Youngstock Disease

Question 1

Blackleg

• organism facts (3)
• pathogenesis

Answer 1

• Clostridium Chauvoie
• large gram +ve rod
• anaerobic

spores circulate in blood –> bruising of tissue –> fall in oxygen tension –> germination of spores –> digestion of muscle within fascia –> diffusion of toxin outside muscle –> death

Question 2

Blackleg

CS (2)
Path findings (4)

Answer 2

CS:

• sudden death
• if alive: sever depression, anorexia, pyrexia, tachycardia, tachpnoea, rumenal stasis, lame, hot-swollen painful area

Pathological Findings

• found dead
• swelling over limb: sub cut oedema
• muscle blackened with gas bubbles
• classic sour odour

Question 3

Blackleg

Dx (3)
Tx
Px

Answer 3

Dx:

• smears of lesion
• PCR
• Stain with specific fluroescent antisera

Tx: penicillin! sodium benzylpenicillin
Px: vaccinate!

Question 4

Botulism

• agent
• pathogenesis
• epidemiology (2)
• Dx
• Tx

Answer 4

clostridium botulinum
found in soil

ingestion of toxin –> motor neurone binding –> prevents release of Ach –> flaccid paralysis

epidemiology:
-associated with poultry litter fertiliser

Dx: by elimination

Tx: supportive

Question 5

Tetanus

• agent (3)
• pathogenesis
• CS (5)
• Dx (3)
• Tx
• Px

Answer 5

clostridum tetani
anaerobic
found in soil

spores enter wound (castration) –> germinate –> spasmodic muscle contraction

CS:

• stiffness
• raised tail head
• bloat
• hyperaesthesia
• dysphagia

Dx:

• CS & Hx
• toxin in serum
• gram stain smears form wound

tx: Abs, supportive

Px: Vaccinate!

Question 6

Cl. sordelii (3)

Answer 6

• abomasositis/enteritis
• sporadic
• sudden death

Question 7

Cl. haemolyticum

Answer 7

• sporadic
• haemoglobinuria, jaundice, hepatitis, death
• vaccinate!

Question 8

White muscle Disease (4)

Answer 8

• Se and Vit E deficiency
• found dead or very lame/stiff
• gross PM: very pale skeletal and cardiac muscle
• Tx: supplementation

Question 9

Chronic bloat

• primary
• secondary
• Tx

Answer 9

Primary: GIT motility disorder, weaning management
Secondary: papilloma, other pathology

Tx: rumen trochar (red devil), leave in situ for 3-4 weeks, tape mouth, if doesn’t bloat can remove

Question 10

OCD (degenerative arthropathy)

• what
• CS (2)
• Tx (2)

Answer 10

• hip, stifle and hock
• degeneration of cartilage and sub chondral bone

CS:

• joint effusion and osteophyte production
• lameness

Tx: NSAIDs (palliative)/ euthanasia