Download Common Skin Lesions in Baby Pigs - Iowa State University Digital

Volume 23 | Issue 3
Article 4
1961
Common Skin Lesions in Baby Pigs
William S. Monlux
Iowa State University
John C. Peckham
Iowa Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
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Recommended Citation
Monlux, William S. and Peckham, John C. (1961) "Common Skin Lesions in Baby Pigs," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 23: Iss.
3, Article 4.
Available at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol23/iss3/4
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•
Skin Lesions
Baby Pigs
1n
William S. Monlux D.V.M., PhD.*
John C. Peckham D.V.M.**
pig disease and parakeratosis
G reasy
focused considerable attention on the
skin of the pig and pointed out how critical <:!utaneous disease can be. The importance of other skin lesions in baby pigs
is often overlooked and considerable mortality may occur before their significance
is recognized.
Epitheliogenesis imperfect a (Fig. 1) is
a very common cutaneous defect in the
baby pig. In many instances it is probably
a heritable cutaneous skin lesion. Because
the new born pig is without appreciable
amounts of hair, the skin lesion is often
overlooked. At other times, even though
the skin is observed to be absent in an
area, it is speculated that the skin was lost
as the result of an injury received during
birth. Stillborn pigs often show this epi-
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,
,
,
thelial defect thus indicating that more
than one disturbance in development may
be present.
Since the area of the body over which
the imperfection occurs lacks the cutaneous barrier against bacterial invasion and
since the humoral and cellular defenses
of the baby pig are poorly developed at
this time, it is just a matter of a few hours
or at most a few days before death occurs
from septicemia.
..
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Fig. 2. Facial dermatitis
Fig. l. Epithelogcnesis imperCecta
* Dr. Monlux is a professor in Veterinary
Pathology at Iowa State University.
* * Dr. Peckham is an instructor in the Iowa
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Ames, Iowa.
Issue, 3 1960-61
A very common skin disease is the
facial dermatitis (Fig. 2) occurring on the
lateral sides of the face of nursing pigs as
the result of injury from tusks. The struggling baby pigs, in very close proximity
to each other and competing for udder
space and time, lacerate their litter mates
with their tusks. The sides of the face become covered with milk , saliva and blood.
137
Contaminating bacteria from the bedding
and the skin of the sow grow and multiply
in this medium and invade the skin
wounds. Soon the area becomes covered
with a thick crust of exudate. Staphylococci are especially common invaders. The
result is a focal ulcerative dermatitis or a
rapidly spreading phlegmon of the head
and neck. In either case death may be the
result. Quite often this cutaneous lesion
is the source of b2.cteria which localize in
joints and cause a polyarthritis. The facial
injury can be prevented by removing the
tusks from the baby pigs before the lacerations have been inflicted.
Another equally important cutaneous
lesion, which is often overlooked, is the
abrasion which occurs in the skin of the
anterior surface of the knees of baby pigs.
This abrasion occurs when the pigs,
actively competing for udder space and
time, rub their knees on the floor. As they
push and slide back and forth on the floor,
extensive injury to the skin over the carpal
joints occurs (Fig. 3). Concrete floors,
because of their rough surface, cause the
greatest amount of injury. Adequate bedding will prevent this type of injury.
result. From this initial lesion it is comparatively easy for the invading bacteria
to enter the tendon sheaths of the region
or to penetrate into the carpal joint. At
other times a septicemia occurs which
produces multiple abscesses throughout
the body, polyarthritis, or may terminate
in death.
Fig. 4. Phlegmon in Carpal region
Fig. 3. Abrasions on Carpi
The areas of cutaneous injury are invaded with bacteria found in the bedding
and on the skin of the sow. An ulcerative
dermatitis or a phlegmon (Fig. 4) is the
138
Injury to the claws of baby pigs is
quite common and, at times, both of the
chief claws are completely destroyed.
Usually the cause is not determined. It
may be the result of injury from disinfectants persisting on the floor of the pen.
Dirty pens may cause the pigs to macerate
their feet in manure. In cold weather, wet
manure is particularly prone to cause injury. Macerated feet have a greatly reduced ability to withstand bacterial invasion. If the baby pigs walk in snow,
stand on ice or stand in cold water, injury to the soft delicate claws and even
freezing of the feet may occur. Burning
of the claws may occur when pens are
warmed with hot water or steam pipes
(Fig. 5). If the pipes are not enclosed,
Iowa State University Veterinarian
(Continued from page 135)
REFERENCES
Fig. 5. Injury to claws
the baby pigs step on the pipes and injure
their feet. Greasy pig disease also causes
injury to the claws. No matter what the
primary etiologic factor, once the claws or
the integument of the foot is injured, it is
comparatively easy for bacteria to enter
the foot. There the bacteria may produce
a suppurative dermatitis, ulcerative dermatitis , suppurative pododermatitis, phlegmon of the foot or may even produce .a
septicemia which may terminate in the
death of the pig.
10. Morgan, B. B. and Hawkins, P . A.: Veterinary Helminthology. Burgess Publishing Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1952.
11 . Morgan, B. B. and Hawkins , P. A.: Ve·terinary Protozoology. Burgess Publishing
Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1952.
12. Neal, Fred C.: Sheep Diseases in Iowa.
Diseases of Cattle and Sheep. Iowa State
University of Science and Technology,
Cooperative Extension Service, Ames,
Iowa. 1959.
13. Sloss, M. W.: Technics of Fecal Examinations and Their Interpretation in
Cattle and Sheep Feces. Diseases of
Cattle and Sheep. Iowa State University
of Science and Technology, Cooperative
Extension Service, Ames, Iowa. 1959.
14. Udall, D. H.: The Practice of Veterinary
Medicine. Sixth edition. D. H . Udall, Publisher, Ithaca, New York. 1954.
15. Simmons, J. S. and Gentzkow, C. J.:
Laboratory Methods of the United States
Army. Fifth edition. Lea and Febiger,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1944.
16. Whitlock, J. H. : Outline of Veterinary
Entomology and Helminthology. Burges:;
Publishing Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1948.
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Issue, 3 1960-61
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139