Veterinary Services

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infection was diagnosed in eight indoor units. Affected pigs were aged from six to fifteen weeks and all had a history of profuse diarrhoea typical of swine dysentery. One hundred percent morbidity was reported on one unit where blood was seen in the faeces. Concurrent infection with Salmonella species was present in four of the outbreaks. Two outbreaks involved S. Typhimurium DT120 while S. Typhimurium DT193 was isolated from a third. The fourth outbreak involved Salmonella Reading infection.

Lawsonia intracellularis infection causing a proliferative enteropathy was diagnosed in a one-year-old breeding boar with a one week history of blood in the faeces. At postmortem examination the ileum was markedly thickened with evidence of necrosis and haemorrhage; histopathology confirmed the presence of changes consistent with proliferative enteropathy. Lawsonia intracellularis was detected in the intestinal contents by PCR.

Liver fluke consistent with Dicrocoelium dendriticum were found to be cause of unusual hepatic lesions seen during abattoir surveillance to be affecting approximately 25 percent of outdoor-reared finishing pigs from one unit in the Grampian area. The lesions were comprised of multifocal areas of fibrosis that ranged from 10 to 40mm in diameter (Figures 3(a) and 3(b) - see top right-hand side). Many of the lesions had a small central necrotic focus or a small cavity. SAC C VS regards the presence of D. dendriticum in Scottish pigs to be a very unusual diagnosis.

Respiratory tract disease

Lungworm infection was diagnosed in a 16-week-old outdoor reared pig from a small organic unit. Coughing was reported within the group of 60 growers and growth rates were poorer than expected. The submitted pig was found dead and necropsy revealed large numbers of lungworm within the airways (Figure 4 - see top right-hand side). Pasteurella multocida was also isolated from the lungs.