout the body and begins to itch severely. Because of this, some pigs develop neurological disorders and become more aggressive. Sometimes sick animals attack people.
If you do not pay attention to the above symptoms and do not treat, sick piglets may die.
Diagnostic methods
The disease can be diagnosed by the symptoms that appear in sick piglets. However, special laboratory tests will have to be carried out to confirm the diagnosis. To confirm the diagnosis, skin scrapings taken from the affected areas with scabs are sent to the laboratory. You can also take scrapings from the auricles, as they can be used to establish a more accurate diagnosis.
If the first time it was not possible to confirm the presence of parasites, you will have to retest. It is done no earlier than three weeks later. In this case, skin scrapings are also sent for analysis. If scabies is suspected, a differential diagnosis should be made. This will help rule out other illnesses with similar symptoms.
These include the following:
- dermatitis;
- lichen;
- lice;
- demodicosis.
How to treat scabies in pigs
Before you start treating the disease, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic methods for eliminating scabies.
Pharmacy products
To cure the disease, you can use special pharmacy products. Among the most effective drugs are the following:
- Doramectin. Many veterinarians use Doramectin to treat scabies in piglets. It is an injectable product that is injected subcutaneously. The recommended dosage should not exceed 0.3 milligrams for every 35 kilograms of weight. It is necessary to inject every two weeks. During treatment with "Doramectin" it is contraindicated to give piglets other pharmaceutical products.
- Ivermectin. It is a universal feed additive suitable for young gilts and adult piglets. It is added to compound feed no more than once a week. The dosage is 0.1 milligram per kilogram of pig body weight.
- "Acaricide". Such a product is used to spray animals. Before carrying out the procedure, it is necessary to remove all inventory, bedding, food leftovers, water and feeders from the pigsty. This is done so that pigs do not accidentally get poisoned in the future. Spraying is carried out every seven days for a month.
- "Tactician". This drug is also used for spraying. However, with its help, not animals are treated, but the floors and walls of the pigsty. This will help kill the mites that may be living inside the barn. Before using "Tactic" is diluted with water. For this, 10 milliliters of the drug are dissolved in ten liters of liquid.
Traditional methods of treatment
Sometimes people do not have the opportunity to use pharmacy drugs. In this case, you can use equally effective folk remedies:
- Gunpowder with sour cream. During the preparation of the medicinal product, the ingredients are mixed in a ratio of three to one.Then the mixture is infused for three hours, after which it is treated with the affected skin with a scab.
- Garlic tincture. To prepare the tincture, mix 100 grams of chopped garlic with 450 milliliters of mustard oil. The mixture is boiled and boiled for half an hour. When it cools down, it is applied to damaged skin.
- Hellebore. Plant roots are crushed and mixed with melted bacon. Then the liquid is left to cool, after which it is applied to the spots of the skin with spots. It is impossible to rub the product strongly into the skin, as this will cause it to itch even more.
- Laundry soap. It is pre-grated and added to boiling water. Then crushed garlic with onions is poured into the solution. Stir everything, leave for half an hour and use it to rub the skin.
Prevention of scabies
There are the following preventive measures to help avoid scabies:
- do not breed piglets in unsuitable premises;
- regularly check animals for parasites;
- add more foods that contain calcium to the diet;
- inspect animals regularly;
- periodically wash the pigs in warm water;
- monitor the humidity inside the barn;
- treat the premises with drugs to destroy parasites.
Conclusion
Scabies is a common disease that often occurs in pigs. Before curing animals, you need to understand the features of this disease, as well as familiarize yourself with the basic remedies for scabies.
