Emergency Animal Disease Training – Case Study 4: Sudden death in pigs

About the course

In this module, you will work through a real-world case study of acute febrile illness and sudden death in pigs from small-scale free range piggery. Delivered in an interactive, problem-based format, the case study encourages critical thinking and practical application of knowledge in a simulated field scenario.

This case study is part of the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Online Training developed by the University of Melbourne in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). It is designed to equip veterinarians and veterinary students with essential knowledge and skills for recognising, reporting, and responding to suspected EADs in Australia. Each module can be completed independently.

The case study concludes with a quiz to provide an opportunity to assess your knowledge. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate as evidence of course participation.

What you’ll learn

On the successful completion of this module, you will:

• be reminded of your professional and legal obligations to identify and report cases of suspected EADs to government authorities and be able to identify appropriate reporting mechanisms.
• understand key response strategies and intervention options in an EAD event.
• be aware of key roles for private veterinarians in the detection, investigation, reporting, and response to EAD events.
• know where to source technical resources on EADs.
• develop appropriate differential diagnosis lists for diseases with acute febrile and sudden death presentations in pigs.
• describe the process of collecting appropriate samples for laboratory diagnosis.
• understand how pig production characteristics affect disease spread and control measures.

Course content

Participants work through a realistic scenario involving sudden deaths in a pig herd. The module guides learners through:

• Providing advice to the owner and initial risk assessment.
• Developing differential diagnosis lists for acute febrile and sudden death presentations in pigs.
• Determining when to notify authorities and understanding reporting obligations.
• Conducting on-farm visits and collecting appropriate samples for laboratory diagnosis.
• Understanding the confirmation process for African swine fever (ASF) and the subsequent response.
• Exploring the implications of an ASF outbreak in Australia and required control measures.

Enrolment

To access this training, you will need to log in to the platform, eadonline.com.au. Access is free and aimed toward veterinarians and veterinary science students, however, the modules are available to anyone with an interest in emergency animal diseases. If you are not already registered on the Emergency Animal Disease Online Training platform, then you will need to register and create a new account.

For help with the online training platform, please contact [email protected]

Funding acknowledgement

The development of this course was funded by the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, the Government’s plan for stronger farmers and a stronger economy, and the Australian Government’s Other Exotic Disease Preparedness program, to provide for the Commonwealth’s contribution to Australia’s commitment to safeguard animal health status to maintain overseas markets and protect the economy and environment from the impact of exotic pest and diseases.