Diseases of Sheep & Goats

Most common health issues for sheep

Internal parasites

Intestinal Parasites - Clinical Signs

Weight loss, unthriftiness, GI upset, weakness, depression, anemia, bottle jaw

Internal Parasite - Diagnosis

Fecal analysis

Internal Parasite - Treatment

Anthelmintic, provide browse, keep grass tall, rotate

Pneumonia - Clinical Signs

Depression, labored breathing, coughing, nasal/ocular discharge, loss of appetite, death

Pneumonia - Treatment

Antibiotics, banamine, NSAIDs, change environment

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) - Overview

Caused by a lentibirus in Retroviridae family, develops gradually, persists in innate cells (helps them to evade clearance), spread through aerosol particles and milk

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) - Clinical Signs

Coughing, fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, slow chronic wasting, bronchial exudate, hard unproductive udders (hard bag)

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) - Diagnosis

ELISA or ultrasound

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) - Treatment

Cull and quarantine

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis - Overview

Related to OPP, causes arthritis in older goats (lameness, swollen joints, weight loss, weakness, lethargy), causes encephalitis in kids (neurological symptoms, incoordination, lethargy, convulsions, seizures, death), Similar treatment and control to OPP

Lamb Scours - Overview

Enterotoxigenic E. coli most common agent, lambs get in first few days of life from ewe, can lead to flystrike

Lamb Scours - Clinical Signs

Water, yellow diarrhea, rapid dehydration, death (occurs rapidly)

Lamb Scours - Treatment

Supportive fluids, antiserum

Lamb Scours - Prevention

Adequate colostrum ingestion, vaccinate ewes before lambing, crutch ewes, keep pens and pregnant ewes clean

Enzootic Abortion - Overview

Chlamydophila abortus, late gestation abortions in large portions of flock, passed through uterine fluid, placenta, and aborted fetuses. Necrosis of cotyledons, leathery placenta. Ewes immune once infected

Enzootic Abortion - Diagnosis

ELISA or PCR

Enzootic Abortion - Prevention

Isolate aborting ewes, vaccinate

Toxoplasmosis - Overview

Toxoplasma gondii, causes abortions and stillbirths, swollen cotyledons with necrotic gray areas, ewes immune after first exposure/abortion, spread through cat feces

Toxoplasmosis - Diagnosis

Fetal serology

Campylobacteriosis - Overview

Late gestation abortions, premature births, stillbirths, weak lambs, necrosis of cotyledons, leathery placenta, fetus autolyzed and aborted a few days after death

Campylobacteriosis - Diagnosis

Fluorescent antibody preparations

Campylobacteriosis - Prevention

Vaccinate

Cache Valley Virus - Overview

Spread by mosquitos, causes infertility, abortions, stillbirths, and congenital abnormalities of the CNS, virus cleared in ewe at time of abortion, immunity after initial infection

Cache Valley Virus - Diagnosis

Fetal antibodies

Cache Valley Virus - Prevention

Mosquito control

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) - Overview

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, contagious, infectious, chronic, low mortality, high morbidity, spread by rupture of abcesses, can move to internal organs

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) - Clinical Signs

Abcesses in lymph nodes of head and neck, thick greenish pus, recurring lesions, slowly lose condition and become emaciated

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) - Treatment

Drain and flush abscesses, pack with iodine (not 100% effective), antibiotics usually not effective, culling most effective

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) - Prevention

Sanitation, quarantine new animals, vaccinate

Contagious Ecthyma (Sore mouth) - Overview

Caused by hardy pox virus, highly contagious, appears as red nodules at unction of lips, may spread to udder or feet, skin must be damaged for viral invasion, nodules leads to blisters which leads to scabs, can lead to loss of condition, can be spread to humans

Contagious Ecthyma (Sore mouth) - Diagnosis

Examination of lesions

Contagious Ecthyma (Sore mouth) - Treatment

Topical cream and supportive care

Contagious Ecthyma (Sore mouth) - Prevention

Vaccinate

Scrapie - Overview

Prion disease (TSE), possible genetic predisposition, shed in placental fluid, feces, saliva, and urine

Scrapie - Diagnosis

Postmortem histology

Scrapie - Clinical Signs

Pruritis (intense itching), loss of wool/hair, trembling, ataxia/incoordination, loss of condition, death

Scrapie - Treatment

No treatment 100% fatal

Scrapie - Prevention

Surveillance and breeding for resistance

Foot Rot - Overview

Enters through break in skin between toes, swelling foot and lameness, treat with footbaths