Recognizing Signs/Symptoms of Health Issues -Breeding
Introduction
Early and accurate recognition of sow health issues will help improve timely treatment and recovery. Caretakers should be able to recognize disease symptoms (example: loss of appetite) and signs (example: pus discharge) and make an appropriate “next-steps” decision at that time.
Safety
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that should be used to help ensure safety throughout the process for Recognizing Signs/Symptoms of Health Issues - Breeding include exam gloves, protective eyewear, safety toe boots, and a dust mask.
Wear gloves when examining sows to prevent the potential spread of infectious diseases. Caretakers should be aware that sows may become aggressive during handling.
Preparation
To prepare for the process, be sure to have a thermometer ready.
Procedure
Observe sows daily, look for the following symptoms and signs of potential health issues:
- Inability or reluctance to rise/walk
- Splaying
- Holding leg up
- Swollen joint(s)
- Injured toes
- Feed remaining in feeder/trough
- Weakness
- Reduced or nodrinking of water
- Vomiting
- Abnormal behavior (need to define or refer)
- Constipation
- Abnormal feces (bloody/watery)
- Feces smell exceptionally foul
- Cough
- Nasal discharge
- Increased effort to breathe
- Fever
- Not eating
- Weakness
- Rectal: abnormal protrusion of
rectum and/or colon through rectum.
- Uterine: abnormal protrusion of
vagina and/or uterus through vulva.
- Bladder: abnormal protrusion of
bladder through vulva.
- Farrowing before 112 days of
gestation
- Weak-born, dome-head piglets
- Sores on shoulders or legs
- Scabs
- Scratching
- Rash
- Discoloration
- Not eating
- Fever
- Hard, red swollen udder
- Abnormal vaginal dischargemore than 5
days post-farrowing
Discharge smells exceptionally foul
Discharge is abnormal color (brown,
yellow, cloudy)
- No milk
Follow treatment protocol to properly treat the animal’s condition. Take the temperature of any animal that you suspect may be feverish. Watch your hand/arm position to help prevent a potential injury if the animal moves.
- Place the thermometer in animal’s rectum until thermometer beeps (if using a digital thermometer), or for 2 minutes (if using mercury-type thermometer).
- Temperature greater than 104.5 F indicates a fever.
Follow-up
Contact your supervisor and follow the operation’s herd health plan and treatment protocol if any potential health issues are noticed. If injections are needed as a treatment, follow the steps outlined in the Pig Injections protocol.