Symptoms
All Pigs
Acute illness.
Bloody faeces.
Haemorrhage from the nose.
Fever.
Respiratory distress.
Sudden death.
Swollen discoloured neck.
Blue skin.
Unusual in piglets
Causes / Contributing factors
Contaminated feed or water.
Diagnosis
Anthrax should be suspected if a sow is found dead and post-mortem examination shows copious blood tinged tissue fluid and large red lymph nodes under the skin of the neck and in the abdomen. The post-mortem examination should be discontinued immediately and veterinary help sought.