Currently, many farmers are breeding piglets. This is a pretty profitable business, which should be taken very seriously. Boars need to create all the necessary conditions for a comfortable stay, otherwise they can hurt, and this can lead to the extinction of the whole herd. Pig diarrhea is a common problem that many cattle breeders face. The treatment of diarrhea should be started immediately, since it can be caused by various diseases, which in most cases lead to the death of the animal. With the manifestations of the first sign, you should immediately call a veterinarian.
general information
Breeding pets is associated with a lot of trouble. Both young and adult individuals need proper care, therefore it is very important to create good conditions for keeping piglets. Failure to comply with the feeding regime, untimely cleaning in the stable and the absence of an optimal temperature in the room increases the risk of developing various infectious diseases in animals, which can lead to the extinction of the entire livestock. If the piglet has diarrhea, what to do in this case, you will learn further. The first step is to provide him with proper care and try to establish the cause of the manifestation of this disease.
Causes of Diarrhea
Diarrhea in piglets can occur as a result of many reasons, the main ones being:
- Imbalance caused by poor diet or inappropriate diet. This risk increases significantly if the piglet is 1 month old.
- Weak immunity caused by the early transfer of the piglet from breast milk to regular feed.
- Lack of proper care, unsanitary conditions and inappropriate microclimate in the place of detention.
- Very often, diarrhea in a piglet develops due to various intestinal parasites and infectious diseases resulting from infection or from a sick mother.
- Dirty water.
- Incorrect feeding.
The proper feeding of piglets deserves special attention, since far from all products and feeds can be given to them. What the livestock ration should consist of will be discussed later.
A few words about the diet
Diarrhea in piglets (how to treat this disease you will learn later) can be prevented by choosing the right diet for them. The thing is that pigs are distinguished by their omnivorousness and great appetite, so they eat absolutely everything with great pleasure.
Start answering the question: “How to feed the piglets?” necessary with consideration of what is strictly prohibited. From the diet should be excluded any heavy food for the stomach, products containing dangerous substances, as well as rotten food. In addition, it is necessary to closely monitor that any foreign objects, such as pieces of cloth, pebbles, wood shavings and others, do not get into the food, as they can damage the gastrointestinal tract and cause internal bleeding.
Causes of Severe Diseases
Severe diseases include diseases of internal organs and poisoning caused by the use of animals of various toxic and dangerous substances, which can not only cause diarrhea in the piglet, but also lead to its death. Typically, the cause of these diseases is that the owner has left unattended toxic substances such as gasoline, kerosene, household chemicals or paint that have been swallowed by the piglet. This can cause a violation of the normal functioning of the digestive system and liver disease.
Symptomatology
If you find diarrhea in piglets, the treatment of which should be started as soon as possible, then this indicates problems with the intestines. The following symptoms will help you independently diagnose the disease:
- the appearance of diarrhea indicates problems with the intestines;
- foamy discharge is a sign of infectious diseases;
- if the diarrhea in the piglet is green or yellow, then this indicates poor digestibility of food in the small intestine;
- light-colored discharge occurs in various liver diseases;
- black or red stool is a sign of internal bleeding;
- if the intensity of the bowel movements is not too large, then the problem of diarrhea in piglets, than to treat which you will learn later, is inflammation of the intestine, and too frequent loose stools indicate more serious problems;
- in the presence of a putrefactive odor, it is necessary to check the animal for intestinal infections;
- an acidic smell indicates a malfunctioning digestive system.
If the above symptoms are accompanied by vomiting, fever and discharge from the eyes, then most likely the animal has food poisoning, which is also very common due to the too high sensitivity of the stomach to food. That is why it is very important to responsibly approach the question of how to feed piglets.
Treatment of diarrhea in newborn piglets at home
The death rate of small piglets due to diarrhea is very high, because too frequent bowel movements lead to dehydration, and the animal simply dies. There are frequent cases when complete dehydration occurs only 12 hours after the disease. Therefore, if you notice that the piglet has loose stools, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. The first step is to provide the animal with plenty of clean drinking water in order to normalize its water balance. A very effective solution for diarrhea in pigs is a saline solution, the preparation of which will require one tablespoon of salt and sugar per 200 ml of water.
Medication for diarrhea
With diarrhea, veterinarians prescribe various medications to piglets that have an anti-infectious effect and prevent dehydration. The most common agents are Akolan and Amoxicillin. A good remedy is Brovaf, a new oral antibiotic with a very powerful and effective effect.
It is worth noting that any drugs should be given only in combination with a strict diet. To speed up the healing process and normalize metabolic processes, on the first day of the disease it is necessary to provide the cattle with a large amount of drinking. As for feeding, it should be discontinued for one day to reduce the load on the intestines. On the second day, small amounts of food are allowed.
Treatment of diarrhea with alternative methods
Various medicinal decoctions, for example, chamomiles or nettles, help diarrhea in piglets very well. They perfectly remove toxic substances from the body and cleanse it. A decoction of oak bark and hay infusion, which is given to the piglet several times a day before each feeding, helps to cope with diarrhea.
If diarrhea does not go away for several days, then you can start to water the animal with a decoction of chicory root, for the preparation of which 50 grams of root per liter of water will be required.
If you give the piglet "Brovaf", a new potent drug, then rice broth will be an excellent addition to it. To cook it, take a pound of rice, pour five liters of water and cook until the cereals are fully cooked. This broth very well protects the intestines, enveloping it and thus creating a protective barrier.
Normalization of metabolic processes
In most cases, diarrhea is associated with a metabolic disorder that occurs due to improper feeding or various diseases of the digestive system. Therefore, in order to accelerate the healing process of the piglet, it is very important to restore the intestinal microflora and normalize metabolic processes. This can be achieved only if you choose the right nutrition for the animal. To provide the little piglets with all the necessary vitamins, they should be given fish oil regularly.
At an early age, piglets should be fed with special combined feeds, which contain many vitamins and other useful substances that the animal needs for normal growth and good health. Only in this way can you strengthen the pig’s immunity and reduce the likelihood of developing various diseases in it.
To make up for vitamin A deficiency, milk, legumes, nettles, and carrots should be added to the piglet's diet. Natural food can also be replaced with various vitamin preparations that are given to the animal once a day after feeding. It is also important to provide the animal with a large amount of iron, the daily norm of which is 10 mg. Its deficiency can not only cause diarrhea, but also anemia.
Preventive actions
You already know that diarrhea poses a great threat to the life of a pig and needs timely treatment. However, it is easier not to cure the disease, but to prevent its manifestation, therefore it is important to follow some preventive measures.
When breeding piglets, it is recommended:
- Stick to a daily diet.
- The diet should consist of foods and feeds rich in vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances.
- It is not recommended to abruptly make a complete change of diet. Switch to other feeds gradually and in small quantities so that the animal normally adapts to the new feed.
- When feeding small piglets, it is recommended to chop products.
- Watch for fresh food and water.
- Maintain cleanliness in the barn.
- Maintain an optimal microclimate in the room where the pigs are kept. The air should be warm and not too humid.
Not only health, but also the life of animals depends on the conditions of keeping piglets, so if you are engaged in cattle breeding, then pay attention to such important points.