Paralysis in swine due to focal symmetrical poliomalacia: possible selenium toxicosis

Abstract

A paralytic disease in swine was observed on three farms located in the same geographical area of Georgia. Postmortem examinations revealed the paralysis to be related to spinal poliomalacia. Feed collected from two of the affected farms was used in a feeding study, and the paralytic condition was reproduced. In pigs from both the feeding trial and field cases, the poliomyelomalacia was characterized by focal, symmetrical lesions located in the cervical and lumbar intumescences. Selenium was detected in the feed at levels ranging from 19 to 24 ppm.