1. Several common parasites and diseases can affect swine.
What are common parasites and diseases that affect swine, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
Several common parasites and diseases can affect swine.
Good management systems and prevention programs can control these.
A. Among common parasites affecting swine are lice.
Animals infested with lice can itch, their hair can become rough and thin, and scabs may be evident.
Lice are commonly found on the root of the tail, on the thighs, and on the neck and ears.
These parasites are most likely to show up in the winter months.
Pesticides are administered to treat and help control lice.

2. B. An internal parasite lives inside an animal.
What are common parasites and diseases that affect swine, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
B. An internal parasite lives inside an animal.
Internal parasites can enter an animal when it consumes contaminated feed or eats off a dirty floor.
Hogs on pasture lots are more likely to ingest parasites.
Examples of internal parasites that affect swine are roundworms, tapeworms, and other worms.
These parasites will live in the intestines and the stomach.
Cleanliness of pens, waterers, and feeders is essential for prevention.
Wormers are medications used for treatments.

3. What are common parasites and diseases that affect swine, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
C. Diseases can drastically affect a swine herd.
Veterinarians help producers manage herd health in the presence of diseases.
1. Brucellosis (Bangs) is a disease that causes abortion in sows and enlarged lymph nodes in hogs.
A diagnosis is made through blood testing.
There is no vaccine for porcine brucellosis.
Prevention should include routine testing and buying only brucellosis-free animals.
2. Hog cholera is a highly contagious blood infection.
In 1961, Public Law was passed to eliminate hog cholera in the United States.
By 1978, the USDA declared the United States to be free of hog cholera.
No treatment exists.
Any hog with this deadly virus is destroyed by a proper federal official.
Signs of this virus are high fever, vomiting, and depression.

4. What are common parasites and diseases that affect swine, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
3. Leptospirosis is a disease that causes high fever and bloody urine in swine and leads to abortion in sows.
A vaccination program administered twice a year is highly recommended to control leptospirosis.
Blood testing can determine if a herd is infected.
Treatment, which includes antibiotics, should be prescribed by a veterinarian.
4. Pneumonia lesions is a type of pneumonia. Secondary infections often result from this form of pneumonia.
Signs are cough and lung abrasions.
The disease can increase the presence of lungworms and larvae within the lungs.
There is no true control, but antibiotics can be used to decrease the infections.

5. What are common parasites and diseases that affect swine, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
5. Pseudorabies is a viral disease that can infect swine, cattle, and sheep.
Hogs can be carriers of the virus for a long period.
Blood testing pigs is important to determine the presence of this virus.
Newborn pigs with pseudorabies have normal appearance but die within 6 to 24 hours.
Signs for older animals are fever, depression, vomiting, and nesting.
Sows will abort unborn pigs.
A well-managed vaccination program should be followed for prevention.
There is no treatment for this disease.

6. What are common parasites and diseases that affect swine, and what are appropriate prevention and treatment methods?
6. Swine dysentery is caused by a bacterium and affects all ages of swine.
Signs of this disease are diarrhea, loss of appetite, and fever.
Bloody diarrhea and death can occur.
Isolating new animals from the herd and following proper sanitation procedures are good preventive measures.
Antibiotics are used in treatment.
7. Swine erysipelas is a disease commonly infecting young, growing pigs, but it can infect all ages.
This disease is classified into three forms: acute, subacute, and chronic.
Symptoms are fever, vomiting, stiffness, and swelling of the joints.
Pigs will show pain when they move.
A vaccination program should be used to prevent this disease.
Antibiotics can treat the acute and subacute forms of erysipelas; however, no treatment exists for the chronic form.