Swine asthma is one of the common respiratory diseases in pigs, directly affecting the health and productivity of the herd. Understanding the causes, disease mechanism, symptoms, and prevention-treatment measures is an important step in reducing economic losses in livestock farming. Vemedim’s article will provide detailed information about swine asthma, from causes, epidemiology, and pathogenesis to prevention and treatment, helping farmers gain more information to care for their livestock in the best way.
General introduction to swine asthma
Swine asthma, also known as enzootic pneumonia in pigs, is a chronic infectious disease that mainly damages the respiratory tract and lungs. The disease is common in many localities, easily spreads under concentrated farming conditions, and greatly affects weight gain, feed consumption, and the mortality rate of pig herds.
The disease is most common in pigs after weaning (2-3 weeks), when maternal antibodies lose their effect. The most severe level usually occurs in fattening pigs 12-14 weeks old, a stage of rapid weight gain. The main routes of transmission are through the air, nasal and throat secretions, farming tools, intermediate animals, or from sows transmitting the disease to their piglets.
>> See more:
- Glässer’s disease in pigs - Symptoms, effective treatment regimen
- Causes, symptoms, and treatment regimen for swine erysipelas
Causes of swine asthma
The main causative agent in pigs is Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae - a very small, extracellular parasitic microorganism without a cell wall, which firmly attaches to the cilia of the pig’s respiratory tract. Under good farming conditions, the disease rarely appears or only shows mild signs.
However, when the herd’s resistance is weak, this bacterium often paves the way for other opportunistic pathogens to invade, creating a porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Common secondary agents include:
- Haemophilus parasuis (causes Glässer’s disease)
- Pasteurella multocida (pasteurellosis)
- Streptococcus suis, E. coli
- Viruses such as Swine influenza virus (SIV), Pseudorabies virus (PRV), PRRSV, PCV2…
After entering the body, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae adheres to the cilia in the pig’s trachea and bronchi. The bacterium secretes toxins that destroy the ciliary layer, paralyzing the respiratory tract’s natural defense system.
Clinical symptoms of swine asthma
The disease has an incubation period of about 7-14 days, usually progressing slowly and lasting a long time. Depending on severity, it can be divided into acute and chronic forms.
Acute form
- Usually seen in newly infected herds or when there is severe secondary infection.
- Pigs cough suddenly, cough continuously, especially when moving or early in the morning.
- Difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, sometimes pigs sit like dogs to breathe, tuck in their abdomen, and open their mouths to inhale air.
- Some pigs have watery eyes, runny nose, frothing at the mouth, and pale bluish oral and ear mucosa due to lack of oxygen.
- Body temperature is usually normal or only slightly elevated, but if there is a secondary bacterial infection, fever is high.
- Pigs die sporadically, mainly in the first infected herd; if they survive this stage, the disease often becomes chronic.
Chronic form
- This is the most common and long-lasting form in farms.
- Pigs have dry coughing fits lasting for weeks, especially after exercise or temperature changes.
- When coughing, pigs often arch their backs, stretch their necks, and lower their heads to help expel phlegm.
- Difficulty breathing, stunted growth, slow weight gain; many pigs eat poorly and lose weight noticeably.
- In adult pigs, symptoms are usually mild, with only occasional coughing.
Diagnosis and treatment of swine asthma
Diagnosis is based on clinical signs combined with necropsy lesions. Including:
- Clinical signs: Pigs cough suddenly and persistently, have difficulty breathing, and are stunted.
- Necropsy: Symmetrical pneumonia, hepatization, with clear boundaries.
- Laboratory tests: Modern methods such as ELISA, immunofluorescence, or complement fixation can be used to identify M. hyopneumoniae in lung samples.
Note: It is necessary to distinguish it from other respiratory diseases such as APP (pleuropneumonia), pasteurellosis, PRRS, swine flu, or paratyphoid.
Treatment of swine asthma requires a combination of barn sanitation, antibiotic use, and nutritional support. Specifically:
Step 1: Cleaning and disinfection
Increase barn ventilation, spray ANTISEP 3 ml/1 liter of water daily
Step 2: Use medication
- Use Vemedim Doxy 50% by mixing it into drinking water, 1 g/50 kg body weight for 3-5 consecutive days.
- Or inject Tyloket intramuscularly for 3-5 consecutive days, 1 ml/15 kg body weight/day.
Step 3: Supportive treatment
- Mix BIOGREEN live probiotics 1-3 kg/1 ton of feed.
- Mix ESCENT L 1 ml/30-40 kg body weight for oral use.
- Mix GLUCO K,C 250 g/20 liters of drinking water.
How to prevent swine asthma
Prevention is more important than treatment because the disease can easily become chronic, causing long-term effects on the herd. Prevention focuses on improving farming conditions, barn hygiene, proper nutrition, and vaccination to limit the invasion and spread of M. hyopneumoniae. Specifically:
- Keep barns clean, avoid dampness, and maintain appropriate temperature.
- Disinfect weekly; wash and disinfect farming tools.
- Periodically spray Vemedim Altacid to destroy pathogens in the environment.
- Provide adequate, balanced nutrition with Vemedim AD3E, Vemedim Anagin C or Vemedim Aminovit.
- Newly purchased pigs should be quarantined for at least 2 weeks before being introduced into the herd.
- Use Biosuis M.hyo vaccine: 2 ml/pig, one injection at 14 days of age.
Combining barn sanitation, improving the rearing environment, vaccination, and timely treatment will help effectively control swine asthma. Comprehensive pig care not only protects herd health but also improves economic efficiency and sustainable development in pig farming. We hope this article helps you gain more solutions to protect your herd; if you need further advice on prevention and treatment regimens, please contact Vemedim!
