Ethnoveterinary Medicine in Asia : Swine (IIRR, 1994, 72 p.): Fever

Ethnoveterinary Medicine in Asia : Swine (IIRR, 1994, 72 p.)

		(introduction...)
		Collaborating organizations
		Participants and workshop staff
		How to use this manual
		Lack of appetite
		Fever
		Coughs and colds
		Diarrhea and dehydration
		Constipation
		Poisoning
		Internal parasites
		Pork tapeworm
		Scabies or mite infestation
		Lice
		Infectious diseases
		Problems of the eye
		Wounds
		Sprains
		Housing
		Feeding
		Breeding
		Care of newborn
		Udder infection
		Anemia in piglets

Fever

Symptoms

- Pigs are inactive.
- Animals are frequently thirsty and shivering.
- Animals are constipated.

Touch the neck or the base of the ears to feel the animal's body heat. If the body temperature of the animal is higher than usual, the animal has fever.

Causes

Fever can result from many types of infections or injuries.

Reminder

Very high fever can be dangerous to the pig and it almost always results in death. Cool down the animal immediately using the treatments discussed in this section.

Prevention

- Ensure proper ventilation through adequate housing.
- Keep surroundings clean.
- Vaccinate animals against common diseases in the area.

Treatment

Note: These treatments can help reduce the fever but do not cure the disease that causes it.

- Heat (not boil) 1.2 liter (500 ml) of vinegar in an earthen pot for three minutes. Moisten a clean cloth with lukewarm vinegar and gently rub it or. the whole body. Repeat the application every 20 minutes until the fever subsides or when necessary. The warm vinegar gradually enlarges the skin pores and helps release the body heat. (Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4)

- Dissolve 2 handfuls of table salt in 5 liters of water. Moisten a clean cloth in the solution and gently rub it over the whole body. Repeat application until the fever subsides. (India. 1, 2, 3, 4)

Other treatments for fever are given in the table on the next page.

Treatment for fever

Scientific name	Common name	Parts used	Preparation	Dosage	Application
Blumea balsamifera		Fresh or dried leaves	Pound 10 leaves. Extract juice.	2 teaspoons of juice	Drench 3 times a day until fever subsides. (Cambodia, India, Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,)
Citrus madurensis		Fresh leaves	Boil 2 handfuls of leaves in 2 liters of water.		Bathe the animal. (Cambodia, Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,)
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis	Hibiscus	Fresh leaves and flowers	Pound 1 kg of leaves and 1 kg of flowers. Mix with water.	Enough for a 60-kg pig	Apply gently all over the body until fever subsides (Cambodia, India, Philippines, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 5,)
Picrorhiza kurrooa		Dried roots	Boil 10 9 of roots in 1 liter of water.	10 ml	Drench twice a day for 2 days. (India 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,)
Swertia chirata		Fresh whole plant	Boil 10 9 of plant in 1 liter of water	10 ml	Drench twice a day for 2 days. (India. 1, 2, 3)