PED is a virus that causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration in pigs. A new highly pathogenic strain of the virus has spread quickly across North America and was confirmed in the Ukraine near the Polish border in December 2014. If keepers see an episode of unusual or rapidly spreading diarrhoea in pigs of any age they should contact their private vet immediately. To encourage prompt reporting test sampling kits are being distributed, free of charge to all active pig keepers in Scotland.
