Small ruminants 2 Flashcards
Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) what is it, transmission and signs
emergency disease in sheep - Morbillivirus, like Rinderpest ○ Plan to eradicate worldwide - Direct transmission from excretions - Spread by movement of infected animals - Signs ○ Fever ○ Oral erosions ○ Bronchopneumonia ○ Diarrhoea ○ Abortion ○ 10% case mortality rate
Maedi-Visna what is it, what does it cause, type of virus, transmission, 2 main types of clinical signs and daignosis
emergency animal disease in sheep
- Pneumonia and a wasting encephalitis, long incubation
- Small ruminant lentivirus, organ trophisms, slow viruses
- Direct transmission, maternally
- Clinical signs varied:
○ ‘Maedi’ dyspnoea, high mortality
○ ‘Visna’ subtle ataxia -> paresis
○ Indurative mastitis, arthritis
- Heavy lungs, diagnose with histo and virology
Sheep pox what is it, where is it found, type of virus, transmission and diagnosis
emergency animal disease in sheep - Middle East – severe losses expected in Australia - Capripoxes host specific, resistant - Aerosol transmission from papule stage ○ Lungs, skin, gut - DDx skin diseases and pneumonias
Rift valley fever what is it, what type of virus, environment, transmission, importance, mortality rate and clinical signs
- Bunyavirus, epidemics in wet seasons
- Vectors vary, transovarial transmission
- Zoonoses, severe human consequences
○ Exposure to infected tissues - Age dependent mortality rate
○ Lambs near 100%, adults lower - Signs
○ Abortion storms common
○ Fever, bloody diarrhoea, jaundice
Sheep scab what is it, lifecycle, clinical signs and is it in australia
emergency animal disease - sheep - Psoroptes ovis mite - Direct life cycle, short, fecund ○ Severe disease in 4-6 weeks ○ Dormancy at base of horns - Rosette skin lesions, fleece loss - Eradicated from Australia in 19th century
Ovine pulmonary adenomatosis what is it, what causes it, where found, what result in
emergency animal disease - sheep - Retrovirus – contagious neoplasm - Australia, NZ, Iceland free - Slow disease, progressive pneumonia ○ Lungs full of fluid ○ Wheel barrow’ test
Ovine enzootic abortion what is it, caused by, where found and main importance
emergency animal disease - Chlamydia abortus ○ Abortion per se seen uncommonly in sheep in Australia - Not reported in Aust. - Zoonosis ○ Basque country
Brucella melitensis what is it, how important, what leads to in different species/sexes
emergency animal disease - Commonest zoonosis in the world - Ewes and does ○ Mastitis and abortion - Rams and bucks ○ Epidydimitis and infertility - Humans ○ Chronic disease, fever, aches ○ Intense ‘One Health’ vaccination campaigns
Schmallenberg virus what is it, where seen, transmission and results
emergency animal disease - First seen in 2011 in Europe ○ All ruminant species ○ Simbu group of Orthobunyaviruses § includes Akabane - Vector spread ○ Culicoides obsoletus complex - Short viraemia and illness
What are the 6 important things to consider with hobby farms
- Their objectives
○ Just doing it for passion
○ Want to earn actual money, in for a profit? Higher stocking rate - Knowledge? (husbandry and disease)
- Availability?
○ Treatment plan around how long spend on the farm - Enthusiasm
- Write things down for clients -> simple treatment plan write it down
- Have good explanations/reasons for your recommended treatments (competing with salesmen, poor local knowledge, etc.)
What need to consider with facilities within a hobby farm
Safety is the most important -> to client, you and animal
o Restraint (want a good head stall, nose grips and tail jack)
○ Does the neighbor next door have better yards to use?
○ NO ASSUMPTIONS OF ABILITY AND KNOWLEDGE WITH HANDLING
o Operator safety
o Experience/ability of assistants
o Want crush, escape routes, less people to be trampled, backing gates
o Proper exit from crush -> possible exit from the raceway BEFORE crush and AFTER crush, no straight into run into truck, no sharp corners
What are the 4 main considerations when giving advise about animals on hobby farms and things within
1) what stock are easier/harder to mange
2) husbandry
- what must happen and when
- what can be more flexible
- mange potential inbreeding
- stocking rate
- condition scoring
- supplementary feed
3) flock animals need company - welfare
4) treatment and disease management consideration - individuals and flock/herd
In terms of knowing what stock are easier/harder to manage for hobby farmers what are
○ Dry stock, weather for wool and meat production - easier
○ Pregnant and lactating generally more susceptible to diseases - harder
○ Management calendar may be needed
What are the 5 main husbandry things that need to be done on a sheep hobby farm
1) castration (timing)
2) tagging/NLIS - all need
3) tail-docking - rubber rings
4) kid disbudding - dehorning a goat
5) mulesing/clips (maybe advise better sheep bred)
In terms of castration on a hobby farm how should be done and what is important to consider
□ Surgical castration +/- local anesthetic up to 6 months old without ‘much’ hemostasis
® Just twist the spermatic cord to ensure proper hemostasis
◊ If not confident just use emasculator
□ Beware inexperienced owner using rubber rings in bigger lambs/calves
® Can only be used in calves between 2days and 2 weeks of age
Tail docking sheep on hobby farms what use, what age
- rubber rings
□ 2-8 weeks old with rubber rings
□ IF older than gas knife with local anesthetic
□ OVER 6 months of age only tail docked by vet with appropriate anaesthesia/analgesia
Mulesing/clips on hobby farms what need to advise
can you advise about a better sheep breed?)
□ May need to get contractors
□ Non-merino bred of sheep won’t require mulesing
□ Insecticides to help reduce fly numbers
what are 6 important flock conditions of sheep need to talk to hobby farms about
1) dystocia
2) worms
3) Lice
4) flies
5) footrot
6) OJD
Dystocia for hobby farmers what need to talk to owners about
- Manage dam bodyweight -> appropriate condition score and nutrition
• Electric fencing grazing a smaller area can help - Be able to describe stages of parturition
- Know when to intervene
• Heifers 2 hours then intervene - More sheep caesareans
• Service is available in the clinic? - Prolapse repair
- Advice about lamb survival, orphan management/rearing
• Neonates lectures
• Good fact sheet
worms for hobby farmers what do you do the same, what are the challenges, what are the shortcuts and what need to be aware of
- What do you do the same?
• Drenching - same treatments
• Fresh faeces in the ground 10 x for bulk cell count - monitoring - What are the challenges?
• Won’t need as much volume for drench
• Rotating paddocks may or may not be possible - What are the ‘shortcuts’/simplifications/lifesavers?
• Before and after testing for individual animals -> see whether working and if need - Beware overstocked pastures
- Might need to resort to capsules more often
- Wethers MUCH easier than lambing ewes
Lice for hobby farmers what is bad, what needed for eradication and what may be easier
- Major welfare issue
- Harder in limited facilities
• Backliners easy (so are contract dippers)
§ Explaining long vs short wool - Usual rules to maximize eradication chances
• Address biosecurity - PROPER FENCES
• Chemical ‘quarantine periods’ and lambing - Easier to change over whole flock (beware buying back in)
Flies for hobby farms how to prevent, what aware of and what is important
- Can't prevent • Mules? Clip?, specific breed? - Long-acting IGRs are great - Beware of overt strike - How to manage individual cases - Time crutching and shearing to maximum effect
Footrot in hobby farms what is the important thing to address and things to do
- Biosecurity
- Hysteria
• Unreasonable hysteria often accompanies footrot
• Small hobby farms might just be best off selling all animals and starting again (apply usual biosecurity/quarantine principles)
• Need to understand epidemiology properly
• Eradication is achievable on their flock if the process is worthwhile - Use antibiotics rather than eradication?
• Cure rate only good enough in dry conditions (summer or shearing shed) - 7 day rule still applies
- just cull and start again
OJD - ovine johne’s disease what is the important thing to consider with hobby farms
- Operator safety FOR THE VACCINES - terrible lesions, if not competent then do it yourself
- Probably will need to source small numbers of doses from a bigger farmer because minimum pack size is 100 doses and its expensive
Spotting the sick alpaca how is it done and how to care for sick alpaca
- Alpacas are stoical, they try not to stand out
- Changes in behaviour - get to know each one’s nature, hierarchical position
- Body score your animals at every opportunity, and have your owners do the same
- By the time that the owner thinks that something is wrong, it probably is
sick alpaca - small yards under cover, companion animal for the sick one
Alpaca clinical examination what to be done, rectal temp, HR normal
- Follow an ordered and thorough routine • Rectal temp 38.5c - 39.5c • Heart rate 60 bpm • Auscultate chest • Auscultate C1 at last left intercostal space • Check mucous membrane colour, CRT, inspect oral cavity • Palpate superficial lymph nodes • Perform Body Condition Score
Ophthalmic examination for alpaca what need, drug and differences with dogs/cat
- Find a dark area
- Use magnification
- Tropicamide (Mydriacyl) may take 20-45 minutes to effect dilation, so plan for that
- Differences
○ Large pupillary riff (corpora nigra)
○ Iris colour dark brown
§ light brown - non- pigmented (“blue”)
○ Fundus lacks tapetum
○ Retinal blood vessel pattern- one pair dorsally, two laterally, one ventrally
what are 4 common congenital ocular conditions
- Persistent pupillary membranes
- Ectropion (esp llamas)
- Nasolacrimal puncta agenesis
- “Blue eye” deafness in white animals
Aural examination for alpaca what is important, what equipment needed
- The vertical ear canal becomes very narrow near the transition to horizontal
- Sedation is necessary for a thorough examination
- Small rigid endoscopes are very useful to examine the lower ear & eardrum
What are some common diagnostic procedures done on alpacas and some pitfalls
- Blood analysis
- C1 fluid analysis - pH 6.5 - 7.5, multiple forms of protozoa
- Paracentesis
- Liver biopsy – Ultrasound guided, laparotomy
- Radiography
- Ultrasound – reproductive tract
- Cytology and biopsy – particularly useful for dermatological disease
Diagnostic pitfalls - In house clinical pathology – biochemistry is reliable but red blood cell shape renders benchtop cell counters useless
○ Need to send away - Peritoneal Tap - avoid midline fat
Landmakrs for venepuncture on a alpaca and how to perform
- The alpaca jugular is quite superficial but harder to palpate as don’t become visible (within muscle)
- The ventral process prevents lateral movement
○ Jugular farrow is medial to the ventral process - 30 degrees at the level of the process
- Jugular or carotid??
Llamas vs alpacas with venepuncture
- Jugular skin is very thick - cannot use a vacupuncture needle
- Use an 18g needle
- Preferably have the llama in a chute
what are the 2 main energy metabolism disorders of sick camelids
1) hyperglycaemia - driven by adrenalin
2) lipid metabolism - espeically in lacting and preganncy females
- hypoalbuminea, hepatic lipidosis
hyperglycaemia in alpaca what caused by, therefore what need to beware of and fluid movements associated
Hyperglycaemia driven by adrenalin, to a less extent cortisol, and peripheral insulin resistance
○ Crias are less so than adults – they have a higher insulin response and peripheral insulin sensitivity
○ Sick alpacas usually hyperglycaemic – beware of diagnosing diabetes mellitus -> could just be driven by adrenal when stressed
○ Fluid movements associated with persistent hyperglycaemia
§ Hyperglycaemia stimulates diuresis – primary method of lowering glucose
§ Dehydration causes relative hypernatremia and hyperosmolality worsens
Responding to a sick camelid what are some early signs of metabolism disorders and what to suspect/do
- The early sign of energy metabolism disorders may simply be increased frequency of urination
- Maintain hydration – “Normosol” (low sodium balanced electrolyte)
- Suspect hypoalbuminaemia – give plasma!
○ If not doing well and done blood test, especially in CRIAS - Regular insulin ? – No protocol in place yet. See the work of Chris Cebra, OSU
in terms of injecting alpacas what should you do more commonly and how
- Sterile technique
- Most injections given subcutaneously
○ Less painful than intramuscular (will probably be kicked)
§ High on the thigh (avoid sciatic) if give IM but don’t do often - The skin of alpacas is quite tightly attached compared to other species
- Use the skin in front of and behind the “shoulder blade” – there is very little “loose” skin on the camelid
What are 5 unlikely disorders of camels
- • Bloat -> generally don’t get
- • Footrot
- • Fly strike
- • Mastitis
- • Respiratory infections
What are 7 main likely diagnosis of alpacas
- some skin problems, often allergic
- occasional gastro enteric disorders
- occasional neurological upsets - pasture toxins generally
- occasional parasitic problems
- cancer likely in older animals
- Ear infection, foreign bodies - ear carriage will be down, may shake head.
○ Alpacas have narrow ears and may need sedation for adequate examination - Weepy eyes, suspect grass seeds. May be hidden by third eyelid
what are the 8 main neurological diseases of alpaca
- Congenital abnormalities
- Pasture toxicities - perennial rye & phalaris - most common
- Snakebite
- Ixodes holocyclus
- Heat stress - high temp & humidity in combination
○ Heat cooling mechanisms -> cool grass or wet area to lay on to dissipate heat (only area without dense fibre)
○ THEREFORE - to treat create a wet area for them to lay on - Polioencephalomalacia
- Hepatic encephalopathy - copper injection toxicity
- Meningitis, otitis media - not retrieved grass seed
Sporidesmin what is it, does it do for alpacas
- Pithomyces chartarum - Facial eczema in sheep
- Potent hepatotoxin
- Spore counts useful in high risk areas
Perennial ryegrass staggers in alpaca how common, clinical signs, and greatest risk
- Most common neurological problem in southern Australia
- Early stages may be mild head tremor
- Often progress to generalised tremor
- Some familial groups seem predisposed
- Some animals are left with permanent disability
- Risk greatest January to June
Skin disorders in alpacas how common, what presents as, causes and how to diagnose
- Uncommon
- Sunburn on ears and dorsal midline if closely shorn (occasional flystrike)
- Allergies – generalised or localised – feet, nasal plane
- Pemphigus foliaceous
- Tumours eg mast cell
perform punch biopsy under local and sedation to pursue a diagnosis
Biting lice in alpacas most common species, where mainly found, lifecycle and transmission
- Presence of Bovicola breviceps documented in Australian alpaca herds
○ Affects all camelids in South America - Most common base of tail, thorax, abdomen & upper limbs
○ Feed on scurf (“chewing lice”) -> need easily killed with injectables - Life cycle 2-5 weeks – adults live 30-50 days
○ Host specific for camelids - Transmission – close contact (e.g. mating) or grooming instruments
Biting lice in alpacas diagnosis, control and treatment
- Diagnosis – 1.0 – 1.5 mm long, photophobic so often hard to find, examine hairs for eggs attached at the base of the shaft
- Control – no products registered – must be safe and avoid fleece residues & staining
○ Advisable to add wetting agents - Treatment - Spinosad (Extinosad® - Elanco) – a jetting fluid + surfactant at 17 day intervals was effective in our herd
○ Note – Off label use
○ The active ingredient kills adults and nymphs but not eggs
neonatal/cria assessment what are the 2 main thing to assess
1) Assess maturity ○ Eruption of lower incisors - feel at least 2 teeth, if not then premature ○ Floppy ears - premature ○ Laxity of flexor tendons - premature 2) Some congenital problems 1. Angular limb deformities 2. Umbilical hernia 3. Cardiac murmur - VSD common 4. choanal atresia - obligate nasal breathers - will open mouth 5. congential cataracts
Choanal atresia what common in, what is it, results in, diagnosis and treatment
crias - congenital problems
○ Failure to establish a connection between the caudal nasal cavity and the pharynx
○ Usually have difficulty suckling from birth or cannot suckle if complete atresia
○ Air flow through nostrils absent (or minimal)
○ Diagnosis – instil radiographic contrast in nasal cavity and tilt skull ; attempt to pass stiff catheter into pharynx
§ Contrast does not progress to pharynx just into frontal sinus
○ Attempts to surgically repair usually causes horrible facial defects
○ Euthanasia usually considered the best option
Congenital cataracts what common in, cause, presentation
crias - congential condition
○ Consequence of intra-uterine infection
○ BORN BLIND but generally clinical well -> as long as other animals around to follow can survive well
Geriatric (old) camelids what is the main cause of death and most common
- Neoplasia is not an uncommon cause of death
- Lymphosarcoma is a relatively common neoplasm, and may not involve superficial lymph nodes
What are the most common medical condensations for alpaca
- Skin disease - mange, atopy, insect worry
- Endoparasites
- Tooth root abscess
- Ill-thrift
- Hepatopathy - sporidesmin
what are the main surgical conditions of alpaca
- Uterine torsion/caesarean/prolapse/uterine flush
- Castration
- Surgical repair of dog attack
- Corneal ulcers
- Tooth root abscess
- Bone sequestrum/ fracture repair
- Drainage of abscess
Following up a sick alpaca what is important to do and get the owner to do
- Try to set an expected time line for recovery
○ Monitor the animals progress - Be prepared to reconfirm a diagnosis or look for a new one
- Have the owner monitor body weight and body condition score
- Also have the owner monitor rectal temperature if infection is involved
Faecal egg counts in crias and weaners what is low, moderated, high and when treat for GIT count, nematodirus count and combines
- Low when <90 egg per gram
- Moderate when between 90-240 eggs per gram
- High if > 390 eggs per gram
- Treatment when
○ GIT Count > 390 eggs per gram
○ Nematodirus count > 90 eggs per gram
○ Combined count is >210 eggs per gram
Faecal egg count in adult and tuis what is low, moderate, high and when is treatment needed for GIT count, nematodirus and combined
- low when < 30 epg,
- moderate between 30 - 75 epg,
- high if > 120 epg.
- Treatment is for these animals recommended only when
○ the GIT count is > 120 epg, or
○ the Nematodirus count is > 60 epg, or when
○ the GIN + Nematodirus count is > 75 epg.
Reproduction vetarinry intervention during unpacking how common, what is normally needed and what need to avoid
○ Not common
○ Caesarean section RARE
○ Foetal realignment usually all that is necessary
○ Epidural and episiotomy (cut made at opening of vagina during childbirth) more commonly useful
○ Avoid cervical and vaginal trauma
○ Assume all birthing after 5pm will be a problem
Periparturient problems in alpacas what are 6 and which is rare
1) RFM - oxytocin infection
2) Hypocalcemia - RARE, dilute 4 in 1 with saline before giving subcutaneous
3) Post-partum bleeding if tear uterine artery
4) Prolapsed uterus - excellent prognosis if attend promptly
5) Tears - rectovaginal as repair in others
6) Uterine torsion in last 2 weeks of gestation is common so if colic looking and meant to be giving birth but not
Uterine torsion in alpacas when generally occur, which way, types, diagnosis and treatment
○ Up to 6 weeks before due date
○ Most are clockwise - gravid horn twists over non gravid horn
○ Post cervical or pre cervical
○ Vaginal palpation - rectal palpation (problematic due to rectal tears)
○ Correction - sedate and de torse or caesarian
§ When de torsing need to rotate neck as well so need 3 people instead of 2
What are 6 main surgical procedures for alpacas
- • Orthopaedic
- • Abdominal
- • Tumour removal
- • Ear and eye procedures
- • Diagnostic radiology
- • Laparoscopic procedures
Anaesthesia for alpacas what is used for induction and maintenance
- Induction ○ Xylazine/ Ketamine/ Butorphanol ○ Mask down cria - Maintenance - ○ Intramuscular “top up” ○ “Triple Drip” ○ Gaseous anaesthesia
Anaesthesia what to use for sick alpaca
- Avoid Xylazine in sick animals
- Diazepam 0.2 mg/kg I/v followed by Ketamine 2.2 mg/kg I/v
- Can be mixed in the same syringe
- Isoflurane is preferable to halothane
○ toxicity is documented with halothane
Patient preparation for alpaca before anaesthesia what 4 things need to do
1) Starve 12 hours before elective procedures
2) Intubate where possible
○ Long bladed laryngoscope, rigid endoscope (8mm)
○ Retrograde guide system
○ HAVE NECK IN FULL EXTENSION
3) Have rostral tilt on head when not intubated
4) Keeping the fibre away
○ Clip as usual but use duct tape to direct fibres away from clipped area
during alpaca anaesthesia what is important to monitor and recovery
Monitoring anaesthesia
- Normal resting heart rate 60 bpm
- Eye position not reliable when Ketamine used
- Jaw and limb movements are better indicators of depth
- Respiration - observe chest excursions and bag movement
- Saphenous artery pulse - medial to stifle
Recovery from anaesthesia
- Leave intubated as long as possible
- Return to sternal recumbency as soon as possible
○ Avoid perfusion/ventilation mismatch
- Support the head and neck
Analgesia for alpaca how to know when in pain, what are the 3 common drugs to use and which use most commonly
- Often start “tooth grinding” when in pain
1) Butorphanol 0.1 - 0.5 mg/kg s/c
2) Flunixin 1mg/kg s/c once daily for 5 days - MOST COMMON
3) Meloxicam 0.2 mg/kg s/c once daily abdominal pain
tooth root abscess in alpaca what present as, diagnosis and treatment
- Present as swelling and hair loss around the jaw
- Diagnosis -> radiograph of mandible, need to work out the exact tooth to extract
Treatment -> tooth removal - Identify the correct tooth
- Time consuming
- Air driven burr
- Dental papilla bleeds profusely
- We tend to exhaust medical possibilities first - antibiotics
Laparoscopy what are the 3 main reasons to do in an alpaca and what used for closure
○ Caesarian section
○ Uterine torsion correction
○ Exploratory (diagnostic) laparotomy
§ “Never let the linea alba stand between you and a diagnosis
Abdominal wall closure
- Routinely use 0 PDS for simple continuous closure of the linea alba, then 2/0 vicryl subcutaneously. Simple interrupted skin closure
Orthopaedic disease in alpacas what is the main one, presents how old,
Bone cysts in growing camelids
- Presented from 4 weeks to 14 months of age
- Reported in metatarsus, metacarpus, femur, humerus, mandible
- Present with lameness and pain on palpation of the affected bone
- May or may not have a sinus tract
Bone cysts in alpacas diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis
- Radiograph showing typical characteristics of a sequestrum
- Cases documented so far involve only one discrete site (compared to hypovitaminosis D)
Orthopaedic surgery
- Surgical repair of fractures
- Plates are good!
- Transverse pins embedded in a fibreglass cast may be useful
- Correction of limb deformities
What need to consider with single limb lameness in an alpaca
- Always consider the possibility of the presence of a sequestrum in a young animal with a single limb lameness
- The index of suspicion rises if there is a discharging sinus
- Take a radiograph and if confirmed perform surgery – this is a surgical disease!
Vitamin D deficiency in alpacas when occur, what is the most at risk group and exceptions to this rule
- Animals growing rapidly during winter suffer the “double whammy” - high needs and decreasing day lengths
- UV levels at low altitudes less than the altiplano
The Most At Risk Group - Animals born in the current calendar year
- This group have not been through a summer, were born into decreasing day lengths and have not had the opportunity to accumulate vitamin D
- Are actively growing
The exceptions to the rule - Occasional adults will present with lameness attributable to inadequate Vitamin D
- Adults are considered to have higher levels than younger animals at any particular time of the year
Vitamin D deficiency clinical signs and diagnosis in alpacas
Clinical signs
- “Proppy” gait
- Failure to keep up with the group
- Arched back
- “Walking on eggshells”
- Multiple limbs affected or shifting lameness
Making a diagnosis
- Measure 25-OH Vitamin D - expensive, not readily available
- Blood P - correlates with Vitamin D levels, cheap can be performed “in-house” - IF LOW GIVE VITAMIN D
- <1 mmol/L is consistent with hypovitaminosis D – screening test only
Vitamin D deficiency prevention in alpacas, when to give/who to treat
- 2000 IU Vitamin D per kg s/c late autumn and repeat in 8 weeks
- Treat growing cria from one month of age
○ Some growth continues until 2 yrs old , so treat all alpacas under 3y.o. - Poor transplacental transfer, but treat all females due to give birth
- Vitamin D levels are low in the milk of other species
Some Vitamin D present in cured hay
Alpaca nutrition how much to feed and length of grass
- 1.5% body weight dry matter as maintenance diet.
- Remember , growing , late pregnant and lactating females need more. 2-2.5%
- > 4 cm best to keep fore stomachs functioning
Livestock emergencies what are the 6 main ones
1) Burns – bush & grass fires
2) Floods
3) Animal welfare crises
4) Off-shears losses - severe hypothermia
5) Grain overload (‘lactic acidosis’)
6) Transport accidents
What are the main roles of vets after emergencies
○ Assess & give prognosis for burnt, injured or affected livestock
○ Consider welfare of:
§ Livestock
§ Farmer
○ Minimise suffering of unsalvageable animals
○ Minimise unnecessary destruction of affected but otherwise healthy animals
Humane destruction of sheep during emergencies what can use and how to ensure the animal is dead
- Gunshot
- Captive bolt
- Blunt trauma (1 day old)
- Bleed out (sheep & goat)
- Lethabarb
5-finger head check’:
a. no corneal reflex
b. dilated pupils
c. slack jaw tone
d. flaccid tongue
e. no breathing
Burns during emergencies for sheep what are the 2 main things need to consider and what makes it hard
- Intensity & type of fire ○ Amount of fuel - bush, forest, grass ○ speed & direction of wind - Which animals more susceptible? ○ Size (weaners vs. adult) ○ No. in mob, position in mob ○ Wool length in sheep: § is a good insulator & protects from radiant heat HARD - Yards & fences often destroyed - hard to inspection of animal
What are the classifications of burns and common signs within
1st Degree:
- Superficial layers affected only
2nd Degree:
- Superficial:
○ All skin layers, but to varying depths
○ Blisters are a common sign
- Deep:
○ All skin layers but not hair follicles or sweat glands
○ Eschars common - attractive for flies
3rd Degree
- All layers damaged including hair follicles
4th Degree
- All skin layers are affected including deeper tissues (muscle, tendons, fascia, nerve endings)
- Pain is often absent due to damaged nerve receptors
- [oedematous swelling can also reduce pain responses]
Assessing burns in sheep what are the 2 main things need to do and what will occur
1) Assessment of non-wool (bare) areas: ○ Ewes – udder ○ Rams – pizzle & testes (guarded prognosis) ○ Eyes - After the fire – hot & inflamed - Over the next 3-4 days: ○ Tend to look worse ○ Blacken, leathery, hard & dry ○ 2o infections, loss of plasma protein 2) Divide survivors into 3 categories 1 - destroy immedaitely 2 - emergency slaughter or retain in flock and reassess 3 - minimal damage
Category 1 in categorizing sheep after burns what need to do and what defines
- Destroy immediately: ○ Unconscious ○ Recumbent ○ Extensive lung damage → Dyspnoea ○ Extensive burns to lower leg ○ Burns to >15-20% of body area
Category 2 in categorising sheep after burns what are the 2 options and what defines within
- Emergency slaughter
OR - Retain in flock and reassess:
○ Burns to face
§ Unsightly but heal well
○ Mild leg burns → may lose hoof but will recover
§ Highly attractive to flies again
○ Axilla or inguinal area (anus, vulva & udder):
§ May heal, but scarring
○ Reassess
§ initially every 2-3 days - destroy recumbent/ dyspnoeic
○ Treat (more valuable) animals?
§ Antibiotics (broad-spectrum + topical sulfadiazine)
§ NSAIDS & Tri-solfen®
§ Avoid c’steroids
What are some issues with placing sheep into category 2 with sheep after burns and what generally isn’t done anymore and why
- Some sheep/ cattle may need destruction later on
- Assess udder & teats for damage
- Palpate scrotum & examine pizzle
○ Obvious fibrosis
○ Reduced sperm quality & fertility
○ Assess @ 2-6 months - Keep close to yards if possible – on good feed & water, shade
- Salvage slaughter: - generally not done anymore
○ High condemnation rate?
○ Distance? - important for welfare
○ Abattoirs may not be interested (wool sheep)
Category 3 in categorising sheep after burn what sheep within and what need to do
- Some burnt wool, but bare & haired areas OK
- Let out, minimal care required
- Reassess at 7 days
○ Burns to inguinal & axilla areas overlooked?
Cattle burns what places do fine and which need to euthanise
- Burnt feet - generally do fine
- Bull prepuce, testicles, feet swollen and separation at the coronet -> euthanise
What are the 5 main complications after a fire
1. No feed/ yards/ fences ○ Pipe melting - water can be an issue 2. Fly strike: ○ Coronary band ○ Tx: Cyromazine (Spinosad if struck) -> FOOTBATH 3. Infections 4. Worms ○ Decreased immunity? 5. Insurance?
Floods and trying to save the animals what are the 6 main options
- Muster or remove to higher ground with feed -> easier with cattle
- Create access – open gates/ cut fences
- Fodder drops? -> dropping in round bails -> if large areas of land, wait and monitor
- Air lift? -> expensive!
- No immediate action needed -> monitor
- Euthanasia - can be difficult to access
Prompt euthanasia in a flood what sheep should do on, how?
- Injured, exhausted, debilitated: ○ Standing in water for > 5d ○ Bogged (heavy black soils) ○ Septicaemia or neurological disease. ○ Prolonged recumbency ○ Full wool (fleece waterlogging, green) ○ Poor avoidance behaviour ○ Scattering, not in mobs - How - challenge
Animal welfare disasters what generally occurs and why
- Many sheep moribund or dead: ○ No or minimal feed/ water CAUSE 1) Fail to recognise or treat Disease: § Internal parasites § Fly-strike § Footrot 2) Fail to conduct routine management procedures: ○ Inexperienced ○ Sheep traders/ dealers ○ Elderly
Animal welfare disasters who handles this and what is commonly involved
○ DPI – handle ‘in-house’
○ RSPCA may call a Private Vet to help sort problem out
§ Post-mortems, worm counts
§ Ageing of carcasses
§ Assessment of feeding & management
○ Legal responsibilities & powers (entry/ treatment) under Acts:
§ POCTA
§ Vet Surgeons Act
- often a human crisis - - Appropriate counselling by trained people can help resolve the animal welfare problem
Hypothermia as a diaster when generally occur, highest risk and what generally occurs
- Losses can occur any time, but disasters tend to occur with summer storms
- Sheep losing weight & recently off-shears at greatest risk
- In wet, windy weather:
○ Sheep move downwind
○ Stop eating
○ Become ‘hunched up’, shiver & reluctant to move - know you have an issue - If bad weather continues:
○ Core body temperature decreases
○ Recumbent → Coma & death
○ Sheep found in a heap in a downwind corner of the paddock
What are the 6 main things that influence losses via hypothermia and how do this
- Weather:
○ Rain + wind speed (+ temperature) - Time after shearing:
○ 75% deaths occur within 2 weeks
○ 95% deaths within 4 weeks - Shelter:
○ Plantations often located upwind
§ Downwind better - may have to cut fences to let sheep in
○ In/ behind buildings, under shearing sheds
○ Long grass (Phalaris) & Tussocks give some shelter - Body size
○ Weaners & lambs have increased surface area/ weight ratio - Body condition
○ Minor effect - fat provides some insulation but can’t be mobilised quickly enough
○ Sheep losing condition more at risk - Feeding?
○ Hay feeding can be some help (but is not fully protective)
○ access to high quality feed in fasted newly shorn sheep can decrease ‘lower critical temperature’
§ Temperature below this need to start metabolising own reserve - more susceptible
With hypothermia disaster what need to do to sheep that have collapsed
• Move into shed (priority for those recently lost condition) • Dry with towels or cloths • Insulate & warm with anything: ○ Hay, wool, bags ○ Industrial heaters - useful
With hypothermia disaster what need to do to sheep that are still standing
- Sheep still standing -> move to shelter: ○ can be very difficult ○ need dogs & plenty of people ○ priority for low CS mobs ○ cut fences - Grazing between squalls is a good sign
prevention for hypothermia disasters
- Watch for sheep weather alerts ○ Rain & strong wind ○ Move unshorn sheep out of shed ○ Protective coats? - Longer term: ○ Downwind shelter belts with gates
Grain engorgement what are the risk factors
1) Rapid introduction of cereal grains:
a) Supplementary rations
b) Spilt grain – around silos or when first introduced to stubbles
c) Break into standing cereal crop
d) Rolled or cracked grains
2) Type of grain:
○ High risk - wheat, barley, (bread, dough)
○ Medium - triticale & maize
○ Low - oats & sorghum
○ Virtually no risk - lupins & field peas
Grain engorgement with sheep what clinical signs within first 18-36 hours and within rumen
- Within 18-36 hours: ○ Listless & anorexic ○ Diarrhoea (scant faeces later) ○ abdominal pain – hunched up ○ Tender feet (acute laminitis) ○ dehydration - Rumen: ○ Firm & doughy ○ Stasis ○ Characteristic smell ○ pH <5 in live or recently killed sheep (optimum 6.5-7.0) ○ Rumen full of grain, papillae may strip from mucosa (chemical & fungal rumenitis)
Grain engorgement treatment for recumbent, acute cases
- Shift away from source of grain
- Destroy recumbent animals
- Acute cases:– rumen buffers:
○ 40-50g Magnesium hydroxide into rumen (600 mL of 7-8.5% solution – ‘milk of magnesia’)
○ 10-20g Sodium bicarbonate orally - More intensive treatment? (valuable ram or pets):
○ Rumenotomy (& cud transfer)
○ i/v Fluids:
§ 1-2 L of glucose saline
§ Sodium bicarbonate – 500 mL of 2.5% i/v over 30 mins, then isotonic (1.3%) over 6-12 hrs (100 mL/ kg BWt)
○ NSAIDS for toxaemia
Prevention of grain engorgement
- Restrict access to grain silos/ feed dumps
- Gradual introduction onto grain:
○ 50 g/ head/ day
○ ↑ 50 g/ head every 3rd day to 300 g/ head/ d - Include Virginiamycin? (Eskalin®, [Founder Guard®])
○ An S4, costs ~10 c/day
○ Useful for emergencies (where rapid introduction of grain needed):
§ After fires
§ Pregnancy toxaemia
Transport accidents how common, who attends, role of vet and disposal
- Regular occurrence on some sections of road
- Local Gov’t & DPI will usually attend
- Assist with destruction of injured animals?
- Often very difficult to deal with
- Council usually digs pit at site to bury carcasses
Abdominal signs what are the 3 main clinical presentations and causes for each
- Diarrhoea
○ Worms
○ Coccidia
○ Bacterial - Yersinia, campylobacter, salmonella
○ Dietary - early weaning, sudden change, specific plants, ruminal acidosis - Tenesmus
○ Alimentary - often causes of diarrhoea
○ Urinary - urothiasis or cystitis
○ Genital - penile trauma/obstructive infections (pizzle rot), abortion, pregnancy, parturition - Abdominal distention
○ Younger - dietary change, overfeeding, abomasal bloat (over milk feeding - bloat not as common in sheep than cattle)
○ Older - dietary change, bloat, impaction, hernias, abdominal accident (redgut, dilation or volvulus - GENERALLY HINDGUT IS THE PROBLEM), urinary tract rupture
What is the general approach to abdominal issues in sheep
- Clinical signs as for cattle
- Do TWC (total worm counts) via necropsy
- Necropsy -> VERY USEFUL
○ Not exploratory laparotomy like in cattle - Faecal examination, flotation culture, sedimentation
○ Liver fluke, strongyles - Worm egg count
○ Sampling of mobs or individual
§ Individual get sample per rectum and place ear tag number next to sample
□ Give idea about spread, for drench, treatment
○ Collect 10-20 fresh samples in paddock OR YARDS
Redgut pathophysiology what causes the issue then what results
○ Especially on highly digestible legume diets
§ Moves quickly through the rumen -> hypermotility -> relative decrease in size of reticulorumen
§ Carbohydrate spillover from rumen -> Increased hindgut fermentation -> enlargement, displacement and twists
○ Displacement and torsion/volvulus of large bowel
§ Disruption of blood supply - infarction - collapse and sudden death
§ Usually found dead after intestinal crisis -> can reach 20% if not action is taken
