Hematuria in Pigs (Bloody Urine)

16.3.2 Hematuria in Pigs (Bloody Urine)

In pigs, the problem of hematuria is seen most often in female pigs within three weeks of breeding. The bloody urine results from an infection by an organism Corynebacterium suis in the bladder and kidneys. Most boars (approximately 80%) have this organism in the tissues around their penis. If the sow or gilt is even slightly injured or irritated during breeding, the organism can go up into her bladder and kidneys, resulting in infection and bloody urine.

Treatment: A week-long course of antibiotics, such as tetracycline or penicillin, given to the female pig usually clears up the problem temporarily. However, several weeks or months later, the problem may recur. The sow gradually becomes thin. It is best to slaughter the sow soon after she has been treated for this condition (i.e. after the antibiotic residues are no longer in her meat, and before the problem recurs or she gets thin).

Thin sow after chronic hematuria Prevention: There are no proven methods to prevent this problem. In herds with a chronic problem of hematuria, the sheaths around the penis of all the breeding boars can be flushed with 1 gram of tetracycline every six months. This can be done by emptying several tetracycline capsules (e.g. four capsules of 250 milligrams or two capsules of 500 milligrams) into 100 ml of water and gently flushing the fluid into the sheath around the penis using a syringe (with no needle!). This treatment has not been studied in a controlled clinical trial, but experienced veterinarians believe that it is effective in decreasing the problem in a herd.