Lice in pigs: signs of flea damage and methods of diagnosis, treatment

Ectoparasites are the scourge of almost all mammals, and pets are no exception. The presence of lice in domestic pigs is a reason to sound the alarm, because these parasites not only cause discomfort to the animal, but can also cause the development of dangerous diseases. How to quickly get rid of lice on the body of a pig and prevent the appearance of uninvited guests again?

Why are ectoparasites dangerous for pigs

Ectoparasites - fleas and lice - often live on the body of pigs. The latter are the cause of the development of hematotopinosis in the animal. Hematopinosis (simply speaking - lice) is a disease provoked by insects of the species Haematopinus suis that parasitize on the body of pigs.This causative agent of hematopinosis is considered one of the largest representatives of the lice order. Males can reach a length of 4.5 mm, females - up to 5 mm. A female pig louse is able to lay 4-7 eggs per day (up to 100 eggs in a lifetime). An hour after hatching, the larva begins to suck the pig's blood.

Note. Pig louse is the only kind of lice that can drink the blood of not only pigs, but also humans. But people are not considered typical hosts for lice, and therefore the period of their parasitism on the human body is short.

In the process of sucking blood, lice make punctures in the body of a pig, after which they damage the blood vessels and inject their saliva into the wound. The latter is considered toxic and prevents pig blood from clotting.

Moving through the body of an animal, lice irritate the nerve endings and provoke severe itching. Itchy places of the pig are combed on various surfaces. With strong combing, the surface of the skin is often injured, the sebaceous and sweat glands are destroyed.Pathogenic microorganisms penetrate the cracks in the skin, as a result of which the pig often becomes ill with pyoderma, furunculosis or eczema. Pigs suffering from severe itching have a worsening appetite, they lose weight and become more susceptible to various diseases. In addition, the pig louse often acts as a carrier of pathogens of invasive and infectious diseases (erysipelas, salmonellosis, swine fever, helminthiasis).

Signs of defeat

You can determine that a pig is suffering from an invasion of lice by the following signs:

1. Severe itching. Small wounds and long thin red scratches can be traced on the skin of a sick animal.
2. The presence of eggs. They are well tracked on the skin of white breed pigs. As a rule, lice lay their eggs on delicate areas of the body: on the stomach, behind the ears.
3. Adult lice can be seen with the naked eye - they are black or brown insects, the body length of which, on average, reaches 3-4 mm.

In addition to these signs, the farmer may notice blanching of the skin of animals or, conversely, areas covered with reddish spots. A large number of lice can cause anemia in the animal, especially in piglets. The animal may become lethargic, suffering from lack of appetite.

Diagnostic Methods

The diagnosis of hematopinosis is made upon detection of typical clinical signs (peeling of the skin, itching, presence of hairless places on the body of the animal, dermatitis). The main sign of the disease is adult lice and their clutches found on the body of a pig.

Hematopinosis must be differentiated from scabies, ringworm, eczema.

Rules for the treatment of parasitic disease

The first thing a farmer needs to do is to separate infected pigs from other pigs. In order to eliminate the symptoms of hematopinosis, the following drugs are used:

• Doramectin;
• Phosmet;
• Amitraz;
• Vermectin.

In the process of preparing a disinfectant solution from these insecticides, you must follow the safety rules and follow the instructions.

In addition to directly treating the skin of pigs, you need to disinfect the walls and floor of the barn with the resulting solution. Hexachloran or similar preparations can also be used for disinfection. The bedding on which the animal sleeps is recommended to be burned. Pigs must not be in the barn during house processing.

He althy young piglets should also be treated with one of these solutions. This procedure is carried out for the purpose of prevention.

After 3 weeks after the initial treatment with an antiparasitic drug, you need to re-treat. Previously infected individuals can be combined with he althy ones 3 weeks after re-disinfection.

Folk treatments

Some anti-hematopinosis medications are prohibited for use in young animals or pregnant pigs. Farmers often eliminate lice from tiny piglets or sows with traditional methods. So, for example, at an early stage of diagnosing hematopinosis, parasites are removed by combing. Vegetable oil and kerosene can be used to treat the body of animals. These ingredients are mixed in equal proportions and distributed over the skin of a sick individual.

Green soap and tar are considered good remedies against parasites. To prepare the medicine, you need to mix 10 grams of soap with 100 grams of tar and dissolve the ingredients in 1 liter of warm water. The disadvantage of traditional therapies is that such remedies destroy adult lice, but do not affect their eggs. Therefore, after the initial treatment, it is imperative to repeat the procedure for a more thorough destruction of harmful insects.

Prevention measures

To prevent the infection of pigs with head lice, preventive measures should be taken:

1. Control the humidity in the barn. Lice breed well in a humid environment, so pigs should be kept dry in their homes.
2. Animals are examined for parasites several times a month, even if there are no visual signs of their presence.
3. Pig housing should be cleaned regularly.
4. It is recommended to wash animals with clean water once a month.
5. In winter, when pigs are not allowed to graze or go outside, the barn in which they are kept should be well lit.

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