COMMON DISEASES FOUND IN GOATS
DISEASE
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SYMPTOMS
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PREVENTION
& TREATMENT
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Mastitis
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Enlarged hot, painful udder.
Fever. Milk watery with flakes of blood.
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Improve hygiene. Application of
antibiotics.
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FootRot
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Lameness, Hoof will look as if it
is rotten and it will smell bad. Signs of pain is seen if pressed.
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Trimming, soaking in bath of water
with CuSo4
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Brucellosis
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Abortion in late pregnancy.
Retention of placenta and metritis. In bucks infertility, orchitis and
swollen joints are seen.
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Isolation of infected animals.
Vaccination Blood testing and culling of positive animals.
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Internal Parasites
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Loss of weight. Reduction in milk
yield. Diarrhoea Anemia.
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Good quality food and clean
water. Proper medication.
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External Parasites
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Restlessness, scratching, loss of
weight, reduction in milk yield.
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Application of proper chemical as
a dust, spray or a dip.
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Poisoning
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Unsteadiness followed by dullness
and unconsciousness. Great pain and vomiting. Convulsion and
eventual death.
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Keeping goats away from poisonous
plants and chemicals. Immediate treatment.
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Bloat
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Distended abdomen on left side,
respiratory difficulty, restlessness.
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Too much fresh green grass should
be avoided. A cup of mineral oil may bring relief. In acute cases
removal of gas by making puncture is needed.
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Causes of Infectious Abortions in Goats
UNP-0079, Maria Lenira Leite-Browning, DVM, Extension
Animal Scientist, Alabama A&M University
Goat herds generally have a 2 to 5 percent
abortion rate. Any percentage above this is a serious problem because abortions
can lead to economic losses. Indeed, infectious abortion in a doe herd can be a
public health concern because infectious agents that cause abortions in goats
can also infect and cause diseases in humans. Infectious abortions should be
taken seriously by the producer and herd manager.
The most common microorganisms that cause
abortions in goats are:
§ Chlamydiosis (Chlamydia psittaci)
§ Query or Queensland (Q) fever (Coxiella burnetii)
§ Listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes)
§ Leptospirosis (Leptospira spp)
§ Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)
§ Brucellosis (Brucella melitensis)
Chlamydiosis
(Chlamydia, Enzootic Abortion)
Chlamydiosis, commonly known as chlamydia, is the most frequent cause of
abortion in goats in North America. It is associated with pneumonia, pink eye,
inflammation of epididymis (a part of the buck's reproductive system), and
inflammation of the joints. It can be transmitted to does through the direct
contact of feces from infected pigeons and sparrows. Chlamydia can be also
transmitted to goats by ticks or other bloodsucking insects.
Chlamydia multiplies in the blood
and is located in the reproductive organs of the doe. In pregnant does, this
microorganism can be found in the fetus and placenta, leading to an
inflammation of the placenta that prevents normal transfer of nutrients from
the doe to the fetus. It can also lead to miscarriage or abortion. Abortions can
occur any time between days 100 and 130 of gestation. Does may show no symptoms
other than a bloody vaginal discharge two to three days prior to aborting.
During the first three weeks after abortion has occurred, the doe will have
uterine discharge containing chlamydia. If chlamydia is not diagnosed and
treated, the infection will persist and the infected doe may abort again during
the next pregnancy.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of chlamydiosis is based
on the history of the herd, clinical signs, and characteristics of the
placenta. When chlamydiosis is suspected, aborted fetuses and fresh placenta
should be packed in ice, marked with correct identification of the doe, and
sent to a lab for positive diagnosis. Up to three days after abortion, a
vaginal swab should be taken by a veterinarian and sent to a diagnostic
laboratory for isolation of the microorganism. Serum samples from the aborting
doe can also be used for immunological tests, such as the enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or the indirect inclusion fluorescence antibody
(IIFA) tests for diagnosis.
The presence of chlamydial antigens
in ground placenta or vaginal swabs collected just after abortion may be
detected by ELISA with diagnostic kits developed for human C. trachomatis
infections. In human medicine, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or its
variation, ligase chain reaction (LCR), are considered to be the most sensitive
diagnostic methods available for diagnosis of chlamydia. But this is expensive.
Treatment and
Prevention
Infected does should be treated with
tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline. The injection of 20 mg/kg
of oxytetracycline given by intramuscular route at 105 and 120 days of
pregnancy can prevent abortion but cannot prevent chlamydial shedding at
kidding. Tetracyclines affect the replication of chlamydia and can be effective
in preventing abortions. Chlamydia psittaci are susceptible to
chlortetracycline. In an infected herd, abortion can be prevented by
administrating 80 mg/head/day during pregnancy. In an outbreak, 250 mg/head/day
for 3 weeks has been recommended and appears to be effective.
Listeria
Listeriosis is caused by the
bacteria Listeria mono-cytogenes (Lm), which can be found in soil, contaminated
water, and spoiled, concentrated hay or silage. It can live in soil and fecal
contents for a long time. After infecting, the bacteria multiply and spread
throughout the animal's body, causing fever and decreased or loss of appetite.
Lactating does show reduced milk production. Infected does show neurological
disturbance due to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Abortion can occur
at early stages of pregnancy and infected does can produce stillborn or weak
kids.
The prevalence of Lm on goat farms
is seasonal. Management practices are associated with listeriosis and fecal
shedding of Lm. Awareness of risk factors may be used to develop control
measures to reduce disease and introduction of Lm into the human food chain.
Listeria is a public health concern and may affect humans. It primarily affects
people whose immune systems are inefficient, including newborns and the very
old. In pregnant women, listeria may cause infant deaths, meningitis, or
spontaneous abortions.
Diagnosis
Brain tissue, aborted placenta, and
fetus specimens should be isolated and identified for the presence of Lm.
Tissue must be identified, refrigerated (4 degrees C), and sent to a reference
laboratory for isolation of Lm. This microorganism has been isolated from the
spinal fluid, nasal discharge, urine, feces, and milk of infected does. Serology
is not used routinely for diagnosis because many healthy animals have high
Listeria titers. Immunofluorescence is effective for quickly identifying Lm in
smears from dead animals, tissue from aborted fetuses, milk, meat, and other
sources.
Treatment and
Prevention
Stop using contaminated food.
Generally, procaine penicillin should be administered every 6 hours for 3 to 5
days then daily for an additional 7 days. Administration of 500 mg of
chlortetracycline a day per goat is also recommended. Chloramphenicol,
oxytetracyclin, and ampicillin have shown success in treating listeriosis.
Intravenous sodium chloride, glucose solutions, and sodium bicarbonate are also
useful.
Leptospira
Leptospirosis can cause abortion,
stillbirths, or the birth of premature or weak, infected kids. The most common
serovars, a subdivision of a species different from other strains, causing
abortions in goats are Leptospira interrogans, grippotyphosa, and pomona. Goats
are susceptible to these strains, with abortion occurring after infection at
the time when the microorganisms start to multiply in the doe's blood. Some
have shown anemia and jaundice (yellowing of the tissues, usually resulting from
abnormal liver function) and hemoglobinemia (part of red blood cells that
carries oxygen). However, an infected doe may not have fever or jaundice.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on the
microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and the ELISA. Isolation and
identification of Leptospira spp in the doe's urine, placenta, or fetal kidney
tissues is the most accurate method of diagnosis.
Treatment and
Prevention
Tetracycline and oxytetracycline may
be successful if given early in acute cases. Erythromycin, enrofloxacin, and
tiamulin are also effective in acute cases. Oxytetracycline, amoxicillin,
penicillin G, Tylosin, and doxycycline can be used with success. Treatment has
a limited effect on the course of disease once uremia (presence of excessive
amounts of urea and other nitrogenous waste products in the blood) has
developed.
When abortion caused by Leptospira
is diagnosed in a goat herd, further abortions can be prevented by promptly
immunizing the entire herd and simultaneously treating all animals with antibiotics.
Only sick does should be treated with antibiotics. In a zone with a high
incidence of leptospirosis, annual immunization of the herd is recommended.
Management methods to reduce transmission include controlling rodents, keeping
the herd from potentially contaminated streams and ponds, separating goats from
wildlife, selecting replacement stock from herds that are seronegative for
leptospirosis, and immunizing replacement stock.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is caused by the
Toxoplasma gondii microorganism. It is another common cause of infectious
abortion in goats, other animals, and humans. Cats can be carriers of T.
gondii. Cats often defecate and bury their feces in the hay and food storage
areas of barns. Does can become infected by ingesting food or water
contaminated by feces.
T. gondii enters the bloodstream of
the doe and spreads to other tissues. In pregnant does, T. gondii can invade
and multiply in the placenta and pass to the fetus, causing fetal death, fetal
mummification (where the doe reabsorbs the fetal fluid), stillbirth, or the
birth of weak kids. In some cases, the pregnancy can progress normally and the
doe can give birth to a normal kid. Abortions from this microorganism occur
mainly in the last trimester of pregnancy and may occur in does of all ages and
in successive pregnancies.
Humans can be infected by T. gondii
by ingesting meat and milk from animals with toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis can
be a public health concern because children who are allergic to cow milk often
consume non-boiled goat milk.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on clinical signs
and by isolation of T. gondii from placental and fetal tissue. Samples for
diagnosis should be shipped on ice but not frozen. If the placenta is not
available or is decomposed, diagnosis can be done by testing for the presence
of the antibody against T. gondii in fetal fluid or in doe serum. T. gondii can
be isolated from the vaginal mucosa, saliva, nasal secretion, and urine from
experimentally infected goats and in the milk of naturally infected goats.
Toxoplasma infection in both humans and animals can be diagnosed using various
serological tests, such as indirect haemagglutination, indirect
immunofluorescence (IFAT), or ELISA.
Serological analysis using IFAT and
ELISA has been widely employed to detect herds contaminated by Toxoplasma, including
swine and sheep.
PCR (polynucleotide chain reaction)
can be effective in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. DNA can be extracted from
the lung, muscle, and mesenteric lymph node of the doe and lung tissues of the
aborted fetus. A direct PCR assay is effective for the diagnosis.
Treatment and
Prevention
Feeding decoquinate (2 mg/kg bw/day)
or monensin (15-30 mg/head/day) throughout pregnancy may reduce the abortion
rate in a herd with a history of toxoplasmosis. Sulfonamides are used to treat
toxoplasmosis in goats. Clindamycin (12.5 mg/kg, IM, BID for 3 weeks) is also
recommended. There is no vaccine available in the United States. Control of
toxoplasmosis is based on management practices; pregnant females should not be
exposed to infected cat feces. Note: Cats should be tested for the T. gondii
microorganism routinely.
Q Fever
Query or Queensland fever can cause
goats to abort. Q fever is caused by the microorganism Coxiella burnetii and is
a disease that affects many animals and humans. Ruminants can contract Q fever
when grazing contaminated pastures and from tick bites. In a co-grazing system,
infected cows and sheep may be a source of infection for goats. Other animal
species and humans can be infected by inhaling contaminated dust. In infected
goats, the microorganism can be found in the placenta, uterine fluid, and milk.
Infected animals show no symptoms of the disease until aborting or having
stillborn kids in late pregnancy. Does do not generally show any symptoms of
the disease until 1 to 2 days before abortion, when they experience a lack of
appetite and depression.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on isolation of
Coxiella burnetii in the placenta. Be aware of possible infection by Coxiella
b. Wear gloves when helping the doe at the time of kidding or when handling
aborted fetus. Placenta and aborted fetuses should be burned or buried.
Detection by PCR and immunofluorescence tests of Coxiella b. in parturition
products and vaginal secretions at abortion are preferred over serological
tests.
Treatment and
Prevention
There is no vaccine to prevent Q
fever in goats. Feeding 200 mg/head/day of chlortetracycline in the feed for 19
days or using 20 mg/kg of long-acting oxytetracycline every 3 to 14 days should
control the infection.
Brucella
Brucellosis, also known as undulant
fever or Malta fever in humans, is caused by Brucella melitensis. Although
brucellosis in goats is considered non-existent in the United States, there was
a case reported in a South Texas goat herd in October 1999.
Goats can be infected by Brucella
melitensis (a specific strain that causes disease in goats) or Brucella abortus
(a specific strain that causes disease in cattle) by ingesting Brucella from
contaminated feed, pasture, or water. Brucella then spreads through the blood
and becomes localized in the lymph nodes, udder, uterus, testes, and spleen.
Infected does show signs of fever, depression, weight loss and diarrhea that
can also be accompanied by lameness or mastitis, inflammation of the mammary
gland. Infected bucks may develop orchitis, an inflammation of the testicles.
In pregnant does, Brucella can be
localized in the placenta leading to the development of placentitis
(inflammation of the placenta) with subsequent abortion, commonly around the
last month of pregnancy.
Brucella can be found in milk,
urine, feces, placenta, and vaginal secretions that accompany natural birth or
abortion. In the case of normal full-term births, kids from infected does are
often infected and capable of spreading the disease.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is achieved by isolating
the microorganisms from the aborted fetus, placenta, or vaginal discharge in
laboratory tests. Positive animals are identified by serologic examination. The
indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) is sensitive and specific,
and shows potential for use as a bulk milk test for detecting B. melitensis
antibodies in goat milk.
Treatment and
Prevention
There is no treatment for
brucellosis in goats. It is mandatory to eliminate infected animals. Mostly
Vaccination of goats are not permitted in most of the Countries.
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