Surgical Affections of Pigs with Their Associated Risk Factors

Pigs are fertile, prolific breeders, and efficient meat converters. However, surgical affections pose a threat to their well-being and productivity, potentially leading to culling or death. This study has been conducted to explore the occurrence of surgical affections among pigs and their associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study conducted in seven communities in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, looked for surgical affections in 47 pigs. SPSS-25 was used to analyze the data. The prevalence of surgical affection was identified as 72.3% (in males: 79.41% and in females: 20.59%). The common surgical affections were wound 57.4%, abscess 36.2%, hemorrhage 12.8%, inflammation 14.9%, tumor 6.4%, and myiasis 6.4% regardless of age, sex, or body weight. According to age, the affections were observed as 2.94%, 5.88%, 35.29%, 26.47%, 8.82%, 14.71%, and 5.88% at the age of 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 months respectively. Surgical affections were calculated as 25%, 57.14%, 10.71%, and 7.14% whenever the body weight of the animals was <10 kg, 10–15 kg, 16–20 kg, and >20 kg consecutively. The study found no significant relationship between pig sex/age and surgical affections, except for body weight versus abscess and incised wound. Management factors like intensive housing, unhygienic environments, rope tying, lack of awareness, and insufficient veterinary supervision exacerbated surgical affections. The study’s findings, despite being limited by sample size, age, and data collection time, serve as a baseline for further research on swine surgical affections.

Introduction

Pigs are highly fertile, prolific breeders and two times more effective in turning feed into meat, which makes them an important source of animal protein [1], [2]. Pig farming is prevalent in specific communities in Bangladesh, such as Christians, Tribals, Sweepers, and lower-caste Hindus. These communities often engage in pig farming due to the lack of cultivable land, poverty, illiteracy, and limited employment opportunities. The simplicity of the pig rearing system using readily available natural resources, high disease resistance power, low labor costs, and high-class protein with lower prices influence people to tag within swine cultivation [1], [3]–[5]. The pig industry significantly strengthens the rural economy and food security of many countries worldwide [3], [5]–[7]. Despite the challenges, the potential for the pig industry in Bangladesh is immense. Among the Muslim majority groups, pig production is currently nonexistent due to social, cultural, traditional, and religious concerns. However, the estimated pig population in Bangladesh is still significant at about 326,000 [2]. It is crucial to note that with the right support and infrastructure, the pig industry could not just survive, but thrive, contributing significantly to the country’s economy and food security. However, to realize this potential, the industry must overcome obstacles such as an improper supply of balanced rations, the prevalence of diseases, inadequate veterinary services, and poor marketing channels [1]. Like other common livestock, swine can also be affected with diverse diseases or conditions resulting in significant loss in health and production [1], [8]–[10]. Surgical affections of pigs pose a threat to their well-being and productive capacities. Surgical disorders such as different types of wounds, tumors, cysts, abscesses, hemorrhages, fractures, and myiasis can cause significant economic losses if not treated in time [8], [11]. In addition, surgical intervention is sometimes the only alternative; failure to treat the condition may result in culling and death of the pig [8]. Despite the prevalence of surgical affection in pigs, it is crucial to emphasize that more comprehensive information is needed on various surgical disorders in pigs in different geographic settings in Bangladesh. Therefore, the findings of this study are not just informative but crucial for understanding the burden due to surgical affection and developing effective control and prevention strategies to improve production. This study aims to determine the incidence and distribution of principal surgical affections in the swine population and to explore associated risk factors.

Materials and Methods

Study Population

This study used 47 pigs regardless of age, sex, and body weight.

Study Area

The experiment was conducted at the Godagari and Tanore sub-district of Rajshahi, where the pigs are available.

Study Period

The duration of the study was 01.10.2021–30.10.2021.

Research Design

The research was designed as a cross-sectional study. The surgical diseases of the pigs were categorized based on sex (male and female), age (in months), and body weight. The specific surgical diseases included different types of wounds, tumors, cysts, abscesses, hemorrhages, fractures, and myiasis. This categorization was chosen to provide a comprehensive learning on the prevalence and dispersal of these diseases in the pig population.

Data Collection

The complete history of each case and data regarding age, sex, body weight, and surgical disorders were recorded on a preformed data collection sheet.

Arrangement and Statistical Analysis of Data

The collected information was coded, compiled, scored, tabulated, and analyzed according to our objectives using SPSS 16, a widely used statistical software. The specific cases were divided by the total number of infected animals × 100 to get the prevalence of surgical affections. This prevalence rate was then compared across different categories, such as sex, age, and body weight, to identify any significant variations or trends. The statistical analysis was done using both of descriptive and inferential statistics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the data.

Results

Overall Occurrences of Surgical Affections

The present study, which meticulously enrolled 47 indigenous backyard pigs, found that 34 suffered from various surgical affections. The overall occurrence of surgical affections was reported as 72.3% (Fig. 1A). The most common surgical affections were identified as wound (27, 57.4%), abscess (17, 36.2%) (Fig. 2A), inflammation (7, 14.9%), hemorrhage (6, 12.8%), tumor (3, 6.4%), and myiasis (3, 6.4%) regardless of age, sex, or body weight (Fig. 1B). Among the wounds, 46.8% were incised, 25.5% were abrasions, and 2.1% were other types (Figs. 1C, 2).

Fig. 1. (A) Indicates the overall occurrence of surgical affections in pigs (n = 47); (B) and (C) indicate the distribution of various surgical affections and wounds, respectively (n = 34).

Fig. 2. Illustrated the different surgical affections like abscess (A), abrasion wound (B), incised wound (C) and maggot wound (D).

Distribution of Surgical Affections according to Sex of the Pigs

Among the sampled pigs, 36 (76.6%) were male, and 11 (23.4%) were female. The prevalence of different surgical affections was recorded at 79.41% and 20.59% in male and female pigs, respectively (Fig. 3A). Interestingly, within the enrolled sampled female pigs, 36.36% did not have any surgical affections, and the incised wound was the most frequent affection, with tumors being absent. Similarly, within the enrolled sampled male pigs, the incised wound was the most prevalent affection, and the abscess was the second most prevalent one. However, it is essential to note that statistically, sex did not show any significant correlation with the presence of different surgical affections in pigs (P = 0.462) (Table I), challenging existing assumptions and highlighting the need for further research in this area.

Fig. 3. Indicates the distribution of surgical affections according to the sex (A) (P = 0.462), Age (B) (P = 0.764), and body weight (C) (P = 0.560) of the pigs (n = 34).

Table I. Influence of Pig’s Sex on the Occurrence of Various Surgical Affections (n = 47) or Specific Types of Wounds (n = 46) (Pearson Chi-Square Test)

Surgical affections	Sex of the pig	Affection present	Affection absent	N	Value	df	Asymptotic significance (2-sided)
	Female	7	4	11
Hemorrahge	Male	5	31	36	0.174	1	0.676
	Female	1	10	11
Abscess	Male	13	23	36	0	1	0.988
	Female	4	7	11
Tumor	Male	3	33	36	0.979	1	0.322
	Female	0	11	11
Inflammation	Male	6	30	36	0.381	1	0.537
	Female	1	10	11
Myiasis	Male	2	34	36	0.176	1	0.675
	Female	1	10	11
Abrasion wound	Male	9	27	36	0.023	1	0.88
	Female	3	8	11
Incised wound	Male	17	19	36	0.011	1	0.918
	Female	5	6	11
Other wound	Male	1	35	36	0.312	1	0.576
	Female	0	11	11

Dissemination of Surgical Affections According to the Age of the Pigs

The pervasiveness of different surgical affections of pigs according to age was also a key focus of this study. The age of the sampled pigs was found to have no significant correlation with the presence of different surgical affections in pigs. The affections were observed as 2.94%, 5.88%, 35.29%, 26.47%, 8.82%, 14.71%, and 5.88% at the age of 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 months respectively (Fig. 3B). The study’s findings suggest that pigs between the ages of 9 and 10 months had varying surgical affections than other aged pigs. Among the enrolled pigs, wounds, abscesses, and incised wounds were the most prevalent surgical affections at the age of 10 ± 1.257, 10.2 ± 1.521, and 9.83 ± 1.302 months, respectively (Table II).

Table II. Influence of Pig’s Age on the Occurrence of Various Surgical Affections or Specific Wounds (n = 46) (Independent Samples Test)

Surgical affections		N	Mean age	Std. deviation	Std. error mean	t	df	Sig. (2-tailed)
Hemorrahge	Presence	6	9.83	1.169	0.477	−0.101	44	0.92
	Absence	40	9.9	1.549	0.245	−0.124	7.911	0.904
Abscess	Presence	15	10.2	1.521	0.393	0.974	44	0.335
	Absence	31	9.74	1.483	0.266	0.965	27.148	0.343
Tumor	Presence	2	9.5	2.121	1.5	−0.375	44	0.709
	Absence	44	9.91	1.491	0.225	−0.27	1.045	0.831
Wound	Presence	20	10	1.257	0.281	0.429	44	0.67
	Absence	26	9.81	1.674	0.328	0.445	43.986	0.658
Inflammation	Presence	6	10.5	2.074	0.847	1.072	44	0.29
	Absence	40	9.8	1.4	0.221	0.8	5.703	0.456
Myiasis	Presence	2	10	2.828	2	0.104	44	0.918
	Absence	44	9.89	1.466	0.221	0.056	1.025	0.964
Abrasion wound	Presence	12	10.25	1.288	0.372	0.967	44	0.339
	Absence	34	9.76	1.558	0.267	1.06	23.231	0.3
Incised wound	Presence	23	9.83	1.302	0.272	−0.293	44	0.771
	Absence	23	9.96	1.692	0.353	−0.293	41.297	0.771
Other wound	Presence	1	9			−0.599	44	0.552
	Absence	45	9.91	1.505	0.224

Dispersal of Surgical Affections According to Body Weight of the Pigs

The pattern of distribution of various surgical affections was calculated as 25%, 57.14%, 10.71%, and 7.14% whenever the body weight of the animals was <10 kg, 10–15 kg, 16–20 kg, and >20 kg consecutively (Fig. 3C). The prevalence of abscesses and incised wounds in the enrolled pigs was 31.7% and 51.22%, with 10.08 ± 3.013 and 11.38 ± 4.117 kg body weight, respectively. Thus, lower body weighted pigs indicated an increased persistence of surgical affections, which caused a significantly increased number of abscesses (p = 0.006) or incised wounds (p = 0.034) (Table III). This finding underlines the need for targeted health management strategies for lighter pigs to reduce the occurrence of surgical affections and improve their welfare, providing a clear call to action for animal health professionals.

Table III. Influence of Pig’s Body Weight on the Occurrence of Various Surgical Affections or Wounds (n = 41) (Independent Samples Test)

Surgical affections		N	Mean body weight	Std. deviation	Std. error mean	t	df	Sig. (2-tailed)
Hemorrahge	Presence	6	11.17	2.563	1.046	−0.973	39	0.337
	Absence	35	13.09	4.68	0.791	−1.463	11.786	0.17
Abscess	Presence	13	10.08	3.013	0.836	−2.905	39	0.006
	Absence	28	14.07	4.496	0.85	−3.352	33.655	0.002
Tumor	Presence	1	9			−0.86	39	0.395
	Absence	40	12.9	4.477	0.708
Wound	Presence	17	11.47	3.165	0.768	−1.645	39	0.108
	Absence	24	13.75	5.041	1.029	−1.776	38.556	0.084
Inflammation	Presence	6	11.83	3.971	1.621	−0.572	39	0.57
	Absence	35	12.97	4.573	0.773	−0.634	7.475	0.545
Myiasis	Presence	1	9			−0.86	39	0.395
	Absence	40	12.9	4.477	0.708
Abrasion wound	Presence	11	11.18	3.656	1.102	−1.429	39	0.161
	Absence	30	13.4	4.636	0.846	−1.596	22.564	0.124
Incised wound	Presence	21	11.38	4.117	0.898	−2.191	39	0.034
	Absence	20	14.3	4.414	0.987	−2.187	38.451	0.035
Other wound	Presence	1	20			1.669	39	0.103
	Absence	40	12.63	4.366	0.69

Discussion

This investigation was conducted to observe the existence of surgical affections of pigs in the Rajshahi district of Bangladesh, study this area further, determine the proper management of surgical affections, and determine the associated risk factors. We observed demographic variation (sex, age, and body weight-wise distribution) in the occurrence of different surgical affections in pigs. The prevalence of the diseases depends on the species, sex, age of the animals, season of the year, and geographical location [12], and the findings on the prevalence of different surgical affections/diseases can be effective in protecting animal health or promoting animal welfare if accurate data are represented [13].

In the previous studies, related researches were performed on the prevalence of different surgical affections in cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats by many other researchers like Khan et al. [14], Arju et al. [15], Farghali et al. [16] and Abdel-Kawy et al. [17]. To our knowledge, the prevalence of surgical affections in pigs still needs to be investigated. Information on the prevalence of different diseases/disorders in animals is necessary to improve their welfare by finding the associated risk factors and eliminating them while improving herd health [18], [19]. Similarly, information on surgical affections in pigs is essential for welfare as it causes intense pain and stress to the animals.

The present study showed that overall surgical affection in pigs is 72.3%. Due to insufficient data on the prevalence of surgical affections in pigs, we cannot compare or validate our findings. However, considering other livestock like sheep, Khan et al. [14] reported the prevalence of surgical affections is 32.9%, 29.2%, 24.2%, and 13.6% in Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Netrakona, and Sherpur districts, respectively. Another study reported that the prevalence of surgical affections in cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs were 57.48%, 40.18%, 0.93%, and 1.40%, respectively, in Chittagong, Bangladesh [15]. Thus, our observations revealed that management factors like intensive housing, unhygienic environments, firmly tying up pigs with rope, lack of awareness, lack of connection with a Veterinary hospital, or insufficient Veterinary supervision mainly influenced and aggravated surgical affections in pigs.

This study identified wounds (57.4%) as the most frequent surgical affections in pigs and abscesses (36.2%) as the second most frequently occurring case. Whereas inflammation (14.9%) and hemorrhage (12.8%) were found to be moderate cases, in addition, tumors (6.4%) and myiasis (6.4%) were less frequent affections in pigs. Myiasis is a common problem in farm animals in Bangladesh, and the prevalence of myiasis is 13% [8]. In contrast, another study recorded the prevalence of wounds, abscesses, and myiasis in sheep as 29.18%, 6.47%, and 15.10%, respectively [14]. Moreover, in the Chittagong region, the prevalence of wounds, abscesses, and myiasis among farm animals was 11.99%, 0.48%, and 18.47%, respectively [15]. Among different species, cattle are more susceptible to wounds, abscesses, and myiasis than other farm animals such as goats, sheep, and pigs [15]. However, Buba et al. reported [20] that abscesses were higher in pigs than in cattle and goats. According to Zaman et al., the incidence of abscess and myiasis was 24.03% and 8.15% in the calves, which closely aligns with our study [21]. In dogs, tumors are expected in older adults [22], and the overall prevalence of tumors is 1% [23]. As a skin tumor, papillomatosis is a common problem in ruminants, and the prevalence is 4.5% [24]. In addition, the incidence of fever and arthritis in ruminants is 7.76% and 3.48%, consequently in inflammation [24]. Karim et al. (2014) reported fever (7.8% of cattle and 12.7% of goats) is a significant disease problem in cattle and goats [25], whereas inflammation is also a crucial health problem in dogs [26]. Leaking blood from the intravascular space to the extravascular space through the injury site is called hemorrhage [27]. In pigs, this is expected due to their feeding habits and fighting behavior [28].

Meanwhile, a wound is a damaged cellular portion or loss of cellular continuity in a living body caused by bites from another animal, automobile injury, cut by sharp objects, or penetration by metals or objects [29]. In donkeys and horses, abrasion is the most prevalent among other wounds, such as lacerated, punctured, and incised wounds where the prescapular region is most susceptible [30]. Another study reported that lacerated and maggot wounds are more frequent in cattle due to falling on the rough surface of roads and maggot infestations [31]. Here, in our study, the incised wound is more prevalent than other types of wounds. The dissimilarity in our findings in different wounds with others might be due to species variation or the feeding habits of pigs.

The current study indicated that the prevalence of surgical affections in pigs was higher in males than in females. In contrast, Khan et al. reported that surgical affections were higher in female sheep than in males [14]. Arju et al. [15], Kabir et al. [24] and Farghali et al. [16] also reported similar findings in farm animals. Still, our result closely aligns with the previous statements on farm animals reported by Islam et al. [32] and Islam et al. [33]. Furthermore, the prevalence of different diseases in female dogs is 47% [26]. However, our investigation didn’t find any significant correlation between pig sex and the incidence of surgical diseases (p = 0.462).

This study found that surgical affections were higher in pigs between 9 and 10 months old, whereas goats aged 6 to 24 months had a higher incidence of surgical affections [32]. In addition, Salam et al. [34], Neill et al. [26], and Kabir et al. [24] reported that adult animals are more susceptible than young ones, and Khan et al. [14] also reported the similar findings in sheep. In cats, lower/light body weight does not significantly affect the disease distribution, but obesity or higher body weight increases the disease prevalence [35]. In England, different diseases are higher in dogs with lower body weight (<10 kg) [26] which is aligned with our study. However, the correlation between body weight and surgical affections of animals is limited in the previous studies. Moreover, this study found that surgical affections were higher in pigs between the 10–15 kg body weight. Thus, lower body weight in pigs has increased the chances of surgical affection.

Conclusions

This study, despite its limitations such as a relatively small sample size, single district of investigation, and restrictions in pigs’ age, body weight, and data collection time, provides unique insights into surgical affections of the swine. Therefore, the results of this investigation serve as valuable baseline information for future research in this area.