Common Animal Diseases

Common Nutritional Diseases

Include the following:

grass tetany

bloat

colic

enterotoxemia (overeating disease)

lactic acidosis

milk fever

white muscle disease

hardware disease

Grass Tetany

Is a serious and often fatal metabolic disorder caused by low levels of magnesium in the blood

Is also called "Grass Staggers" or "Wheat Pasture Poisoning" or “hypomagnesemia”

Primarily affects cattle and sheep

Clinic Corner: Magnesium is an important electrolyte needed for proper muscle, nerve and enzyme function

Grass Tetany

Symptoms include:

uncoordinated gait

convulsions

coma

death

Grass Tetany

restoring blood magnesium levels through the following methods:

adding magnesium oxide powder onto feed or pasture

magnesium lick blocks, concentrates or pellets

veterinary administration of an intravenous calcium and magnesium solution

Grass Tetany

Prevention includes:

avoiding grazing animals on immature grass

providing a magnesium supplement

increases blood magnesium levels

Bloat

Symptoms include:

abdominal distention on left side

loss of appetite

respiratory distress

difficulty walking or moving

Bloat

Treatment includes:

keeping animal on feet and moving

drenching with mineral oil or poloxalene

putting stomach tube down throat to relieve pressure from gas

Prevention includes:

feeding dry roughage with a mix of grasses

keeping animals from eating an excess of lush green grass, especially alfalfa

Colic

Is the general term referring to abdominal pain

Mainly impacts horses because they are unable to vomit

Is caused by a wide range of conditions affecting the digestive tract, including:

sudden changes in feed

a predominantly concentrate diet

cribbing

lack of water

presence of bloodworms

Colic

Symptoms include:

distended abdomen

rolling and kicking

excruciating pain

sweating

constipation

Can result in a twisted intestine

Colic

Treatment includes:

walking the horse

administering Banamine

taking to veterinarian

animal might need sedatives, laxatives, pain medicine or surgery

Can be prevented by:

feeding small rations

feeding good quality roughages

providing clean water

monitoring eating habits

controlling internal parasites

Enterotoxemia (Overeating Disease)

is caused by toxins produced by naturally occurring intestinal bacteria

Clostridium perfringens types C and D

Commonly affects sheep and goats

Usually occurs when an animal consumes excessive amounts of high energy feeds or milk

Produces a quickly absorbed toxin

Can cause acute death

Enterotoxemia (Overeating Disease)

Symptoms include:

sudden death

diarrhea

neurologic signs

circling

head pressing

incoordination

convulsions

Enterotoxemia (Overeating Disease)

Treatment includes:

administering antitoxins

administering oral antibiotics

feeding hay

Enterotoxemia (Overeating Disease

Prevention includes:

slowly introducing concentrates

carefully regulating energy intake

administering a vaccination against Clostridium perfringens types C and D to pregnant and young animals at approximately four weeks of age

Clinic Corner: Vaccination is defined as an injection of a killed microbe in order to stimulate the immune system against the microbe, thereby preventing disease

Lactic Acidosis

Is also known as carbohydrate engorgement

Is caused by a sudden shift from a forage-based to a high concentrate diet

Results from low rumen pH due to an increase of propionic acid production

Lactic Acidosis

Symptoms include:

abdominal distension or bloat

dehydration

diarrhea

sore hooves

liver abscesses

decreased milk production

Clinic Corner: Propionic acid is an acid produced by bacteria in the rumen with a very low pH

Lactic Acidosis

Treatment includes:

gradually adding more roughages to the diet

adding feed additives to help raise the rumen pH

giving oral antacids

giving oral fluids

Lactic Acidosis

Prevention includes:

maintaining a roughage diet of 10 percent or more

utilizing ionophores as feed additives

Clinic Corner: Ionophores are known as a group of organic compounds and facilitate the transport of ions across the cell membrane.

Milk Fever

Is a metabolic disorder

Is also known as hypocalcemia

Affects cattle, sheep and goats

Occurs when the animal has low blood calcium levels during lactation

Milk Fever

Symptoms include:

muscle tremors

wobbly

downer cow

inability to stand

low body temperature

unconscious/coma

Milk Fever

Treatment includes:

injecting a solution of calcium borogluconate subcutaneously or intravenously

providing a combined mineral solution

Clinic Corner: Subcutaneous injections are injected into the skin. Intravenous injections are injected into the vein

Milk Fever

Prevention includes:

providing vitamin D, five to seven days before parturition

keeping animals on a low calcium diet while not lactating

providing high doses of calcium one day before and one day after giving birth

alfalfa hay is high in calcium

White Muscle Disease

Is generalized as nutritional muscular dystrophy

Affects young, rapidly growing lambs/kids (from dams with selenium deficient diets)

Affects calves and foals

Is the result of a selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency

White Muscle Disease

Affects two different muscle groups, cardiac and skeletal systems

Cardiac symptoms include:

sudden death

respiratory distress

Skeletal symptoms include:

muscular weakness

inability to stand

muscle tremors

White Muscle Disease

Treatments include:

injections of selenium

oral drenches of selenium/vitamin E

Prevention includes:

supplementing the diet of susceptible animals with selenium and vitamin E

Clinic Corner: Warning - too much selenium can cause toxicity in animals!

Hardware Disease

Affects cattle and is also known as "gastritis" or "traumatic reticulitis"

Occurs when a sharp object, such as a nail or piece of wire pierces the stomach wall and gains access to the heart

Hardware Disease

Symptoms include:

poor appetite

depression

indigestion

signs of pain when defecating

bloat

fluid around the heart and abnormal heart sounds

Hardware Disease

Treatment includes:

elevating forelimbs to stop forward movement of the nail or wire from the reticulum

administer antibiotics to prevent infection

surgery to remove the object

Hardware Disease

Prevention includes:

administering a magnet into the reticulum

keeps foreign metallic objects together and reduces the chances of penetration

keep feed bunks, pastures and lots free of hazardous objects

disease

a disorder or incorrect function of an organ, structure, or system of an animal's body

methods of disease transfer

- direct contact

- indirect contact

- droplet contact

- airborne transmission

- fecal-oral transmission

- vector-borne transmission

direct contact

occurs when an animal has direct contact with a susceptible animal

examples of direct contact

- touching an infected animal

- sexual contact

- contact with oral secretions

- contact with body lesions

indirect contact

occurs when an animal comes in contact with a contaminated surface or a host animal

examples of indirect contact

- sharing feed bowls

- sharing water bowls

- coming into contact with other shared contaminated surfaces

- coming into contact with a host animal (same ways as direct contact)

droplet contact

occurs when droplets containing microorganisms come in contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth

examples of droplet contact

- infected animals coughing onto susceptible animals

- infected animals sneezing onto susceptible animals

airborne transmission

occurs when droplets are evaporated or dust (can be dust from infected feed) particles which contain microorganisms are in the air

examples of airborne transmission

- animals ingesting microorganisms

- breathing in microorganisms into their respiratory tract

fecal-oral transmission

occurs when microorganisms enter the body through ingestion of contaminated feed or water

examples of fecal-oral transmission

- animals eating/drinking contaminated water

vector-borne transmission

occurs when vectors, animals, or insects transfer the disease to other susceptible animals

examples of vector-borne transmission

- flies/mites/ticks transfer disease through biting susceptible animals

- rats spread disease through feces which are accidentally ingested by susceptible animals

methods of transfer of zoonotic diseases

- coming into contact with bodily fluids

- being bitten by a tick/mosquito

- eating/drinking something unsafe

- passed b/w animals and humans

causes of zoonotic diseases

- viruses

- bacteria

- parasites

- fungi

immunity

an animals's ability to protect and defend their body from infection, disease, or other unwanted/foreign organisms and objects

passive immunity

occurs due to the injection of antibodies from outside the body to fight off infection or disease; short term/not permanent

active immunity

occurs when the animal's body produces its own antibodies to fight off infection or disease; long term/permanent

causes of disease

- nutrient deficiencies

- pathogens (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc)

- genetics

nutrient deficiencies

occur due to under consumption of key nutrients

effects of nutrient deficiencies

- affects the internal processes of animals

- lowers an animal's immune system

- increases chance of illness

nutritional requirements

- depend on an animal's age and function

- allow animals to receive a well-balanced diet

examples of nutritional requirements

- vitamins

- fats

- carbohydrates

- protein

- minerals

pathogens

are microscopic or macroscopic organisms causing a disease

microscopic

an organism too small to be seen by the unaided eye, but large enough to be studied under a microscope

macroscopic

an organism large enough to be perceived or examined by the unaided eye

examples of macroscopic organisms

- worm

- tick

classifications of pathogens

- viruses

- bacteria

- parasites

- fungi

- protozoa

viruses

- cannot reproduce without a host

- consist of DNA & RNA

- can take over the functions of the host cell

bacteria

- single-celled organisms

- may produce toxins harmful to the body

- multiply rapidly without a host

- identified by shape

shapes of bacteria

- cocci: spherical

- bacilli: rod

- spirilli: spiral

parasites

- internal or external

- effect host animals through contact or ingestion

- have various life cycles

- living organisms

internal parasite life cycle

host -> fecal matter -> parasite growth stage -> ingested parasite -> host

external parasite life cycle

adult -> eggs -> larvae -> nymphs -> adult

fungi

- live in air, soil, plants, and water

- produce transmittable spores which can cause fungal diseases

study of fungi

mycology

protozoa

- Greek for first animal

- single-celled organism

- breathe, move, and reproduce similar to multi-cellular animals

- can be classified into many types

genetics

the study of heredity: where parents pass genes (including DNA mutations, which often lead to disease) onto their offspring

disease prevention

- proper management & care

- reduces chance of disease

- results in healthy animals

proper management

allows producers to prevent causes, precent symptoms, and treat diseases

techniques for proper management

- providing shelter

- cleaning/sanitizing facilities and equipment

- rationing adequate diets

- monitoring herd health daily

- isolating new animals before introduction into the herd

signs of healthy animals

- alertness

- normal feces and urine

- normal vital signs

- sleek coat

- eating & drinking normally

signs of unhealthy animals

- lethargic

- abnormal feces and urine

- elevated vital signs

- rough hair coat

- loss of appetite

- dull eyes

- swelling

- labored breathing or coughing

- runny nose (yellow or green secretions)

Which of the following systems pumps and delivers blood to organs throughout the body?

Respiratory

Which of the following pathogens can NOT reproduce without a host and consists of DNA and RNA?

Viruses

What is the average respiration rate for swine?

8 to 13

Which of the following pathogens lives in soil, air, water and plants?

Fungi

Which of the following systems defends the body against infectious organisms and other invaders?

Immune System

Which of the following is also known as hypoglycemia?

Milk Fever

Which of the following diseases is also known as gastritis?

Hardware Disease

Which of the following diseases is a result of a selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency?

White Muscle Disease

Which of the following is a serious and often fatal metabolic disorder caused by low levels of magnesium in the blood?

Grass Tetany

Which of the following is the general term used for abdominal pain?

Colic

Which of the following diseases damages the cornea and conjunctiva?

Pinkeye

Which of the following is an incurable wasting disease of cattle?

Johne's Disease

Which of the following diseases is also known as "bangs disease"?

Brucellosis

Zinc sulfate or copper sulfate footbaths are used to treat which of the following diseases?

Foot rot

Which of the following is one of the most common diseases in cattle and affects the respiratory tract?

Bovine Respiratory Disease

Which of the following diseases has two different virus strains?

Porcine Circovirus

Which of the following diseases is transmitted by blood feeding flies and contact with fomites?

Bovine Virus Diarrhea

Which of the following causes vesicles to appear on lips, gums and tongue, causing redness or swelling?

Sore Mouth

Which of the following diseases causes blisters in the mouth and excessive salivation?

Foot and Mouth Disease

Which of the following diseases affects the fetus of a pregnant sow and often times causes fetus mummification?

Porcine parvovirus

Which of the following is also known as club lamb fungus?

Ringworm

Which of the following is also known as wire worm?

Haemonchus contortus

Which of the following parasites is the principal worm parasite of beef and dairy cattle and attacks the lining of the abomasum?

Ostertagious

Which of the following is a type of sunburn?

Facial eczema

Which of the following parasites causes scabs, lesions and hair loss?

Mange

Which of the following diseases cause muscle and tail tremors, reddened skin and increased body temperature in pigs?

Porcine stress syndrome

Which of the following diseases has symptoms which include infertility and failure to produce sperm?

Cryptorchidism