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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #201: Swine Gastric Ulceration

Pig veterinary case - Easy - September 20, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A finisher pig is found pale, weak, and reluctant to rise after a period of poor appetite.
  2. The owner reports several pigs have passed dark faeces recently.
  3. One pig dies suddenly and necropsy is performed.
  4. The non-glandular region of the stomach contains a large ulcerative lesion.
  5. The group has been on a finely ground ration for rapid growth.
  6. Gastric ulceration in pigs commonly affects the pars oesophagea and may cause melena or sudden death.

Diagnosis

Swine Gastric Ulceration

This case is most consistent with Swine Gastric Ulceration because the pigs have melena, pallor, and a classic ulcer location in the non-glandular stomach. The most important clues are the ration history and necropsy findings, which make dysentery 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 Gastric Ulceration, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A finisher pig is found pale, weak, and reluctant to rise after a period of poor appetite.
  2. Clue 2: The owner reports several pigs have passed dark faeces recently.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: One pig dies suddenly and necropsy is performed.
  2. Clue 4: The non-glandular region of the stomach contains a large ulcerative lesion.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: The group has been on a finely ground ration for rapid growth.
  2. Clue 6: Gastric ulceration in pigs commonly affects the pars oesophagea and may cause melena or sudden death.

Self-review prompts

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

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.