Small Ruminant Herd

Health
Nicole Ferguson, DVM, MS
 Goat Health
 Diarrhea  Urinary stones
 Gastrointestinal
nematodes
 Caseous lymphadenitis
 Coccidiosis  Foot rot
 Clostridium
 Salmonella
 Mastitis
 Johne’s disease
 Respiratory
 OPP
 Pasteurella
 Neurologic
 CAE
 Meningeal worm
 Pregnancy toxemia
 Tetanus
 Polioencephalomala
cia
 Listeriosis
 Gastrointestinal Nematodes
 Gastrointestinal nematodes
 Trichostrongylus, Haemonchus
 Common cause of diarrhea in all ages
 May cause anemia (low red blood cell count) and
low protein with severe infestation
 Most common cause of poor production
 Low weight gain, thin, decreased milk production
 Parasites develop resistance to the commonly used
dewormers
 May be difficult to effectively treat
 Gastrointestinal Nematodes
 Gastrointestinal nematodes
 Need to do sequential fecal egg counts to
determine resistance
– Prior to deworming
– 10-14 days after deworming
– Need 95% reduction in egg counts
 Do not rotate dewormers
 Use a new dewormer when resistance develops
 Cull animals with recurrent parasite problems
 Gastrointestinal Nematodes

“Bottle jaw” reflecting protein loss due to blood loss

Pale mucous membranes reflecting anemia due to blood loss
 Coccidiosis
 Coccidiosis
 Most common cause of diarrhea between 3 weeks
and 5 months of age
 Adults are not clinically affected if their immune
system is normal
 Caused by protozoal parasites (Eimeria)
 Poor growth, weight loss, diarrhea
 Very common in confinement operations
 Coccidiosis
 Coccidiosis
 Diagnose with direct
fecal smear or flotation
 Treat with supportive
care
 Anti-coccidial drugs
 Management changes
– Sound management
– Improve hygiene
practices
– Use of coccidiostats
– Reduce stress
 Bacterial Diarrhea
 Bacterial causes
 Salmonella
– Cause of watery diarrhea in all ages
– Treat with supportive care
– Animals may carry the bacteria without being sick
 Clostridium (enterotoxemia)
– Common, frequently fatal disease
– Clostridium perfringens type D most common
– Associated with sudden feed changes, lush pasture, high
carbohydrate diet
– Difficult to treat
– Prevent with vaccination
 Johne’s Disease
 Johne’s disease
 Also known as paratuberculosis
 Caused by bacterium Mycobacterium avium
subspecies paratuberculosis
 Most common in mature animals
 Progressive weight loss more common than
diarrhea
 Usually good appetite despite weight loss
 Diarrhea may be seen in advanced cases
 No treatment
 Johne’s Disease
 Can be spread to other ruminants and
pseudoruminants
 Diagnosis
 Fecal culture
– Lengthy: weeks – months
– A negative result does not rule out the disease
 Serology
– ELISA
– AGID
 Necropsy
– Thickening of the ileum (part of the small intestine)
– Enlarged lymph nodes in the abdomen
– Corrugated (thickened) intestinal lining
 Bacterial Pneumonia
 Pasteurella
 Common cause of pneumonia
 Stress induced
– Poor ventilation, crowding, parasitism, malnutrition,
transport
 Fever, nasal discharge, lethargic, off feed,
increased respiratory rate and effort, cough
 Antibiotics
– Penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, tylosin
 Improve management
 Ovine Progressive Pneumonia
(OPP)
 Chronic progressive or atypical pneumonia
 Lentivirus
 Closely related to CAE
 Lethargy, progressive emaciation, increased
respiratory effort despite good appetite and
normal temperature
 Signs last from 3-6 months and may persist for
years
 Diagnosis by ELISA, AGID, PCR
 No treatment
 Prevention: test and cull
Viral and Mycoplasmal Pneumonias
 Parainfluenza type 3
 Respiratory syncytial virus
 Herpesviruses
 Mycoplasma ovipneumonia
 Primary organism responsible for theses enzootic, chronic
nonprogressive or atypical pneumonias
 All of the above share similar clinical signs:
fever, increased respiratory rate and effort,
coughing, nasal discharge
 Treatment
 Supportive care
 Mycoplasma: oxytetracycline, tilmicosin, florfenicol
 Neurologic
 Viruses
 CAE
 Parasites
 Meningeal worm
 Bacteria
 Tetanus
 Listeriosis
 Metabolic
 Pregnancy toxemia
 Polioencephalomalacia
 CAE
 Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus
 Several forms:
 Arthritis (most common form)
 Pneumonia
 Neurologic
 Mastitis
 Weight loss
 CAE
 Arthritis
 Adults (≥ 1 year of
age)
 Most common in the
knees
 One or many joints
 Painful and debilitating
 Pneumonia
 Adults
 Chronic, progressive
pneumonia
 CAE
 Neurologic
 Young goats 2-6 months of age most common
 Most are dairy breeds
 Progressive paralysis of the limbs
 May also include head tilt, blindness, head tremor,
circling, inability to swallow, and other signs
 Mastitis
 Most commonly young does after kidding
 Low to no milk production
 Hard udder
 CAE
 No treatment
 Method of transmission
 Consumption of virus-infected colostrum and milk
 Direct transmission from goat to goat
 Diagnosis
 Positive antibody response with serum tests
(AGID, ELISA)
 No vaccine is available
 Meningeal Worm
 Parelaphostrongylus tenuis
 Common parasite in white-tailed deer
 Does not cause disease in deer
 Small ruminants accidentally eat
slugs/snails that carry the parasite
 The larvae move along the nervous
system
 Meningeal Worm
 Signs depend on where
the parasite migrates to
 Depression, weakness,
paralysis, circling, head
tilt, etc.
 Treatment
 Anti-inflammatories
 Dewormers
– Ivermectin
– Fenbendazole
 Tetanus
 Caused by bacterium Clostridium tetani
 Commonly present in feces and soil
 Infection may set in:
– After injury
– Through the umbilicus
– After castration
– After docking
– After metritis (infected uterus)
 Seen weeks after injury
 Tetanus
 Stiffness, lameness
 Generalized stiffness
within 24 hours
 Stimulation  spasms
 If severe
– Laying on side
– Extended neck and
legs
 Treatment
– Supportive care
– Penicillin at high doses
– Tetanus antitoxin
– Quiet, dark place
 Listeriosis
 Listeria monocytogenes
 Soil and fecal contaminant
 Proliferates in silage if the pH > 5.0
 Invades through the gastrointestinal tract
 Predilection for the CNS
 Depression, head tilt, dropped jaw,
inability to eat, facial and vestibular lesions
 Listeriosis
 Difficult to diagnose pre-mortem
 CSF tap
 Elevated protein
 Elevated white blood cell count
 Culture unrewarding
 Post-mortem findings
 Treatment
 Penicillin
 Oxytetracycline
 Florfenicol
 Public health concern
 Pregnancy Toxemia (Ketosis)
 Metabolic disease in pregnant does/ewes
 Insufficient intake of feed to meet the
energy needs of the doe/ewe
 Decreased intake of feed  depression,
weakness, further decrease in intake of
feed
 In order to meet the pregnancy needs, the
doe/ewe will break down fat stores 
release of ketones (toxic by-products)
 Pregnancy Toxemia
 Ketosis  altered
behavior, blindness,
circling, incoordination,
tremors, convulsions
 Treatment
 Supportive care
 IV glucose (sugar) for
energy
 Increase feed intake
 C-section
 Poor prognosis
 Polioencephalomalacia
 Most common in 2-6 month old kids/lambs
fed high-grain diets
 Can occur at any age
 Nutritional factors
 Sudden change in diet
 Feed high in molasses
 Moldy hay
 Rumen acidosis
 Dietary stress of weaning
 Polioencephalomalacia
 Feed changes  changes in the rumen
population of bacteria  predominance of
bacteria that break down thiamine
 Thiamine is require by the brain for sugar
metabolism
 High sulfate in diet may also cause this
 Interferes with energy production in the
brain
 Polioencephalomalacia
 Signs
 Blindness
 Abnormal eye position
 Depression
 Incoordination
 Convulsions
 Star-gazing
 Coma
 Treatment
 Thiamine replacement
 Prevention
 Avoid sudden diet change
 Urinary Stones
 Common in bucks/rams and wethers
 Causes
 Dietary
– High grain
– High protein
– Low hay/grass availability
– High magnesium diet
– Low calcium to phosphorus ratio in diet
 Limited access to water
 Abnormal pH of the urine
 Age of the animal at time of castration
 Possible genetics
 Urinary Stones
 Straining to urinate
– Posturing
– Vocalizing
– Contracting the abdomen
– Dribbling urine
 Colic
 Flagging tail
 “Water belly”
– Ruptured bladder or
urethra
 Urinary Stones
 Treatment
 Medical treatment
– Amputate the urethral process
– Ammonium chloride to dissolve stones
– Anti-inflammatory drugs
 Often requires surgery
 Prevention
 Access to fresh, clean water
 Adjust the levels of magnesium, calcium,
phosphorus
 Add ammonium chloride to diet
 Caseous Lymphadenitis
 Caused by bacterium
Corynebacterium
pseudotuberculosis
 Abscesses in the
lymph nodes, skin,
internal organs
 Infection through skin
abrasions and via the
respiratory route
 Caseous Lymphadenitis
 Signs
 Swelling of the lymph nodes
 Draining tracts
 Chronic weight loss if internal
abscessation
 Reduced production
 Diagnosis
 Serology
 Culture
 Treatment
 None
 Prevention
 Identify and cull affected animals
 Disinfect shared equipment between
animals
 Vaccine
 Foot Rot
 Contagious disease caused by various
bacteria
 Most commonly transmitted in spring and
fall
 Severity of disease increases with age
 Usually affects both claws in more than
one foot
 Significant lameness
 Foot Rot
 Treatment
 Proper hoof trimming
 Topical antibacterial treatments: antibiotics
(tetracycline), antiseptics (copper sulfate)
 Use of foot baths
– Copper sulfate
– Zinc sulfate
– Formalin
 Vaccine
 Mastitis
 Bacterial causes
 E coli (coliform mastitis)
 Staphylococcus aureus
 Pasteurella haemolytica
 Viral causes
 CAE
 Bacterial Mastitis
 Coliform mastitis
 Fever, off feed, depression, lethargy, high heart
rate, shock
 Decreased milk production
 Heat, swelling, pain, gangrene of the affected gland
 Treatment
– Anti-inflammatories
– Antibiotics
– Intravenous fluids
 Prevention
– Proper hygiene
 Bacterial Mastitis
 Bluebag mastitis
 Rarely contagious
 Staphylococcus aureus
 Pasteurella haemolytica
 Secondary to teat injury and poor hygiene
 Marked decrease in milk production
 May result in gangrene of bag
 Treatment
– Antibiotics
– Anti-inflammatories
– Culling affected animals
Herd Health Recommendations
 Biosecurity
 Quarantine new animals for minimum of 3 weeks
 Biosecurity goals
1. Reduce the introduction of new diseases from an
external source
2. Reduce the spread of established infectious diseases
 Monitor for itchiness, lameness, external lumps, weight
loss
 Institute regular vaccination program, deworm, trim the
feet
 Fecal for parasite count before and after deworming
 Soak feet in 10% zinc sulfate foot bath for 15 minutes
 Serology: CLA, CAE, OPP
 Show animals: isolate from the rest of the herd for a
minimum of 3 weeks
 Animal Density
 Stocking density
 < 60 lbs: minimum 10 sq ft (if alone) to 7.5 sq ft
(if kept in groups of 5 or more)
 > 60 lbs: minimum 20 sq ft (if alone) to 15 sq ft (if
kept in groups of 5 or more)
 Meat goats: 6-8 adults/1-2 acres
 Other goats/sheep: 10 adults/1-2 acres
 Feeder space
 1.5-2 feet per adult
 Vaccination Protocol
 Enterotoxemia and tetanus vaccine
 Pregnant does/ewes
 Vaccinate during last month of pregnancy
 Kids/lambs
 Vaccinate kids/lambs from vaccinated does/ewes at 1-2
months of age and repeat in 3-4 weeks
 Vaccinate kids/lambs from unvaccinated does/ewes at 1-3
weeks of age and repeat in 3-4 weeks
 Bucks/rams and yearlings
 Vaccinate at the same time as pregnant does/ewes
 Booster once a year
 If no history of vaccine, give initial dose then boost in 3-4
weeks
 Vaccination Protocol
 Caseous lymphadenitis
 May reduce number and severity of disease
 May cause severe local or systemic reaction
 Does not prevent disease
 Parasite Control
 Treat at risk groups
 Kids/lambs, pregnant and lactating does/ewes
 Separate groups
 Age, sex, stage of pregnancy
 Separate pastures
 Rotate pastures
 Alternate with other species
 Horses, cattle
 Avoid moist areas
 Parasite Control
 Quarantine
 Manure management
 Dose animals appropriately
 Better to over-dose than under-dose
 Avoid treating too often and deworming
the entire herd
 Deworming Drugs
Class of Compound Compound (* Trade Name
approved in
goats)
Phenothiazine Phenothiazine Various
Benizimidazole Thiabendazole* TBZ, Ominzole, Thiabendazole
Mebendazole Telmin
Fenbendazole Panacur, Safeguard
Oxfendazole Benzelmin
Oxibendazole Anthelcide
Albendazole Valbazen
Pro-benzimidazole Febantel Rintel
Imidothiazole Levamisole* Levasol, Tramisole, Ripercol
Avermectin Ivermectin Ivomec, Moxidectin
Tetrahydropyrimidine Morantel* Rumital, Rumatel, Nematel
 Drug Doses
Dewormer Goat dose Sheep dose

Ivermectin 1% 1.8 mls 0.9 mls

Albendazole 11.36% 8 mls 4 mls

Fenbendazole 10% 9 mls 4.5 mls

Levamisole 11.7 g Treats 21 animals Treats 21 animals

packet
Oxfendazole 10% 4.5 mls 4.5 mls

Pyrantel 5% 22.5 mls 22.5 mls

Moxidectin 0.5% 1.8 mls 1.8 mls

ALL MEDICATIONS GIVEN BY ORAL DRENCH. DOSAGES PER 100 LBS

 Withdrawal Times
n/a = not available OTC = over the counter PO = by mouth

Drug Meat Milk

OTC Albendazole 7.5 mg/kg PO Sheep: 7 days Sheep: no
Goats: n/a value
Goats: n/a
OTC Ivermectin 200 µg/kg PO Sheep: 11 days Sheep: no
Goats: n/a value
Goats: n/a
OTC Fenbendazole 5 mg/kg PO Sheep: n/a Sheep: n/a
Goats: 6 days Goats: 0
OTC Levamisole 8 mg/kg PO Sheep: 3 days Sheep: no
Goats: n/a value
Goats: n/a
OTC Moxidectin 0.2 mg/kg Sheep: n/a Sheep: n/a
Goats: 14 days Goats: no
value