It's important for everyone working with pigs to recognize the symptoms of common diseases. In Pig International, we discuss the symptoms, treatments and preventative measures for six of the most common pig diseases in the three stages of production.

Pre-weaning period

1 Exudative dermatitis (greasy pig)
The symptoms of this disease are skin lesions caused by an infection of the bacteria Staphlococcus hyicus. 

2 Coccidiosis
This disease is very common in suckling piglets and is caused by three types of the intracellular parasite coccidia.

Post-weaning period

3 Respiratory diseases
Coughing, sneezing, abdominal breathing, reduced growth rates and potential mortality are all signs of respiratory disease.

4 Swine dysentery
Animals with this disease suffer from diarrhea, with or without the presence of blood.

Breeding stock

5 Mastitis
Reduced milk production, loss of appetite and a higher body temperature are symptoms of mastitis in sows.

6 Porcine parvovirus
If pregnant sows become infected with parvovirus (PPV), reproductive disease can occur, but not in all cases.

Learn more about these six pig diseases in the full article, "6 most common pig diseases worldwide," which  originally appeared in the March/April issue of Pig International.