Vetdle Archive Case #131: Swine Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Clinical Clues

Indoor-reared piglets are pale, weak, and slow to grow.
They tire easily and breathe rapidly when handled.
No routine mineral injection was given after birth.
Mucous membranes are markedly pale.
Bloodwork identifies microcytic hypochromic anemia.
Piglets without adequate iron supplementation can develop severe iron deficiency anemia.

Diagnosis

Swine Iron Deficiency Anaemia

This case is most consistent with Swine Iron Deficiency Anaemia because the piglets are pale and weak with a classic microcytic hypochromic blood pattern and no iron supplementation. The most important clues are the husbandry history and anaemia type, which make blood loss less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this pig case supports the provided diagnosis, Swine Iron Deficiency Anaemia, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

Clue 1: Indoor-reared piglets are pale, weak, and slow to grow.
Clue 2: They tire easily and breathe rapidly when handled.

Clues 3-4

Clue 3: No routine mineral injection was given after birth.
Clue 4: Mucous membranes are markedly pale.

Clues 5-6

Clue 5: Bloodwork identifies microcytic hypochromic anemia.
Clue 6: Piglets without adequate iron supplementation can develop severe iron deficiency anemia.

Self-review prompts

After clues 1-2, what evidence from this pig case shaped your initial interpretation?
When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Swine Iron Deficiency Anaemia?
How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Swine Iron Deficiency Anaemia?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.