Small ruminant internal medicine

Question 1

What’s the diff between sheep and goats?

Answer 1

wool vs hair

but in the southern hemisphere or in the tropics sheep may not be woolly.

goats have narrow faces, beards, are more inquisitive, less skittish.

sheep glandula infraorbitalis - goats don’t.

sheep have a interdigialis gland, goats don’t.

goats have a scent gland between the horns, sheep don’t.

Question 2

Normal temp in small ru

Answer 2

38.5-40’C

lambs and kids can be up to 40.5’C and still be normal.

Question 3

Normal mm in small ru

Answer 3

conjunctiva should be dark pink (almost red looking)

Question 4

Normal HR in small ru

Answer 4

Heart beats per min 70-80 (goats up to 90)

(lamb 80-130) (goat kid 90-150)

Question 5

Normal RR in small ru

Answer 5

Breathing rate 12-20/min (adult goat 15-30/min)

(lamb 20-40)

Question 6

Normal rumen contractions in small ru

Answer 6

Rumen contractions 1-2x/min

Question 7

Over the fence exam can include:

Answer 7

Body condition (not by eye if they’re in WOOL)
General look

Breathing rate/type
Everything else seems fine (body shape? any kind of drooling etc?)

Lameness
Behavior

Activity
Rumination

Question 8

Most common sheep ectoparasite

Answer 8

sheep ked

Question 9

BCS on sheep

Answer 9

Score 1-5. Below to 2.5 is thin, above 3.5 is ready for slaughter or too fat. Ideal is 3.

ALWAYS touch the sheep, otherwise it’ll be inaccurate.

palpate the area between lumbar vertebrae the spinous processes and transverse processes

Question 10

BCS on goats

Answer 10

Score 1-5

Question 11

Answer 11

sheep scab caused by mites

treated by dipping

Question 12

Normal wool should be…
Normal skin should be…

Answer 12

Wool must be slightly greasy, moist.

Lanolin is the substance that makes the wool greasy. 1 month = 1 cm of lanolin

Skin should be pinkish, not dry.

Question 13

3 most common skin/wool problems:

Answer 13

ORF (viral)

Solar dermatitis

External parasites - sheep ked, lice, flies etc.

Question 14

Answer 14

ORF pox virus, Contagious Pustular Dermatitis

lips, udder, hooves etc.
normally self-limiting and clears without treatment within 3 to 4 weeks

zoonosis

Question 15

A sheep with edema under the jaw indicates

Answer 15

fasciolosis (Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica) or nematode Haemonchosis (aemonchus contortus)

“bottle-jaw”

Question 16

Answer 16

strawberry foot rot or lumpy wool disease which is dermatophilus congolensis bacteria in sheep (sometimes combined with ORF virus).

very difficult to treat because the bacteria doesnt respond well to AB

Question 17

what disease can cause unilateral facial nerve paralysis in sheep?

Answer 17

listeriosis

Question 18

Joint-ill is

Answer 18

a bacterial joint infection of young lambs that occurs in the first four weeks of life, that enters via the navel and thus may be called navel ill.

Prevention is the best bet.

Question 19

What body part of sheep is very susceptible to solar dermatitis?

Answer 19

the ears

photosensitization via feed also occurs in sheep

Question 20

Pupil reflex in sheep is

Answer 20

very slow compared to other animals. Goats are slightly faster than sheep.

Question 21

If you have a few sheep with one or both eyes turning grey, it could be a sign of

Answer 21

keratoconjunctivitis (pink eye)

treat with systemic oxytetracycline

Question 22

Answer 22

Entropion - mainly lambs

is a congenital disorder, meaning it is often present at birth. With the eyelid turned in, the eyelashes or hairs can rub against the cornea and cause secondary infections such as ulceration, blindness, etc.

Manually turn back out.

Or inject a small amount of AB and it will swell enough it will keep the eyelid turned out.

Or pinch the lower lid hard enough to cause swelling that will keep the eyelid turned out.

The preferable option is to use one or more Michel suture clips, applied with fine-nosed pliers perpendicular to the lower eyelid and 2-5mm below the eyelid to clip the eyelid into place and prevent reversion.

Question 23

Exudate from one nostril: ?
Both sided: ?

Answer 23

Exudate from one nostril: one sided (Oestrus ovis parasite, foreign body, tumour).

Both sided (rhinitis)

Question 24

Examining sheep teeth.

Answer 24

Use jaw openers - incisors you can see also without. Don’t put your fingers between the teeth!

Premolars ja molars can be palpated through the cheek skin.

sheep teeth change is complete after 4 years.

Question 25

When adding pressure on the larynx a healthy animal should

Answer 25

not start coughing.

Question 26

Lung auscultation of sheep.

Answer 26

They have louder lung sounds since the bronchi have narrower angles making the turbulence is stronger.

Breathing in - strong sound
Breathing out - light sound

Question 27

viral lung tumor in sheep

Answer 27

jaagsiekte / Ovine Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma (OPA)

wheelbarrow test is basically 98% sensitivityt

Question 28

Testing for lung parasites

Answer 28

fecal samples

Question 29

Testing for mycoplasma

Answer 29

pleural cavity punctate

Question 30

Lung biopsy in sheep requires

Answer 30

the use of ultrasound always

Question 31

Answer 31

famacha for haemonchus contortus

Question 32

There are two different kind of rumen contractions:

Answer 32

Primary and secondary.

Primary, two phases: First the contraction of the reticulum, then the contraction of the rumen.

Secondary, one phase: only the rumen, normally to burp.

Normally there are two primary contractions and then one secondary contraction.

The whole cycle takes about 2 minutes.

Question 33

Describe Maedi-Visna virus disease.

Answer 33

found all over the world, goats and sheep

causes encephalitis and chronic pneumonitis in sheep.

It is known as visna when found in the brain, and maedi when infecting the lungs.

Question 34

Sheep and goat breathing sounds compared to larger ruminants?

Answer 34

They have louder sounds in the lungs since bronchi go on narrower angles so the turbulence is stronger.

Breathing in - strong sound
Breathing out - light sound

Question 35

When would you drench with antiparasitic?

Answer 35

Consider drenching when conjunctiva pink.

Definitely drench when conjunctiva light pink.

Don’t bother drenching when pale/beige because prognosis is poor anyway, the animal would need a blood transfusion. (and this isn’t really done in practice)

Question 36

If you feel no ruminal contractions with your fist in the left flank within 2 min, then?

Answer 36

the sheep is in trouble and something should be done.

Question 37

Methods for evaluation of sheep repro organs? (3)

Answer 37

Vaginoscopy
Ultrasound
Laparoscopy

Question 38

Describe Sheep breeding (4)

Answer 38

Seasonal breeders, usually come into heat when the days shorten (Sept->) but there are always exceptions!

spontaneous ovulators every 17 days when in season, heat lasts 18-72 h (average 36h)

sexual maturity by 7-18 months

Question 39

Sheep gestation in days

Answer 39

147 days (5-5.5 months)

Question 40

lambs wean at what age in days

Answer 40

120 days (approx. 4 months old)

Question 41

How long is a ram kept in a ewe herd?

Answer 41

for 2 heat cycles so approx. 34 days minimum (17 x 2)

Question 42

CMT in goats and sheeps

Answer 42

some goats have a the CMT physiologically over 1M/l, there might some differences between the udder sides.

sheep can also have lots of somatic cells without real mastitis so compare results with clinical signs.

Question 43

How are sheep preggo checks performed?

Answer 43

right flank sheep U/S, between udder and right leg.

in dairy sheep, a rectal transducer may be used (only transducer is introduced, not hand like in cows)

Question 45

Sheep heat signs

Answer 45

are quite vague so instead vasectomized ram with crayon on its chest is used in order to mark ewes in heat after the ram mounts them.

then e.g. AI can be used on the ewes.

Question 46

2 methods of AI in sheep:

Answer 46

precervical (you cannot get through sheep cervixes even when they’re in heat) and needs double concentrated semen. 50-60% ish success rate.

and

transabdominal/laparoscopic insemination, semen injected straight into the fallopian tube. the ewes are prepared hormonally for this one. 70-90% success rate.

Question 47

slang/industry term for sheep breeding season

Answer 47

tupping season

“Tups have a raddle filled with dye strapped to their chest so that when they mate, they leave a coloured mark on the ewe’s backside. Different colours may be used so the farmer knows which ewe will lamb when, and which tups are being most effective. An experienced tup may sere up 50 ewes. Mating is known as tupping.”

Question 48

What should you check on ewes before tupping (breeding)?

Answer 48

always feel the udder, if its very knotted or hard then it may have been damaged due to previous mastitis and she will be unlikely to be able to nurse future lambs adequately.

check the teats as well. if it feels like there’s a straw inside then the ewe will no longer be able to nurse.

Question 49

sheep and goat have a unique feature of penile anatomy

Answer 49

urethral process which has a tendency to get urinary sediment or stones stuck in it

if its already dead due to obstruction, you can cut the process off in order to open the obstruction.

Question 50

Hoof problems in sheep (6)

Answer 50

Interdigital dermatitis
Interdigital hyperplasia (Fibroom)

Foot rot
Abscesses

Fractures
Laminitis

Wool sheep hooves need to trimmed more often.

10% Zinc sulphate is the best for hoof baths! (duration of bath 15min) It goes through the hoof layers and gets deeper to the bacteria that might harm the hooves.

Question 51

Why can’t sheep hoof abscesses be lanced and opened like cow ones?

Answer 51

Because sheep hooves are so much more vascular and delicate.

The hoof wall is thinner, and the tissues are more prone to damage. Opening a sheep hoof abscess can cause extensive tissue trauma, leading to severe lameness or even permanent damage.

In sheep, systemic antibiotics, foot soaks (e.g., in a zinc sulfate solution), and hoof trimming are preferred approaches.

Question 52

trick to get newborn lambs to breathe

Answer 52

blow in their ear

rub their thorax vigorously with a fist full of straw

last alternative is swinging them by their backlegs but only in last case scenario.

Question 53

What temp. is the cut off for giving sick lambs milk?

Answer 53

37.5’C

if their temp. is lower then the milk will sour inside their stomach and this is detrimental.