Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ is a bacterial infection of the skin, causing an ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ (fluid leaking from tissue) that makes the pigs look and feel greasy.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Pigs get this, particularly younger piglets.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Greasy pig disease is caused by ๐๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฌ. This bacteria is a typical resident of pig skin, and usually only causes a problem if there is trauma to the skin, allowing it to invade. Pigs that have poor management or nutritional deficiencies may be predisposed, since their normal skin barrier may be compromised.
Once the bacteria is in the skin, the bacteria produces a toxin that attacks the structural elements of the skin, causing the skin cells to slough. This causes peeling of the skin and exposure of the underlying tissue. This underlying tissue has a lot of small vessels, so without its protective top layer, the fluid leaks out of the tissue and produces the โgreaseโ typical of the disease.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Leaking all of this fluid can actually cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that can lead to death. The bacteria can also invade into the vessels and cause a ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ (bacteria in the blood), which can also cause death. In some cases, the disease can be more chronic, causing painful, cracked, sometimes abscessed skin that severely compromises the pigโs welfare.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Typically diagnosis is made just by looking at the pig, as the lesions are pretty characteristic. If needed though, bacterial culture can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Greasy pig can be treated with antibiotics and application of antibacterial washes to the pigโs skin. If the pigs are dehydrated, they may need fluids and electrolytes supplemented to them. Greasy pig is generally prevented by reducing trauma to the skin of growing pigs, by providing them soft bedding and minimizing fighting.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-3) Pigs with greasy pig disease. Poor piggies 
4-6) Some close ups of pigs with greasy pig! Mega ouch.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-6 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Saunders, Harrington, Driemeier licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
