Disease Of Neonatal Lambs Flashcards
What causes lamb mortality?
Accidents Predation Infectious disease Hypothermia Hypoglycaemia Dystocia
How much colostrum should a lamb get?
50 ml/kg in the first 6h of life - 200 ml
250 ml/kg in the first 24h of life - 1L
At what age should you test blood TP?
7 days old - should be over 55g/L
How should you treat a lamb with rectal temperature of 37-39c?
Dry
Feed warmed colostrum
Check ewes milk / health
Return to the ewe and supervise
How should toy treat a ewe with a rectal temperature of less than 37c?
Intraperitoneal glucose 20% - 10 ml/kg Warm to 37c Dry Give warm colostrum - 50 ml/kg Warm to 39c Return ewe and monitor
What causes watery mouth and how does it present?
Lack of colostrum allows e.coli to proliferate in the gut - endotoxaemia
CS: hypersalivation, gut stasis, collapse, dehydrated
Tx: oral fluids - 50 ml/kg q 6h
Flunixin - anti-endotoxicn
Amoxicillin / clavulanate / neomycin / spectinomycin
What are the causes of neonatal diarrhoea in lambs?
Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxigenic e.coli Rotavirus Cryptosporidium Salmonella typhimurium or Dublin
What is the most common cause of joint ill?
Streptococcus dysgalactiae
Common sequel to umbilical infections
What is the clinical presentation of joint ill?
Multiple joint swelling and lameness
Ill thrift
Neurological signs if spinal abscesses
How can you diagnose joint ill?
Post mortem
Joint taps
How can you treat joint ill?
Penicillin / amoxicillin for at least 5 days Review farm hygiene practices Navel dip in iodine Adequate colostrum Improve hygiene
What are the clinical signs of drunken lamb syndrome and how can you treat it?
1-3 weeks
Secondary to navel ill
Acute ataxia leading to recumbency, death in 24h
Dx: azotaemia, hyperphosphataemia, metabolic acidosis
Tx: 50mmol sodium bicarbonate
Amoxicillin
What is lamb nephrosis syndrome, how do you diagnose it and what is the prognosis?
Often concurrent cryptospoidiosis
2-12w
Animals gather around the water trough due to increased thirst
Dx: raised urea and creatinine, Hyperkalaemia, low albumin, metabolic acidosis, pale and swollen kidneys on PME
Tx: none - poor px
How can you treat entropion in lambs?
Sub conjunctival penicillin
What is swayback and how can you prevent it?
In utero copper deficiency - ewes grazed on pastures that is deficient in copper
CS: weak lambs, still born, hindlimb paresis
Tx: supplement ewes with copper in pregnancy
