FASH5: Sudden Death in Sheep Flashcards
Define sudden death.
Death that occurs since the last inspection
What are the causes of sudden death?
- Clostridial disease
- Redgut
- Systemic pasteurellosis
- Ruminal acidosis
- Plant toxicity
- Acute liver fluke
- Trauma
- Nematodirosis
- Coccidiosis
- Haemonchosis
- Bloat
- CCN
- Hypomagnesaemia
- Copper toxicity
- Nitrate/nitrite poisoning
What are the clostridial diseases in sheep?
- Lab dysentery
- Pulpy kidney
- Struck
- Tetanus
- Blackleg
- Malignant Oedema
- Black disease
- Brazy
- Abomasitis
- Botulism
What is the clostridial agent of pulpy kidney?
C. perfringens
What causes pulpy kidney?
Epsilon toxin leading to haemorrhage and oedema in multiple tissues
What is the clostridial agent for struck?
C. perfringens
What is the clostridial agent of abomastitis?
C. sordelii
How do you prevent abomastitis?
Avoid rapid changes in dietary carbs
Vaccinate
What is the clostridial agent of braxy?
C. speticum
What is braxy associated with?
Ingestion of frosted food
Whats is abomasitis associated with?
Creep fed lambs
What is the clostridial agent of blackleg?
C. chauvoei
What is blackleg associated with?
C. chauvoei is found in soil - so associated with dirty/bad hygiene following docking, castration, shearing
Causes gas production and stiffness
How do you control blackleg?
Maintain hygiene during husbandry procedures
Prophylactic penicillin
Vaccination
What is the clostridial agent of black disease?
C. novyi
What is black disease associated with?
Dark liver with distinct paler necrotic areas
Recent fluke migration
What is the clostridial agent of tetanus?
C. tetani
How do you treat tetanus?
Tetanus antitoxin
Antibiotics
Analgesia
How do you prevent tetanus?
Hygiene at docking
Vaccination
What is the clostridial agent of botulism?
C. botulinum
Describe the vaccination course of clostridial diseases?
- Initial course of two injections 4-6 weeks apart when sheep enter the breeding flock
- Annual booster about 6 weeks before lambing
- Lambs born to vaccinated dams should receive a first dose at about 8-12 weeks old, followed by a second booster at least 4 weeks later
What is redgut?
- Rapidly digestible diet leads to rapid transit of ingesta through the intestinal tract
- Reduced rumen fill
- Secondary fermentation in the lower gut and caecum leading to increased gas production
- Intestines torse around the root of the mesentery
How do you prevent redgut?
Gradually introduce sheep onto lush pastures
Provide good quality fiber
