Ectoparasites are the scourge of almost all mammals, and pets are no exception. The presence of lice in domestic pigs is a reason to sound the alarm, because these parasites not only cause discomfort to the animal, but can also cause the development of dangerous diseases. How to quickly get rid of lice on a pig’s body and prevent uninvited guests from appearing again?
Why are ectoparasites dangerous for pigs?
Ectoparasites - fleas and lice - often live on the body of pigs. The latter are the cause of the development of hematopinosis in animals.Hematopinosis (simply put, lice) is a disease caused by insects of the species Haematopinus suis that parasitize the body of pigs. This causative agent of hematopinosis is considered one of the largest representatives of the order of lice. Males can reach a length of 4.5 mm, females - up to 5 mm. A female pig louse is capable of laying 4-7 eggs per day (up to 100 eggs in a lifetime). An hour after hatching, the larva begins to suck the pig's blood.
On a note. The pig louse is the only type of lice that can drink the blood of not only pigs, but also humans. But people are not considered typical hosts for lice, and therefore the period of their parasitism on the human body is short-lived.
In the process of sucking blood, lice make punctures in the pig's body, after which they damage blood vessels and inject their saliva into the wound. The latter is considered toxic and prevents the clotting of pig blood.
Moving through the animal's body, lice irritate the nerve endings and provoke severe itching. The pig scratches its itchy spots on various surfaces. With strong scratching, the surface of the skin is often injured, sebaceous and sweat glands are destroyed. Pathogenic microorganisms penetrate into cracks in the skin, as a result of which the pig often develops pyoderma, furunculosis or eczema. Pigs suffering from severe itching suffer from decreased appetite, lose weight, and become more susceptible to various diseases. In addition, the pig louse often acts as a carrier of pathogens of invasive and infectious diseases (erysipelas, salmonellosis, swine fever, helminthiasis).
Signs of defeat
You can determine that a pig is suffering from a lice infestation by the following signs:
- Severe itching. Small wounds and long, thin red scratches can be seen on the skin of a sick animal.
- Availability of eggs.They track well on the skin of white pigs. As a rule, lice lay eggs on tender areas of the body: on the stomach, behind the ears.
- Adult lice can be seen with the naked eye - they are black or brown insects whose body length, on average, reaches 3-4 mm.
In addition to these signs, the farmer may note paleness of the animals’ skin or, conversely, areas covered with reddish spots. A large number of lice can cause anemia in an animal, especially in piglets. The animal may become lethargic and suffer from lack of appetite.
Diagnostic methods
The diagnosis of hematopinosis is made when typical clinical signs are detected (skin peeling, itching, the presence of hairless areas on the animal’s body, dermatitis). The main sign of the disease is adult lice and their clutches found on the body of a pig.
Hematopinosis must be differentiated from scabies, ringworm, and eczema.
Rules for treating parasitic disease
The first thing a farmer needs to do is separate infected pigs from other pigs. To eliminate the symptoms of hematopinosis, the following drugs are used:
- Doramectin;
- Phosmet;
- Amitraz;
- Vermectin.
When preparing a disinfectant solution from these insecticides, you must follow safety rules and follow the instructions.
In addition to directly treating the skin of pigs, you need to disinfect the walls and floor of the barn with the resulting solution. Hexachloran or similar drugs can also be used for disinfection. It is recommended to burn the bedding on which the animal sleeps. The pigs should not be in the barn during the treatment.
Healthy young piglets should also be treated with one of these solutions.This procedure is carried out for the purpose of prevention.
3 weeks after the initial treatment with an antiparasitic drug, repeated treatment must be carried out. Previously infected individuals can be combined with healthy ones 3 weeks after repeated disinfection.
Traditional methods of treatment
Some medications to combat hematopinosis are prohibited for use in the treatment of young animals or pregnant pigs. Farmers often eliminate lice from tiny piglets or sows using traditional methods. For example, at an early stage of diagnosing hematopinosis, parasites are eliminated by combing out. Vegetable oil and kerosene can be used to treat animal bodies. These ingredients are mixed in equal proportions and distributed over the skin of the sick individual.
Green soap and tar are considered good remedies against parasites. To prepare the medicine, you need to mix 10 grams of soap with 100 grams of tar and dissolve the ingredients in 1 liter of warm water. The disadvantage of traditional methods of therapy is that such remedies destroy adult lice, but do not affect their eggs. Therefore, after the initial treatment, you should definitely repeat the procedure for a more thorough destruction of harmful insects.
Prevention measures
To prevent pigs from becoming infected with head lice, preventive measures should be taken:
- Control humidity in the barn. Lice multiply well in damp environments, so the pigs' home should be dry.
- Animals are examined for parasites several times a month, even if there are no visual signs of their presence.
- The premises where pigs are kept should be cleaned regularly.
- It is recommended to wash animals with clean water once a month.
- In winter, when pigs are not allowed to graze or go outside, the barn in which they are kept should be well lit.
