Pseudo-rabies hits Iowa hogs

The state veterinarian says the recent outbreak of a swine disease in the Fort Dodge area has NOT been isolated to a single farm and has likely spread. Dr. John Schiltz expects more farms will be forced into slaughtering entire herds of hogs because of infections.A Webster County hog farmer, Marc Compart, will have to destroy all 16-hundred head of his hogs due to an outbreak of pseudo-rabies. Dr. Schiltz says the state and nation have been diligently working to wipe out the viral disease.Schiltz says other cases of pseudo-rabies are being reported in Iowa. The disease is also known as Mad Itch.He says the disease, which can resemble rabies, does not effect people.