Why does a pig grit its teeth: what is the reason and what to do, how to treat

Piglets may occasionally grind their teeth while eating. In some cases, this indicates the presence of diseases in young animals that can lead to the death of the animal. But in order to find the right treatment, you must first find out why piglets grind their teeth. But before starting therapy for young animals, it is recommended to observe the animals for some time, paying attention to additional symptoms.

Pig grinds his teeth: what is the reason

Teeth grinding in piglets is mainly due to the following reasons:

• malposition of teeth (malocclusion);
• chewing muscles reduced convulsions or spasms;
• incorrect diet;
• worm infestation.

It is difficult to identify the true cause of squeaking without a specialized examination. This is partly because piglets often make these sounds out of boredom.

It is possible to decide what to do in such cases only after other signs of a possible disease appear in addition to the indicated symptom.

Misaligned teeth

This is a common cause of squeaky teeth. However, an abnormal bite can only be detected after examining the piglet at the dentist. Monitoring the herd helps to rule out the presence of comorbidities that cause young pigs to grind their teeth.

If only one pig makes this sound, it may indicate the presence of an abnormal bite.To diagnose such a deviation, it is necessary to examine the jaw of the animal. With an abnormal bite, noticeable notches or wounds left by the teeth remain on the soft tissues of the mouth. Treatment in such cases is recommended immediately, since without adequate therapy, permanent damage to the mucous membrane is fraught with the development of abscesses (suppuration). And you can't do anything on your own. The profile doctor should restore the shape of the teeth.

In order to prevent abnormal bite, it is recommended to give young animals small portions of coal. To do this, adult animals are hung with a metal chain around their neck.

Boredom

Teeth grinding is typical for compact paddocks, in which a large number of young animals have accumulated in a limited space. Pigs in such conditions become aggressive, which is why fights between animals become more frequent. The solution to this problem will be to increase the living area of young animals.

Also grinding of teeth is possible when the piglet is resting. This sound comes from boredom. It is not necessary to treat animals in such circumstances, provided that there are no other abnormal phenomena. That is, therapy is not needed when the young are active and eat normally.

Spasms and cramps of chewing muscles

When the above causes of grinding in pigs are excluded, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the piglets. If, while eating or at rest, uncontrollable twitching of the cheeks is observed in animals, then this indicates convulsions or muscle spasms. Such symptoms arise due to neurological disorders or are due to the physiological characteristics of a particular piglet. An animal with these disorders should be seen by a doctor.

Diet Mistakes

Teeth grinding is possible due to the wrong diet.This phenomenon occurs against the background of pain localized in the abdomen. Under these conditions, the animal experiences discomfort, which provokes aggression, and, as a result, gnashing of teeth. Basically, the described phenomenon is typical for piglets whose diet does not change for a long time and contains the same products.

If young animals grind their teeth intensely, this may indicate a stomach ulcer. This pathology provokes severe pain and develops against the background of constant consumption of dry and ground feed. In addition to intense gnashing, the course of peptic ulcer disease is accompanied by a sharp decrease in appetite, the release of bloody feces and a depressed state of the animal.

In addition to the indicated pathology, an improper diet leads to the development of gastroenteritis. The disease occurs against the background of the early transfer of young animals to adult nutrition or a deficiency of vitamins A and group B.

Worms

Teeth grinding is less likely to occur due to helminthic invasion. More often, infection provokes:

• weight loss;
• wheezing;
• intense itching from the anus (the animal constantly scratches this area);
• flatulence and diarrhea;
• pronounced cough after exercise;
• increased nervousness.

Treatment for helminthic invasion is selected taking into account the type of helminths.

How to solve the problem?

Treatment of young animals from teeth grinding should be prescribed by a veterinarian, taking into account the cause that caused this phenomenon. Basically, therapy comes down to correcting the daily diet and changing the conditions of detention. In case of detection of helminthic invasion, the following drugs are prescribed:

1. Hygrovetin. It is used in the treatment and prevention of helminthic invasion.
2. Tetramisol. It is prescribed in case of detection of ascariasis (infection with ascaris).
3. Levamisole. Injectable solution recommended for nematode infestations.
4. Alben. The drug is prescribed in cases where it was not possible to identify the type of worms.
5. Invermek. The drug has a strong effect on the body. Therefore, the dosage of the medicine is calculated based on the age and weight of the pig.

If the gnashing is due to the incorrect position of the teeth, then the latter are ground using the methods described above. For muscle spasms, drugs are used that normalize nerve conduction.

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