Scabies is a disease that affects more than just humans. As recent statistics show, this infection has become one of the most common diseases among pigs. If you have brought these animals to your backyard or a large farm, then you need to know what scabies in pigs is, what to do if piglets itch, what are the symptoms of this disease and how to get rid of it.
Pig scabies
What is scabies
In simple terms, scabies is an infection that develops due to parasites that enter the skin of an animal and cause severe itching, which is why pigs begin to itch often and severely. This parasite is called Sarcoptes scabiei var suis – an inconspicuous subcutaneous tick, its diameter does not exceed 0,5 millimeters, while one female of this species leaves behind more than 50 eggs.
The epidermis is the main food for the parasite. It is here that the larva “grows” for about 14 days. Both an animal and any person can become infected with this disease.
Male ticks prefer to live on the surface of the skin, while females make small holes in the skin, where they lay their eggs. Such a parasite can live without a host for only 10 days, and then dies.
Ticks can also have a negative impact on sows, which, in turn, adversely affects the health of the offspring.
Reference. Scientists from around the world are actively engaged in the study of this disease, and the Russian Federation was no exception. Experts were able to determine that from 50 to 90% of farms are faced with a tick that causes the spread of this infection.
Causes of appearance
You can get scabies only after contact with the carrier, in other words, with a sick animal. Also, ticks can remain on care items and on other surfaces, it is here that they begin to actively look for a new carrier, since without it they will not survive and will quickly die.
Infection from other individuals
Boars contribute to the disease due to the fact that they have a relationship with all sows. If you place an animal in a room where infected animals lived, then the spread of the disease will quickly make itself felt.
Scabies in pigs is more likely to appear if the animal has a large amount of calcium in the body that exceeds the norm. Also, the risks increase when rearing conditions change, animals lack vitamin A, or when they are transported. After this process, it is not uncommon for piglets to develop scabies.
It will not surprise anyone that with improper hygiene or due to its absence, as well as due to poor feeding, mange appears in pigs and the symptoms of the disease are not long in coming.
Symptoms
The easiest way to find a tick is in the ear canal. Animals that have already become infected begin to itch much more than others, their behavior resembles the state of an anxious person.
If scabies is not detected for a long time and no therapy is applied, the animal begins to quickly lose weight, small spots begin to appear on the skin, and small bubbles may appear.
In winter, it is much easier to detect scabies, as red dots appear on the skin. In summer, most farmers confuse these marks with insect bites, but there is one difference: tick bites are paired where the parasite enters and exits the skin.
Diagnostics
The disease in pigs is difficult to diagnose, since this animal simply loves to itch, but if piglets sniff, the answer is obvious – it’s a scabies mite. In young animals, the skin color acquires a reddish tint, most of all this is noticeable near the eyes, in the ears and between the legs.
Scabies mite
With prolonged infection, adults may behave aggressively as they develop neurological abnormalities.
Treatment of scabies in pigs
Of course, with any disease, the best option is prevention rather than cure, but if scabies still caught you by surprise, you have two treatment options. You can use medicines or folk remedies.
Medication
Scabies in pigs can be treated by injection. This method is considered to be the most effective, but it takes a lot of time. Veterinarians distinguish two effective drugs – this is Doramectin and Ivermectin. Medicines are injected under the skin at a dose of 0,3 milligrams of the drug per kilogram of animal weight, when calculating one milliliter of solution per 33 kilograms. This medicine must be used twice, the interval between injections is 2 weeks.
Attention! Other drugs during the application of these can not be used.
Folk remedies
They can also be used in the treatment of infection. What can be used:
- oil infusion of garlic, which lubricates the skin of the animal;
- a mixture of sour cream and gunpowder;
- the use of laundry soap;
- green walnut;
- lavender oil;
- ashes from cigarettes.
Lavender oil
To begin with, it is better to contact a specialist if you suspect a disease and confirm the diagnosis, only then use folk remedies.
Prevention
The prevention of scabies will be the usual standard measures for keeping animals: a spacious clean room, timely hygiene of pigs, good nutrition, and so on. In other words, if you follow all the rules, then the disease will bypass animals.
Also, for preventive measures, special sprays for spraying can be used, but before using them, each animal must be thoroughly washed, on the skin of which there should be no dirt. For washing, you can use a solution of soap with creosote.
Conclusion
Almost every farmer has encountered scabies in pigs at least once in his life, as this is a common disease among such animals. It is important to diagnose the disease in time and start treatment, since when the infection is running, it becomes more and more difficult to cure it.
