3 Causes of Coughing in Pigs and Steps to Take 1
Why is your pig coughing? Let’s take a closer look at seven common pig respiratory infections that cause a pig cough and the steps you should take to treat (and prevent) them:
Learn More1. Pigs With Mycoplasma Pneumonia Have Dry Cough And Fever
One of the most common causes of coughing pig is Mycoplasma Pneumonia which is from the pleomorphic organism Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. This widespread pig respiratory infection causes growth retardation, a persistent dry cough, high fever, sneezing, shortness of breath, reduced growth rate, and lung lesions in pigs.
The organism makes pigs susceptible to secondary infections such as Pasteurella multocida and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. It inhabits a pig’s respiratory tract and only survives in the outside environment for a short period.
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Mycoplasma pneumonia in pigs spreads either through direct contact (nose-to-nose contact) or airborne particles over 5 miles. This disease affects pigs of all ages and can also be passed from a sow (female pig) to her piglets through suckling.
Poor ventilation within pig buildings can also contribute to the spread of the disease by allowing infected air to circulate throughout the building.
As a result of mycoplasma pneumonia, lung lesions can develop in pigs between three and five months old. While mature pigs can recover from this disease entirely, the bacteria can remain in the respiratory tract for up to seven months. The incubation period for this bacterial disease is two to eight weeks before symptoms show.
If you are wondering if humans can catch pig pneumonia, the answer is no. Mycoplasma pneumonia is not a zoonotic disease and poses no threat to humans. However, pneumonia can easily be spread in an enclosed area like a pig pen and affect other healthy pigs. Thus, cleaning the pig pen is a must once your pigs acquired the disease.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Mycoplasma pneumonia, but it can be prevented. Antibiotics can also help ease the symptoms. If your pig is severely affected by the disease, you’ll need to inject them with long-acting OTC (oxytetracycline), Tiamulin, Valnemulin, Penicillin, or Streptomycin.
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LA-200 for pig cough is also a good option to treat mycoplasma pneumonia. It can also be used to treat bacterial enteritis. Apart from pigs, this medicine treats similar infections with cattles.
Keeping your pig’s area clean by removing manure and maintaining proper ventilation helps reduce the risk of infection. You can also do the steps below to prevent Mycoplasma pneumonia in pigs.
Preventing Mycoplasma Pneumonia in Pigs
Ensure pigs are vaccinated regularly to help prevent lung lesions from developing.
Add Tetracyclines to the feed as a preventative measure.
Weaned pigs (16 weeks old) must be medicated with CTC (chlortetracycline) or OTC for up to eight weeks.
Keep your pigs’ living environment clean and disinfected. Good hygiene for pigs is a must
Lessen the number of pigs you have together. A crowded pigsty can cause further infections.
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Use the All-in-All-Out management system.
This method ensures that your piggery is properly organized while also preventing cross-contamination between sick and healthy pigs
weakened Bordetella bronchiseptica also causes inflammation of a pig’s airways, resulting in mucus build-up and coughing fits. The disease can lead to pulmonary infection and even death (worst-case scenario).
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