How to Treat Scaly Pig's Ears
Scaly ears in pigs can have many different causes. It is important to get the advice of your veterinarian before administering treatment. Two of the main causes of scaly skin in pigs are parasites including mange mites and bacterial infections. Another common affliction is called hyperkeratinization. This is when the upper layer of skin becomes infused with dirt and dust from the environment. The skin then becomes dry and scaly as if flakes off. Hyperkeratinization is harmless, and the scaly skin wipes off easily. If the scaly skin does not wipe off, you need to seek treatment.
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Things You'll Need
- Bottle of 6 percent iodine
- 1-oz. measuring cup
- 1-gallon bucket
- Water
- Large spoon
- Sponge
- Hog chute or restraint system
- 6 percent lindane spray
- 5 ml syringe with 18-gauge needle
- Bottle of penicillin
- Alcohol
- Cotton balls
Instructions
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Mange/Parasites
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1
Fill the one-gallon bucket with water. Add 2 oz. of iodine to the water and mix it until it is blended.
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2
Catch your pig in a hog chute or other restraint system. Most pigs will not stand while you wash them down.
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3
With the sponge, wash down the scaly areas of your pig's ears with the iodine solution. Let the skin dry completely. The iodine solution will prevent secondary bacterial infections from setting in.
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4
Spray the pig's scaly ears and the rest of her body with lindane spray. This will kill the parasites and allow the skin to heal. Spraying the pig's whole body will ensure all the parasites she is carrying are killed.
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5
Repeat the lindane spray in 10 to 14 days. You can use the iodine solution once a day, but wait 48 hours after you apply the lindane spray before using the iodine again.
Bacterial Infection
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6
Mix the iodine solution as described in Section 1, Step 1. Wash your pig's scaly ears two times a day with the solution.
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7
Let the bottle of penicillin warm to room temperature.
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8
Restrain the pig. Use cotton balls soaked in alcohol to disinfect the injection site. Penicillin should be injected into the muscle. The front shoulder and the butt are good injection sites.
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9
Draw 1 ml of penicillin per hundred pounds of body weight into the syringe. For a 200-lb. hog, the dosage would be 2 ml. Inject the medication into the pig. Continue to treat the pig with penicillin once a day until the symptoms disappear. When the symptoms disappear, continue the injections for at least one more day. Do not use penicillin for more than four days in a row. If the symptoms persist after four days, wait seven days; if the ears have not begun to heal, repeat treatment for four more days.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Lindane spray has a 60-day withdraw period in swine; do not give it to pigs within 60 days of slaughter. The withdraw period for penicillin is seven days. Allergic reactions to penicillin are rare but can happen. Watch pigs closely for 30 minutes after the injection. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include respiratory distress and convulsions.
