Early Signs of PED Often Subtle

A Veterinary Epidemiologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry says the sooner PED is identified and addressed, the easier and quicker the cleanup will be

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online

Since the start of the year three cases of PED have been confirmed in Alberta.

Dr. Julia Keenliside, a Veterinary Epidemiologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, told an Alberta Pork PED Town Hall Teleconference Wednesday, as the first case was being investigated the second case confirmed.

“Illegally imported meat and meat products from countries affected by African swine fever (ASF) present one of the greatest risks for introducing this animal disease to Canada”

 

“It was interesting in that the disease only started as unusual diarrhea in one pre-grower room so not typical PED looking, no mortalities, the nursing piglets were fine but both the producer and vet were really sharp and they followed up and tested for a number of different diseases because it was odd that they had one room with diarrhea and they included PED on that screen, even though they didn’t consider PED as being a very likely cause with those clinical signs and we’re very glad that they did that because they caught it early.

“Within a couple of days they did see classic PED symptoms throughout the entire herd including the suckling pigs but that lead time really helped with the biocontainment and cleanup.

“So we’re very glad they were sharp and on things.

“After that happened we had our third confirmed case.

“When the vet called me they had diarrhea in two to three week old suckling pigs but they didn’t have any mortality.

“But it was unusual diarrhea and the vet knew that there was PED in the area.

“He said to me I don’t think it’s PED but we should test and within 48 hours we had our positive test results and by that time we could see it had moved into the younger piglets where they saw mortality.

Dr. Keenliside says PED doesn’t always start with explosive diarrhea and severe clinical signs and if you’re watching closely you can pick it up a couple of days before that happens.

She says if you catch things early it make control and cleanup much easier and reduces the risk for everyone else.