Piglets may periodically grind their teeth while eating. In some cases, this indicates the presence of diseases in young animals that can lead to the death of the animal. But in order to choose the right treatment, you must first find out why piglets grind their teeth. But before starting therapy for young animals, it is recommended to observe the animals for some time, paying attention to additional symptoms.
The pig is grinding its teeth: what is the reason?
Teeth grinding in piglets is mainly due to the following reasons:
- incorrect position of teeth (abnormal bite);
- masticatory muscles have cramps or spasms;
- incorrectly selected diet;
- helminthic infestation.
It is difficult to identify the true cause of teeth grinding without a specialized examination. This is partly due to the fact that piglets often make such sounds out of boredom.
It is possible to decide what to do in such cases only after, in addition to the indicated symptom, other signs of a possible disease appear.
Incorrect position of teeth
This is a common cause of teeth grinding. However, an abnormal bite can only be detected after examining the piglet by a dentist. Monitoring the herd helps to rule out the presence of concomitant diseases that cause young pigs to grind their teeth.
If only one pig makes this sound, this may indicate the presence of an abnormal bite. To diagnose such a deviation, it is necessary to examine the animal's jaw. With an abnormal bite, noticeable indentations or wounds left by the teeth remain on the soft tissues of the mouth. Treatment in such cases is recommended immediately, since without adequate therapy, constant damage to the mucous membrane is fraught with the development of abscesses (suppuration). Moreover, you cannot do anything on your own. A specialized doctor must restore the shape of the teeth.
In order to prevent abnormal bite, it is recommended to give small portions of coal to young animals. For this purpose, adult animals are hung with a metal chain around their neck.
Boredom
Grinding of teeth is typical for compact pens in which a large number of young animals have accumulated in a limited space. Piglets in such conditions become aggressive, which causes fights between animals to become more frequent. The solution to this problem will be to increase the area where young animals live.
Grinding of teeth is also possible when the pig is resting. This sound occurs due to boredom. There is no need to treat animals in such circumstances, provided there are no other abnormal phenomena. That is, therapy is not needed when young animals lead an active lifestyle and eat normally.
Spasms and cramps of the masticatory muscles
When the above reasons for grinding in pigs are excluded, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the piglets. If, while eating or at rest, animals experience uncontrollable twitching of the cheeks, this indicates convulsions or muscle spasms. Such symptoms arise due to neurological disorders or are due to the physiological characteristics of a particular piglet. An animal with such disorders should be shown to a doctor.
Diet mistakes
Teeth grinding is possible due to an improper diet. This phenomenon occurs against the background of pain localized in the abdominal area. Under these conditions, the animal experiences discomfort, which provokes aggression, and, as a result, teeth grinding. Basically, the described phenomenon is typical for piglets whose diet does not change for a long time and contains the same products.
If young animals grind their teeth intensively, this may indicate a gastric ulcer. This pathology provokes severe pain and develops against the background of constant consumption of dry and ground food. In addition to intense grinding, the course of peptic ulcer disease is accompanied by a sharp decrease in appetite, the release of bloody feces and a depressed state of the animal.
In addition to this pathology, an improper diet leads to the development of gastroenteritis.The disease occurs against the background of early transfer of young animals to adult nutrition or a deficiency of vitamins A and group B.
Worms
Teeth grinding is less likely to occur due to helminthic infestation. More often, infection is provoked by:
- weight loss;
- wheezing;
- intense itching from the anus (the animal constantly scratches this area);
- flatulence and diarrhea;
- severe cough after exercise;
- increased nervousness.
Treatment for helminthic infestation is selected taking into account the type of helminth.
How to solve a problem?
Treatment of young animals for teeth grinding should be prescribed by a veterinarian, taking into account the cause that caused this phenomenon. Basically, therapy comes down to adjusting the daily diet and changing living conditions. If a helminthic infestation is detected, the following medications are prescribed:
- Hygrovetin. It is used in the treatment and prevention of helminthic infestation.
- Tetramisole. Prescribed in case of detection of ascariasis (infection with roundworms).
- Levamisole. Injection solution recommended for nematode infestations.
- Alben. The drug is prescribed in cases where the type of worms cannot be identified.
- Invermec. The drug has a strong effect on the body. Therefore, the dosage of the medicine is calculated based on the age and weight of the pig.
If the grinding is due to improper positioning of the teeth, then the latter are ground down using the methods described above. For muscle spasms, medications are used that normalize nerve conduction.
