Wild Hog Disease

Disease is one the biggest concerns when dealing with wild hogs. They can be transmitted in several different ways and their severity varies. If you think you have been exposed to a disease, do not hesitate to consult a medical professional.

There are several steps to ensure the safe handling of hogs and preventing disease below.

• If an animal appears sick or if it was found dead, avoid contact with the animal
• Wear eye protection and rubber or latex gloves when handling a hog carcass
• Avoid any direct contact with the hog’s organs and any fluid from the animal
• Properly dispose of any gloves worn while butchering a hog
• After handling a hog, wash your hands thoroughly – even if gloves were worn
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect any tools that were used to process the hog
• Make sure that any meat that is consumed from a wild hog has been stored correctly using safe refrigeration, freezing, and cooking techniques
• When cooking wild hog, make sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F – 170°F

Some diseases are transmitted from hogs to other animals, and some can be transferred to people. Diseases that can spread from an animal to a human are known as zoonotic.

Surgical Gloves (Photo By Adobe Stock)

Hogs can carry several different diseases that spread to other animals. These diseases are a large concern in the livestock industry. These diseases can also impact other wildlife.

Diseases:

• Pseudorabies Virus
• Swine Brucellosis
• African Swine Fever
• Classical Swine Fever
• Foot and Mouth Disease

Pig Pen (Photo By Adobe Stock)

There are several diseases that can be spread to humans. Diseases that go from an animal host to a human are considered zoonotic. Hogs carry zoonotic diseases; they should be handled with care.

Diseases:

• Leptospirosis
• Brucellosis
• E. coli
• Rabies
• Swine Influenza Viruses
• Trichinosis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Giardiasis
• Salmonellosis
• Cryptosporidiosis