Sudden Death in Grower-Finisher Pigs

Required Forms:

OAHN Swine Small Scale Herd Postmortem Project-Survey

OAHN Swine Small Scale Herd Postmortem Project - Submission form

Sudden Death in Grower-Finisher Pigs tissue sampling list

TISSUE SAMPLING LIST-collect the following samples from EACH pig

Fresh tissues: 1 sample per Whirl-Pak bag, per pig – label with stickers provided.

Formalin-fixed tissues: 1 sample jar per pig.

Tissue Fresh (include lesions) In Formalin (include lesions)

Tonsil

X

X

Thyroid gland

 

X

Trachea

 

X

Thymus

 

X

Lung

X 3

X

Heart

 

X

Liver

X

X

Spleen

X

X

Kidney

X

X

Adrenal gland

 

X

Pancreas

 

X

Mesenteric lymph node

X

X

Gastrohepatic lymph node

X

X

Stomach

 

X

Duodenum

 

X

Jejunum

 

X

Ileum

 

X

Spiral colon

 

X

Diaphragm

 

X

Skeletal muscle

 

X

Brain

(or head)

X half, sagitally sectioned

(OR entire head – fresh)

X half, sagitally sectioned

(OR entire head – fresh)

Sudden Death in Grower-Finisher Pigs (>20 kg)

If <40 kg each, may include up to 3 pigs per case

Fresh tissues: Use a separate Whirl-Pak bag for each sample –label bags with the stickers provided (tissue name), and add a pig designation (A, B, C – if >1 pig).

Formalin-fixed tissues: Use 1 sample jar per pig. For solid organs, samples should be approximately 1-2  cm2.  For intestine, take approximately 3 cm long segments and partially open longitudinally with scissors (to allow formalin to contact the mucosal surface). 

Test list (for AHL use):

Virology: PRRSV PCR prtqn, influenza A virus PCR inflpcr: lung (pooled)

Bacterial culture bsetup, cults: lung, spleen (pooled by tissue).

Histopathology hist

Freeze and hold: tonsil /spleen, lung, kidney/ liver, lymph nodes, brain.