Temperatures have been low recently, and the weather has been changing a lot. There have been more cases of illness, so everyone is reminded to monitor changes in pig diseases promptly. During pig farming, we encounter all kinds of problems, and poisoning in pigs is one of our biggest concerns. Pigs can show stress reactions to poisoning when given medication or vaccinated; problems can also occur with what pigs eat or with disinfection. All of these can cause us significant losses. First, let’s look at a case.
01 Case
A piglet weighing 20 jin seemed fine in the morning, but in the afternoon it vomited yellow fluid. What could be the reason? It has no fever. Dichlorvos was sprayed in the passageway in the morning. Could this be related?
02 Analysis
1, crack an egg, then use a little laxative;
2, poisoning is now uncommon. Occasionally, pigs are poisoned after eating dead mice that have eaten rat poison;
3, pigs may be poisoned by ingesting disinfectant they are sensitive to, overdoses of other medications, or moldy feed;
4, poisoning generally occurs in groups. Vomiting, diarrhea, and neurological symptoms are common; a normal temperature is a typical feature.
03 Solutions
1, possible poisoning: glucose, VC;
2, if the piglets have diarrhea, atropine can be used;
3, Note: For vomiting, it is also best to avoid soda water at first, as it will worsen the condition.
04 General treatments for poisoning
1, Inducing vomiting: Used for poisons in the stomach, such as organophosphate poisoning. Emetics can be administered by subcutaneous injection: veratrine, 0.01 to 0.03 grams; or orally: ipecac powder, 1 to 3 grams (or antimony potassium tartrate, 1 to 2 grams). A simple method is to gently stimulate the throat with a wooden stick or rubber tube to make the pig sensitive and induce vomiting.
2, Gastric lavage: When the poison has been in the pig's body for 4 to 6 hours, gastric lavage should be performed. During lavage, flush several times until the water runs clear.
A. For hydrocyanic acid poisoning, oxidizing agents such as a 1% potassium permanganate solution or 3% hydrogen peroxide may be used;
B. For organophosphorus pesticide poisoning, a 1%–5% sodium bicarbonate solution may be used;
C. For zinc phosphide poisoning, a 1% copper sulfate solution may be used.
3, Purgation: Saline laxatives should generally be selected. Common saline laxatives include mirabilite and magnesium sulfate. Note: When pigs suffer from salt poisoning, saline laxatives should not be used; large amounts of clean water should be administered orally to reduce the concentration of salt in the gastrointestinal tract.
4, use an antidote:
A. In case of poisoning from feeding poor-quality protein, such as rapeseed cake, administer thin flour paste, soybean milk, etc. orally;
B. In case of nitrite poisoning caused by feeding rotten cabbage, etc., use a 1% methylene blue solution, 1 milliliters per kilogram of body weight, by intramuscular or intravenous injection; in case of hydrocyanic acid poisoning, use a 1% sodium nitrite solution, 1 milliliters per kilogram of body weight, by intravenous injection;
C. In case of organophosphate pesticide poisoning, atropine or pralidoxime may be injected as an antidote;
D. For poisoning by alkaline substances, use dilute hydrochloric acid or vinegar to neutralize the poison; for alkaloid poisoning, use a 0.2% potassium permanganate solution to oxidize and break down the poison.
5, Bloodletting and inducing urination: If a long time has passed since the poisoning and a large amount of poison has already entered the blood, use an antidote at the same time;
A. The person can be treated by drawing venous blood, removing 300 to 400 milliliters each time.
B. The condition can also be alleviated through urination and sweating by administering fluids and encouraging the person to drink plenty of water.
6, the so-called universal antidote, is also commonly used by small-scale farmers. We habitually call it a universal remedy, but it is not actually universal and has certain limitations that we need to pay attention to.
A. Glucose; 1 can provide energy for sick pigs, which are often debilitated when poisoned; 2 its cardiotonic and diuretic effects help eliminate toxins. 3 This is because glucose is converted into glucuronic acid in the blood, which can bind to toxins and thus has a detoxifying effect.
B. Vitamin C; it has a marked detoxifying effect and is also commonly used by us.
C. Sodium chloride; it has a marked diuretic and detoxifying effect; do not use it in cases of poor kidney function.
Mild cases can be treated directly with a universal antidote; severe cases must be treated with a specific antidote, with other methods used as adjunctive treatment.
05 Prevention
1, most importantly, make sure the feed given to pigs is not moldy or spoiled, to prevent disease from entering through the mouth;
2, administer pig medications and vaccines according to the instructions; do not blindly increase the dosage. Some relatively safe, broad-spectrum drugs, such as quinolones, and foot-and-mouth disease vaccines can cause problems; iron supplementation can easily result in pig deaths. Pay extra attention to these;
3, problems arise in the pigs’ environment; disinfectants are too irritating, so avoid contact with them and do not use concentrations that are too high. Do not let pigs come into contact with poisons, such as dead mice that have eaten rat poison entering the pigsty.