Small Ruminant Lameness

Question 1

What is the agent involved in Foot Rot of sheep and goats?

Answer 1

Dichelobacter nodosus (primary)
then fusobacterium necrophorum

Question 2

what is the major clinical sign in SR of foot root?

Answer 2

lameness
praying posture when grazing.
the infection itself invades the sole of the foot causing an undermining of the horny tissue and it has a foul odor

Question 3

how is foot rot transmitted?

Answer 3

1. spread from infected animals to the ground/bedding/manure/etc.
2. introduction of new infected/carrier animals
3. using facilities recently housed infected animals
4. temps 40-70 F and wet environments
5. carrier animals remain constant source of infection

Question 4

How can we prevent foot rot?

Answer 4

1. do not buy animals with foot rot or from infected flocks
2. clean and disinfect vehicles prior to transporting animals
3. trim feet and treat ALL new arrivals, reexamine at end of 30d.

vaccine is no longer avail.

Question 5

how do you tx foot rot in SR?

Answer 5

1. foot trimming – remove infected food so org gets exposed to air and medication/foot soak.
2. foot soak – ZnSO4 10%, CuSO4 10%, or formalin 5% ~least desirable~ (soak for 15-30 min, 1-2x/wk for several weeks)
3. antibiotics – PPG, LA-200, gamithromycin (Zactran)

Question 6

how do you make a 10% ZnSO4 foot bath solution?

Answer 6

16 lbs of ZnSO4 in 20 gallons of water.

Question 7

Out of zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, and formalin, which is the LEAST toxic and which is the LEAST desirable?

Answer 7

least toxic = ZnSO4
least desirable = formalin (may scald)
CuSO4 is toxic if drank by sheep.

Question 8

what is the withdrawal for gamithromycin?

Answer 8

90 days

Question 9

what organism is primarily involved in Foot Scald (interdigital dermatitis) in SR?

Answer 9

Fusobacterium necrophorum*
and dichelobacter nodosus

Question 10

T/F: foot scald in SR is typically seen in dry, hot conditions

Answer 10

false – wet weather or when lots of dew is on grass.

Question 11

what are the clinical signs associated with foot scald in SR?

Answer 11

• infl. of skin in interdigital space (looks scalded, white, and shriveled)
• necrotic smell
• swelling above coronary band (esp goats)
• severe lameness (3-legged lame)

Question 12

how do you tx food scald in SR?

Answer 12

• penicillin or tetracycline injection
• if no swelling, tetracycline powder in isopropyl alcohol sprayed between toes
• foot soaks

Question 13

how do we prevent foot scald in SR?

Answer 13

• foot soaks
• keep off wet pastures so feet can dry

Question 14

What is the most common source of CAE?

Answer 14

colostrum or milk ingestion

others include: respiratory/salivary secretions, shared milking machines, breeding, shared surgical equipment.

Question 15

In kids 1-4 months of age, what is the predominant clinical sign of CAE?

Answer 15

Leukoencephalomyelitis (irreversible rear limb paralysis that progresses to front limbs)

Question 16

In mature goats, what is the most common clinical sign of CAE?

Answer 16

chronic hyperplastic polysynovitis arthritis (carpal jts***, but can involed stifle, hock, coxofemoral, and AO jt)
+/- mammary gland and pulmonary fibrosis

Question 17

T/F: 64% of animals infected with CAE will show clinical signs eventually.

Answer 17

false – only 35%
the time from infection to onset of clin signs is usually 1y+, but it can occur as young as 6m.

Question 18

how can you diagnose CAE in SR?

Answer 18

1. clinical signs (chronic arthritis in adult goats)
2. serology (AGID or ELISA)

Question 19

how can we prevent CAE in SR?

Answer 19

• remove kids from dam at birth, prevent all contact between dam secretions and kids. keep separate by 2m
• provide CAEv-free colostrum or heat-treated (135F/56C for 60 min)
• provide CAEv-free milk or pasteurized or cow milk until weaning
• serologic testing and separate positive and negative animals
• milk negative animals first, then positive (milk younger before older)
• use negative bucks for breeding to negative does
• clean sx instruments

Question 20

Mycoplasma is an important disease of kids ages _____.

Answer 20

1-2 months

Question 21

T/F: ear mites may be a source of mycoplasma infection in kids 1-2 months old.

Answer 21

true

Question 22

what are clinical signs associated with mycoplasma infections in kids?

Answer 22

high fever
cough
painful joints
dyspnea
anorexia
encephalitis

Question 23

how are kids infected with mycoplasma most commonly?

Answer 23

Ingestion of milk

Question 24

what would you see on necropsy of a kid that died of a mycoplasma infection?

Answer 24

diffuse non-suppurative pleuritis and peribronchiolar lymphocytic infiltrations
joints effusions

Question 25

how do we prev mycoplasma infections in SR?

Answer 25

1. raise kids separate from adults
2. heat-treat colostrum/milk

Question 26

how do we tx mycoplasma infections in kids?

Answer 26

Tylosin BID for 5d or IV
or
LA-200 q48-72hr

Question 27

how long should SR be quaruntined when brought into a new herd?

Answer 27

28-30 days.
During this time you will watch for illness, feed them quality hay, look for live, vaccinate for CD-T, trim their feet, send them through a foot bath, and +/- test for CAE, CL, Johne’s and FAMACHA score them.