Disease of growing lambs (Yr 4)

Question 1

what are the differentials for diarrhoea in lambs?

Answer 1

Nematodirus battus
PGE
coccidiosis
cryptosporidium parvum
acidosis
Clostridium perfingens type B (lamb dysentery)
Clostridium perfingens type D (pulpy kidney)
E. coli
Salmonella spp.

Question 2

what type of parasite is C. parvum?

Answer 2

protozoa

Question 3

what are the clinical signs of cryptosporidiosis?

Answer 3

profuse bloody diarrhoea in 3-7 day old lambs

Question 4

how can cryptosporidiosis be diagnosed?

Answer 4

pooled faecal sampling (staining/snap test)
histopathology on PM

Question 5

how can cryptosporidiosis be treated?

Answer 5

supportive (hydration…)
hygiene/biosecurity

Question 6

what type of parasite is coccidia?

Answer 6

protozoa

Question 7

what are the risk factors for coccidiosis?

Answer 7

high stocking rates
inadequate colostrum
mixing ages
stress
concurrent nematodirus infection

Question 8

does getting a positive test for coccidia confirm the cause of disease?

Answer 8

no - majority of species don’t cause disease

Question 9

what are the clinical signs of coccidiosis?

Answer 9

diarrhoea, tenesmus, pyrexia, weight loss in 4-8 week old lambs

Question 10

how is coccidiosis treated?

Answer 10

toltrazuril or diclurazil
supportive (housing, hydration…)

Question 11

what causes acidosis?

Answer 11

consumption of rapidly digestible carbohydrates (concentrates) often in growing lambs on ad lib

Question 12

what is the pathogenesis of rumen acidosis?

Answer 12

ingestion of rapidly digestable carbohydrates leads to a fall in rumen pH allowing lactic acid production to dominate
this leads to a rumenitis and metabolic acidosis

Question 13

how is acidosis usually diagnosed?

Answer 13

history and clinical signs (dull, teeth grinding, colic, bloat, ataxic, reduce rumen sounds, diarrhoea…)

Question 14

how can acidosis be treated?

Answer 14

fluids (with bicarbonate)
remove from cause
good quality fibre (hay…)
penicillin

Question 15

what age is lamb nephrosis seen?

Answer 15

2-12 weeks old

Question 16

what is the presumed cause of lamb nephrosis?

Answer 16

often linked to diarrhoea (crypto or coccidiosis)

Question 17

how is lamb nephrosis syndrome diagnosed?

Answer 17

raised urea, creatinine and hyperkalaemia
pale swollen kidneys on PM

Question 18

what causes ill thrift?

Answer 18

cobalt deficiency

Question 19

what is the function of cobalt?

Answer 19

constituent of vitamin B12 (which is synthesised in the liver)

Question 20

what effects does cobalt deficiency have?

Answer 20

animal can’t synthesis vitamin B12 which is involved in red blood cell development, amino acid synthesis and energy metabolism

Question 21

what are the clinical signs of cobalt deficiency?

Answer 21

weight loss, slow growth
anaemia

Question 22

how can cobalt deficiency be diagnosed?

Answer 22

cobalt and vitamin B12 in blood
(or response to supplement)

Question 23

how can cobalt deficiency be treated?

Answer 23

cobalt bolus/drench/supplement
vitamin B12 injection

Question 24

what is the function of selenium within the body?

Answer 24

immune function and anti-oxidation

Question 25

what is the disease associated with selenium deficiency?

Answer 25

white muscle disease (lameness, weakness…)

Question 26

what are the clinical signs of iodine deficiency?

Answer 26

weak lambs, late abortions (thyroid goitre) - caused by ewe nutrition during gestation

Question 27

what does copper deficiency cause?

Answer 27

swayback (lambs)

Question 28

what is a breed prone to copper deficiency?

Answer 28

scottish blackface

Question 29

what breeds are susceptible to copper poisoning?

Answer 29

north ronaldsay
suffolk
blue faced leicester
texels

Question 30

how does copper poisoning present?

Answer 30

ataxia, head pressing, jaundice, haemoglobiniura, death

Question 31

can can copper poisoning be treated?

Answer 31

sodium calcium EDTA (collate copper)
supportive
molybdenum added to water

Question 32

what does Mannheimia haemolytic cause?

Answer 32

pneumonic pasturellosis

Question 33

how would pneumonia pasturellosis be treated?

Answer 33

(Mannheimia haemolytica)
oxytetracycline, amoxilillin, macrolides

Question 34

how severe is mycoplasma pneumonia in sheep?

Answer 34

usually more low grade acute infection (cough, nasal discharge…)

Question 35

how is mycoplasma pneumonia treated?

Answer 35

oxytetracycline or macrolide

Question 36

what time of year is lungworm seen in sheep?

Answer 36

summer/autumn

Question 37

what lungworm is seen in sheep?

Answer 37

Dictyocaulus filaria

Question 38

how is lungworm diagnosed?

Answer 38

larvae in faeces (baerman test)