Management of the growing lamb

Question 1

What are some common disease in lamb > 6 weeks

Answer 1

• PAsteurella
• Clostridial disease
• Pulp kidney
• GI parasites -> nematodirus, Telodorsagia, haemochus

Question 2

Describe Pasteurellosis

Answer 2

• Opportunistic pathogens
• Susceptible after time of stress
  and other URT viral infection

Question 3

What presentaiton sof pasteurellosis are there?

Answer 3

A. Bacterial infection of lowerresp tract
Septicaemia (>2months)

Question 4

Signs of LRT infection?

Answer 4

• Dyspnoea
• Fever
• Depression
• Coughing
• Oronasal discharge
• Abnormal lung sounds

Question 5

Septiaemia signs?

Answer 5

• Fever
• Listlessness
• Sudden Death

URT→ LRT→ Blood system → septicaemia + localisation in other tissues

Question 6

Diagnosis PAsteurellosis?

Answer 6

History of stressors or other viral respiratory insults
Clinical signs
Antenatal- BAL and culture
Post-mortem- pulmonary samples for PCR

Question 7

Tx for Pasteurellosis ?

Answer 7

Antibiotics
NSAIDS
Supportive treatment
Very unlikely to be successful
Prognosis poor

Question 8

Prevention for Pasteurellosis?

Answer 8

Avoiding known stressors-managing concurrent
diseases, nutritional problems and transportation
Vaccination
Prophylactic antibiotics for lambs??

Question 9

List the types of Clostirial perfringens and what they do?

Answer 9

Type B -> Lamb dysentery/ enterotox type B in lambs - neonatal
type C -> haemorrhagi enteritis/ enterotox type C
Type D -> enterotoxaemia type D/pulp kidney disease

Question 10

What are the different strains of clostridial dx?

Answer 10

tetani, novyi, chauvei

Question 11

Descirbe type D/ Pulpy kidney?

Answer 11

Very common in UK
Well conditioned fast growing animals
Ingestion of high amounts of feed or milk
Overgrowth of C.perfringens producing
toxin
Episilon toxin

Question 12

CLs of Pulpy kidney?

Answer 12

• Incoordination, seizures, D+ sudden death
• ask for history of vaccines

Question 13

Diagnosis of pefrfringens D?

Answer 13

PME - hyperaemic ffoci on intestines, fluid filled pericardial sac, rapid autolysis of kidney??

Intestinal contents - toxin identification

Question 14

Tx & Px ?

Answer 14

Tx: none
Px: vaccine
4-10 week old lambs in unvaccinated ewes
6month + when lambs not had booster vaccine

Question 15

What important UK species of parasitic gastroenteritis in lambs?

Answer 15

Teladorsagia (Abomasum)
Trichostrongylus (Small intestine)
Nematodirrus (Small intestine)
Haemonchus (Abomasum)
(Moniezia)

Question 16

Age immunity - parasitic gastroE?

Answer 16

CLS typically 2 months -1 y
- No age immunity to Haemonchus
- Clinical dx in adult sheep with high challenge

Question 17

when do these parasites appear?

Answer 17

Question 18

Lifecycle of Nematodirus battus?

Answer 18

Large, easily distinguished eggs
L3 overwinter on pasture
Temp > 10⁰C after cold period → mass hatching
Lamb to lamb disease

Question 19

CLs (lambs only) PGE?

Answer 19

Severe diarrhoea + dehydration +/- death
Loss of bloom & weight loss
Often precede rising FECs

Question 20

Lifecycle of Teladorsagia, Trichostrongylus, N Filicollis ?

Answer 20

Re-activation of L4 → Periparturient FEC rise
Temp dependant development to L3 (2wk – 4m)
Ewe to lamb and lamb to disease
‘Telescoping’ of larval development

Question 21

CLS of PGE? (Teladorsagia, Trichostrongylus, N Filicollis )

Answer 21

Chronic diarrhoea
Unthriftiness
Subclinical parasitism → poor growth

Question 22

Lifecycle of Haemonchosis ?

Answer 22

High fecundity
Warm humid weather → rapid development to L3
Ewe to lamb and lamb to lamb disease

Question 23

CLs of Haemonchosis (PGE)?

Answer 23

Associated with blood feeding
- anaemia
- Hypoproteinaemia +/- submandibular oedema
- Loss of condition +/- death
- NO D+

Rapidly develops resistance

Question 24

Approach to PGE?

Answer 24

CLS & presentation
FEC
PME & worm counts

Question 25

Tx for PGE?

Answer 25

Narrow spectrum anthelmintics (e.g. Closantel)
Combination anthemintics (‘Fluke and worm’)
Multiple active anthelmintics (e.g. Startect)
Activity against hypobiotic larvae
Activity against cestodes (tapeworms)
Persistent / Residual activity

Question 26

SCOPS ?

Answer 26

Sustainable control of Parasites in Sheep

Question 27

What does SCOPS evaluate?

Answer 27

• Short term efficacy of control vs long-term prevention of resistance development
• Subclin dx -> reduced growth rates

Question 28

SCOPE Principles?

Answer 28

1. Establish a parasite ontrol strategy with your vet
2. Avoid introducing resistant worms (quarantine tx, house in concrete for 24hrs, move to contaminated pasture)
3. Annual test for anthelmintic resistance
4. Admin anthelmintics effectively
5. use anthelmintics only when necessary
6. Selecting the appropriate anthelmintic
   +7. Preserve susceptible worm population
7. Reduce dependence eon anthelmintics

Question 29

Cobalt function?

Answer 29

Produciton of vit B12

Question 30

Cobalt Risk factors?

Answer 30

Uncontrolled / Concurrent
PGE
Low soil content (acid igneous
rocks / coarse sand)
Depletion due to pasture
management (e.g. excessive
liming / reseeding)

Question 31

CLS ofr Cobalt deficiency?

Answer 31

Ill-thrift (‘Pine’)
Loss of appetite
Poor growth → weight loss → emaciation
Poor quality, open fleece
Tight skin, scaling of the ear margin
Pale mucus membranes d/t anaemia
Lachrymation

Question 32

Subclin cobalt deficiency?

Answer 32

Poor growth rates
Inc severity of PGE

Question 33

Cobalt Diagnosis ?

Answer 33

History & geography
- CLS presentation
- Response to tx
- Lab testing

Question 34

Tx & prevention of cobalt def?

Answer 34

Cobalt boluses & drenches
Inclusion in creep feed
Injection of Vitamin B12
Application to grazing land