The following is a real case. Two sow farms receive a shipment of gilts from the same supplier. Approximately 7 – 10 days later, the farmers notice vesicles appearing on the snouts of 3 – 5% of the sows and gilts in both herds (click here to see photos of the lesions). No fevers or inappetance were observed and there were no foot or oral lesions present. A shipment of feeder pigs left that morning for a finisher located in another state. You’re the veterinarian. What are your rule-outs and next steps?
In this case, the farmers notified their veterinarians who contacted the state veterinarian. A foreign animal disease diagnostician was dispatched to the farms to collect duplicate samples. One set of samples (blood, vesicular fluid and epithelial tissue) was submitted to the regional National Animal Health laboratory Network lab for a foreign animal disease diagnostic workup. The state veterinarian notified the state animal health official of the receiving state regarding the shipment of feeder pigs and requested that the farmers not move any additional animals off the farm pending receipt of the preliminary diagnostic results.
So, what’s your diagnosis? You might be surprised. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to find a link to the diagnosis.
If you have an interesting case for the next installment of “What’s Your Diagnosis?” please email me (Snelson@aasv.org) the pertinent information.