Foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute, highly contagious, viral of animals with hooves, such as cattle, water buffalo, goats and pigs.
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Symptoms, treatment and prevention methods for FMD in pigs are the same as those of FMD affecting cattle and water buffaloes.
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Learn MoreSymptoms
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- Blister-like sores and ulcers on the feet, mouth, muzzle, udder and teats.
- High fever.
- Refusal to eat. Heavy salivation.
- Hooves sometimes fall off.
- Lameness.
Treatment
- Herbal medicine (Herbal medicine relieves only the symptoms of FMD)
- Western medicine: Treat the animal with any of the following: Alum ( potash alum) and gentian violet.
Dissolve alum in I glass of gentian violet: Use cotton to apply the solution to blisters 2-3 times a day. This will quickly dry up blisters. - Formalin and gentian violet: Mix 1 glass of formalin with 1 glass of gentian violet. Apply the solution to the blisters 2-3 times a day. This will also dry up blisters.
- Antibiotics: Inject antibiotics like penicillin-streptomycin into the muscles of the hip or neck to fight complications. Repeat the injection for 34 days.
- Vitamins: Inject Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) into the muscles of the hip or neck to speed up wound healing.
Prevention
- Regularly vaccinate animals against FMD.
- Isolate infected animals.
- Do not slaughter or sell infected animals. Destroy and bury them.
- Quarantine infected areas.
- Report FMD to the nearest veterinarian and agricultural service centre.
READ ALSO > Common Pig Diseases Series: Hog Cholera
VIDEO: pigs with FMD
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