The pig does not get back on its feet: what to do and how to treat, the causes of the problem and diagnosis
Pigs, like any other animal, can get sick. There are many diseases that piglets suffer from. However, the most common problem is when they fall on their feet. Many farmers do not know what to do when the pig does not get up.
Why do pigs and piglets fail legs
Before you fix the problem, you need to familiarize yourself with the main causes of its occurrence.
Infectious diseases
The main reason why the mumps stopped getting on their feet is the emergence and development of infectious diseases. Common diseases include:
- Plague. This is a dangerous disease that a piglet suffers from at any age. If time does not start treatment, the animal may be completely paralyzed. In sick pigs, legs fail, appetite worsens and weakness appears.
- Erysipelas. The disease develops in young pigs aged 3-4 months. The animals become inflamed joints, because of which they stop walking and sit on their feet.
- Flu. With the development of swine flu, piglets may stop walking. Other symptoms are the same as in humans.
- Teschen's disease. The disease is more common in young pigs under the age of six months. Affected animals develop diarrhea, vomiting, and symptoms of rhinitis. Also, due to a decrease in body temperature and weakness, the piglet cannot rise to its feet.
Stress
If the pig sits on its hind legs, you should not immediately think that it is sick with something.Not always such a problem appears due to diseases. Sometimes this happens due to stressful situations. Most often, stress occurs in animals that live alone in a barn. Piglets also face stressful situations, which are often relocated to a new place. In this case, the animals stand up on their own immediately after the end of the stress.
Parasite
Another common reason pigs fall to their feet is parasites. Most often, small pigs encounter worms. They have a negative effect on them, since the weakened body of young animals cannot cope with the toxic effects. Because of this, they gradually become exhausted, weaken and stop walking.
In order for the pig to start getting back on its feet, it will be necessary to remove the worms from its body. To do this, they are given special preparations against parasites. Dosage is determined individually depending on the weight of the pig.
Containment Breach
If a pig fell to its feet, it is worth thinking about the conditions in which it is kept. The following can cause this problem:
- high humidity level;
- cold floor with no extra straw bedding;
- low air temperature in the barn;
- draft.
Therefore, if the barn is too cold and damp, you should insulate it or choose another room to keep the piglets.
Lack of vitamins and minerals
If a piglet's legs fail, it may be micronutrient deficient. Sometimes animals lack iron, which leads to the development of anemia. Because of this, they weaken and stop walking normally. Calcium-deficient gilts also have a problem.
Lack of this substance leads to rickets, which negatively affects the functioning of the limbs.
Diagnostic Methods
Determining the reason why a pig stopped walking is not as difficult as it might seem at first. For example, if a pig shows symptoms of one of the infectious diseases, then most likely it fell to its feet precisely because of this. Problems with stool and digestion in an animal indicate the presence of parasites.
How to deal with the problem
Troubleshooting directly depends on the causes of its occurrence:
- Infections. If the animal suffers from infectious diseases, it will have to be treated. In this case, the treatment should be prescribed by a veterinarian.
- Stress. Walking outside the barn will help relieve the pig from stress.
- Parasite. To recover from worms will help "Levamisole", which is administered intramuscularly.
- Unsuitable conditions. To improve the conditions for keeping animals, it is necessary to insulate the floor and walls. It is also recommended to organize a ventilation system so that it is not too stuffy in summer.
- Vitamin deficiency. To prevent beriberi from developing in animals, they are regularly given vitamin complexes.
Prevention
The following preventive measures are distinguished, thanks to which the piglet will not fall on its feet:
- add to the diet food that contains minerals and vitamins;
- regularly let the animals go for a walk;
- perform worming periodically;
- vaccinate to boost immunity.
Conclusion
Many hog farmers find themselves losing their footing. To get rid of this problem, you need to deal with the causes of its occurrence and with the methods of elimination.
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