Related Experiment Videos
Hind limb paralysis from electrical shock in three gilts
D J Steffen1, D A Schoneweis, J L Nelssen
1Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
|March 15, 1992
Summary
Electrical shock can cause spinal cord injuries and vertebral fractures in pigs, even if the animal survives. Always check electrical systems in swine housing to prevent these injuries.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Animal Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Spinal cord injuries in swine can lead to significant health and economic impacts in intensive farming.
- Electrocution is a known cause of mortality and fractures in livestock, but survival cases with neurological deficits are less documented.
Observation:
- Three crossbred gilts presented with hind limb paralysis.
- The paralysis was diagnosed as resulting from multiple vertebral body fractures.
- No external lesions indicative of electrical shock were observed, and the animals survived the event.
Findings:
- The vertebral fractures and subsequent paralysis were attributed to a nonfatal electrical shock.
- This case highlights that electrical shock can cause severe spinal trauma in swine without being lethal.
- Absence of typical electrocution lesions does not rule out electrical injury as a etiological factor.
Implications:
- Electrical shock should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained spinal cord injuries in swine.
- Regular inspection and maintenance of electrical installations in swine production facilities are crucial for animal welfare.
- Further investigation into the mechanisms of nonfatal electrical shock-induced spinal trauma in animals is warranted.