An evaluation of a combination of injectable anesthetic agents for use in pigs

A combination of atropine sulfate, fentanyl/droperidol, ketamine hydrochloride and pentobarbital was examined for its effectiveness as an anesthesia protocol for swine weighing up to 50 kg. While the dose rate and route of administration of atropine sulfate, fentanyl/droperidol and ketamine hydrochloride was held constant, the dose rate and route of administration of pentobarbital was altered until a combination was determined which would reliably and safely produce a satisfactory level of anesthesia. Following treatment, animals were monitored and the time taken to produce an effect was recorded. The degree of anesthesia as measured by the corneal reflex and the cutaneous response to a needle prick or actual surgery and the time elapsed until signs of recovery were evident were also noted.

We found a combination of atropine sulfate (0.05 mg/kg) intramuscularly and fentanyl/droperidol (1 mL/13.7 kg) intramuscularly followed by ketamine hydrochloride (11 mg/kg) intramuscularly approximately ten minutes later and 3% pentobarbital solution (9 mg/kg) intravenously two minutes after that, to be a safe and reliable method for producing surgical anesthesia of 45 minutes duration.

     

Environment, respiratory disease, and performance of pigs in three Saskatchewan grower-finisher barns

A microcomputer-based environmental monitoring system was used to monitor temperature, humidity, and ventilation rate continuously in three commercial grower-finisher swine barns in Saskatchewan. During the monitoring period, a group of pigs in each barn was examined for growth rate, amount of lung affected with pneumonia, and degree of atrophic rhinitis. In addition, the total bacterial colony forming particle count within the airspace of each barn was measured once each week.

Significant differences existed among barns for daily maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, ventilation rate, and average bacterial colony forming particle counts. There was no difference among farms in the average percentage of lung affected with pneumonia, average snout atrophy score, or growth rate of the test animals.

On one farm, there was a significant positive correlation between snout score and percentage of lung affected with pneumonia. On another farm, there was a significant negative correlation between percentage of lung affected with pneumonia and growth rate.

     

Diethylstilboestrol—historical background and current regulatory status

Diethylstilboestrol is a non-steroidal orally active oestrogen that in the past has been widely used in a variety of conditions in both medical and veterinary fields. In recognition of potential systemic availability to man of DES in the tissues of treated food-producing animals, together with an understanding of the potential teratogenic and carcinogenic toxicity of DES in man, the veterinary use of DES has been restricted to oral use in small animals only. Use of DES is prohibited in all food-producing animals.