PED Case Description

May 29, 2013 — 

The recent emergence of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in U.S. swne can have a dramatic impact on young pigs and sows alike. Following is a description of the viral progression in one sow herd as related by the herd veterinarian.

The oldest piglets in farrowing started scouring on a Saturday.

The next oldest rooms were scouring on Sunday.

By Monday, 100% of piglets in farrowing were scouring and sows in lactation were going off feed.

On Tuesday, piglet mortality increased to 10x normal daily losses which continued for approximately one week.

Piglets were scouring a yellow, watery scour. They tried to nurse but sows were drying up. Piglets were lined up at the water nipples.

Piglets started scouring at 12-24 hours after birth. Piglets would survive until approximately day 3 or 4 unless they were humanely euthanized before then.

There were some vomiting piglets and sows – enough to be noteworthy but not ubiquitous.

Exposed (via feedback) the Breeding & Gestation barns on Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday morning essentially all sows in B&G were off feed and approximately 50% had loose stools and a few were vomiting. Stools were normal color and cow pie (primarily) to watery (few) consistency.

The sows came back on feed gradually about 4-6 days post-exposure.

Two weeks post-exposure, started seeing piglets make it to 3-4 days of age without scouring.

To date, swine herds in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri have been confirmed positive. The route of introduction is as yet undetermined. Additional information is available on the AASV website (https://www.aasv.org/aasv%20website/Resources/Diseases/PorcineEpidemicDiarrhea.php).