This condition results in sudden death in growing and finishing pigs. Affected animals found dead are characterized by a pale, distended carcass. Necropsy reveals that the entire intestinal tract has a severely congested, thin-walled appearance. Intestinal contents are usually watery and contain unclotted brownish blood. The condition must be differentiated from gastric ulcers, gastrointestinal torsion or volvulus, and from the hemorrhagic form of proliferative enteritis. The cause is unknown. Diagnosis is made by ruling out other causes through post-mortem and histologic examination.
See the table Diseases Associated with Hemorrhage in Intestine