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Disease Database C-E             A-B   C-E   F-K   L-O   P-Q   R-Z   Miscellaneous Links

CAE  (See Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis)

Campylobacteriosis

 

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  424, and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 271  )  

 

 

Causative Agent: Campylobacter Fetus subspecies Fetus, Campylobacter Jejuni (vibrosis).

 

Clinical Signs: Causes abortion,  fetuses have liver necrosis, edematous (fluid filled) placenta  with necrotic (decaying) cotyledons.  Diagnosis through isolation of organism.

 

Treatment: Tetracycline

Prevention: In a confirmed outbreak, vaccinate all pregnant does with an ovine Campylobacter bacterin.  Prevent feces from getting in the feed.  Isolate all aborting does.    Placentas and dead fetuses should be burnt or buried deeply.

 

Contagious To Humans: Yes.  Mainly diarrhea.

 

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.

 

Links:

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  424.

 

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 271 

Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis (CAE)

 

(Summarized from Mobini, Herd Health management Practices For Goat Production. ,  Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 271, and Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine, p. 73-79.).

CAE affecting the nervous system

Penn State Disease Image Gallery

http://www.das.psu.edu/goats/health/gallery/   

CAE affecting the knees 

(also referred to as the 'arthritic type' of CAE)

Susan Schoenian

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/august2005.html#CAE

Causative Agent: Retrovirus

 

Clinical Signs: Two types of disease:

1.) Neurological form (also called encephalitic form) occurs at 2-4 months of age.  Partial to full paralysis progressing to seizures and death.

 

2.) Arthritic and Central nervous System form occurs in adults 1-2 years old.  Shifting, leg lameness, walking on knees. Weight loss, poor hair coat, enlarged joints, depression, head tilt, blindness.  Death.

 

Treatment: None.  Comfort care for arthritic type: Hoof trimming, providing easy access to food and water.  Pain relief: aspirin 10-20 mg/kg every 8-12 hours and  Phenylbutazone 10 mg/kg once a day.

 

Prevention: Do not expose your animals to CAE positive animals.  

Quarantine all new stock.  Buy only CAE free animals.

 

Contagious To Humans: No

 

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes. Have all goats tested for CAE and cull positive goats.  Test again in 6 months.  Continue testing and culling until you 

have two consecutive testings that are negative.

 

Links:

Mobini, Herd Health management Practices For Goat Production

 

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 271

 

Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine, p. 73-79 (overview), 447-8 (bucks), 474 (hard udder), 569-570 (milking does), 254 (pneumonia), 71 (joint enlargement), 49 (lymphadenopathy), 129- 130 and 135-138 (neurological signs), 498 (weight loss), 473 (somatic cell count), 567 (prevention in neonates.)

 

Onion Creek Ranch site     Look for the CAE article at:

 www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/CAE.html

 

Testing your herd for Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis   http://www.saanendoah.com/CAE2.html 

 

A general summary  http://www.saanendoah.com/wsucae.htm

Capripox  (Goat Pox)

 

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine,   

p. 23-24, and University of Iowa's Goat Pox Fact Sheet  http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/Sheep_and_Goat_Pox.pdf,  

 

Crusting on nose

Pox on udder

Pox on tail

Pox on skin

 

Photos taken by the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and contributed to the CFSPH website at:

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesSGP.htm.  Used with permission of CFSPH.

Causative Agent: Capripox virus causing a malignant pox disease mainly found in Africa, the Middle East and Far East, though some reports in California and Scandinavia.  Virus can survive in scabs for 3 months.  Incubation 8-13 days, but sometimes as few as 4 days.

 

Clinical Signs:  Early signs: runny nose, drainage from the eyes, high fever (104 to 107.6 degrees F).  Back is arched.  Not eating. Skin lesions and scabs on nose, lips and inside mouth 1-2 days later.  Some lesions form in the lungs and digestive tract.  Lesions on the mouth may cause mouth ulcers. Hair sticks up straight on skin sores, the skin thickens and crusts form.  May make scars after healing.  Hides are damaged.   Differentiate from Parapox virus (Contagious Ecthyma, Soremouth, Orf) with electron microscope.

 

Transmission is through skin abrasion or by inhaling the virus.  Once it enters the herd, 75% of the stock will get it and half of those will die.  Mortality in kids will be 100% is the kid has other viral infections, such as peste des petits ruminants.  European breeds are more severely affected than local breeds.

 

Treatment: none

 

Prevention: Vaccination to prevent disease . Quarantine and slaughter all diseased animals and all goats they have had contact with.

 

Contagious To Humans: yes

 

Contagious to Other Goats: yes  

 

Links:

Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine  p. 23-24 (skin), 183 (eye), 467 (udder).,

Goat Pox Fact Sheet http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/Sheep_and_Goat_Pox.pdf

 

Goat Pox photographs

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesSGP.htm

 

Goat Pox Power point slide show

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ppt/SheepGoatPox.ppt

 

Goat Pox Vaccine

http://apps.cfsph.iastate.edu/Vaccines/disease_list.php?diseaseID=56

 

Goat Pox Images

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesSGP.htm

 

Goat Pox http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/A_A100.HTM

 

Goat Pox http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/goatpox/

 

Goat Pox

http://www.fao.org/AG/AGAInfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/sgp.html

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 271.  

Caseous Lymphadenitis  (one type of abscesses)

 

(Summarized from Mobini, Herd Health Management Practices For Goat Production  http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/field/herd_health99.htm  accessed 6-18-06.)

 

 

  Producer photo

 


Causative Agent: Corynobacterium pseudo tuberculosis (bacteria)There are many causes of abscesses.  This is just one type.

 

Clinical Signs: External Abscesses  (Swollen lymph nodes.) May rupture with thick, yellow/green drainage.  Internal abscesses :in lungs may cause breathing problems.

 

Treatment: Immediately separate animal from herd and keep separate for 20-30 days or until completely healed.  Open the abscess when the hair has fallen out and the abscess is shiny, as in the picture to the left.  Flush out the drainage with diluted disinfectants. If you clean it out before the hair has fallen out, it is very difficult to clean out, and it often gets reinfected.   

Coming Soon Abscess power point slide show.

 

Prevention: Consider culling goats with repeated episodes.

 

Contagious To Humans: Yes. Wear gloves.

 

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes. Through contact with abscesses or drainage.

 

Links:

Caseous Lymphadenitis  http://www.saanendoah.com/GlennCL2000.html

 

Caseous Lymphadenitis   http://www.goatworld.com/articles/cl/cl.shtml

 

Caseous Lymphadenitis http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/newsletter/winter00.pdf

 

Caseous Lymphadenitis http://cahfs.ucdavis.edu/disease_pdfs/caseous_lymphadenitis.pdf

 

Smith, Goat Medicine P.26 (skin), 46-49 (overview), 249 (respiratory problems), 259-260 (lung abscesses). 499 (wasting diseases), 569 (lactation), 468 (udder.)

 

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, at p. 271, http://www.rmncsba.org/smallruminant.pdf

 

Mobini, Herd Health Management Practices For Goat Production  http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/field/herd_health99.htm  accessed 6-18-06.

 

See the following articles on the Onion Creek Ranch website: Abscesses, Caseous lymphadenitis, CL Formalin  http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/articlesMain.html 

 

To differentiate between abscesses, depending on their location on the body, see the diagrams in Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine at p. 47 and p. 50.

Chlamydiosis

 

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 421-422 (abortion), 258 (pneumonia), 182-183 (conjunctivitis) , and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272. )  

 

 

 

 

Causative Agent: Chlamydia Psittaci.  

 

Clinical Signs: Number one cause of late term abortions (those occurring in the last two months of pregnancy), especially occur in the last two weeks of gestation, and often to first time mothers.  Sometimes fetuses are born alive, but are weak.  Most are born dead, but appear fresh.  The doe usually does not appear ill and the placenta is usually not retained.  Other possible signs are arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye), respiratory infections and pneumonia.  Fertility is not usually affected in subsequent pregnancies after abortion.  For diagnostic criteria, see Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, p. 421.  Retain placenta for testing.

 

Treatment: Long-lasting oxytetracycline preparations or Tylosin  (Dosages are given in Smith at p. 422) 

 

Prevention: "Vaccination of all animals before breeding with a sheep chlamydial vaccine has been helpful in some herds.  Annual revaccination, or at the very least, vaccination of each year's crop of doelings, should continue indefinitely."  "Vaccination helps prevent abortion, but it does not eliminate infection."  Aborted fetuses and placentas, if not sent for testing, should be destroyed.  Does that abort should be isolated for several weeks until all vaginal discharge ends.  (Smith at 422)

 

Contagious To Humans: Yes.  Wear gloves.  Pregnant women should not be assisting with birthing.  They could be infected and abort their baby.

 

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.  Often from ingestion of infected placenta or uterine discharges.  If animal has less than 40 days left in her present pregnancy, then she may abort her next future pregnancy.  If she has 40 or more days of gestation left in current pregnancy, she may abort the present pregnancy.

 

This disease must be reported to authorities.

 

Links:

Zoonotic Chlamydiaw from Mammals fact Sheet

www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/chlamydiosis.pdf

 

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 421-422 (abortion), 258 (pneumonia), 182-183 (conjunctivitis) 

 

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272.  

Choriopic Mange 

 

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  31, and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272. )  

 

 

 

 

Causative Agent: Mites 

 

Clinical Signs:  Itching.  Crusts, bald patches, redness and open sores of lower legs, udder, scrotum and genital area.  Usually seen in winter.  Some goats have no symptoms, but carry the mites.  Mites can survive for about 10 weeks.  

 

Treatment: Long term treatment is often needed.  All goats in contact with infected goat should be treated and premises should be disinfected..  Haskell recommends Ivermectin every 10 days, or Amitraz dips every 10 days.  (Note all withdrawal times for meat and milk.)  Smith and Sherman (page 31) say "Lime sulfur (four, weekly, dips or total body sprays, in 2% solution) is safe for lactating dairy goats." May need antibiotics if any areas become infected.  Antihistamines may be used for itching.

 

Contagious To Humans: Yes

Contagious to Other Goats: yes

 

Links:

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  31

 

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272. 

 

Hutchins, Enough to make your skin crawl: goat skin disease, University of Kentucky Goat Producer's Newsletter, June/July 2004: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/goats/newsletter/ejunejulynwsletter01604.pdf

 

External Parasites  http://www.imagecyte.com/mites.html accessed 8-23-07

 

Mites and Ticks  http://www.pested.msu.edu/Resources/bulletins/pdf/2601/LPNE2601chap3.pdf   accessed 8-23-07

 

Chorioptic Mange Mites In Sheep And Goats, Chorioptes Bovis

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/consultant/Consult.asp?Fun=Cause_206&spc=All&dxkw=chorioptic_mange&sxkw=&signs=

   

 Circling Disease (See Listeriosis)

Coccidiosis (Scours)

 

 (Summarized from: Scott Haskell.  Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy: http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p. 272, and Scott Haskell,  Herd health Program  http://www.adga.org/kidding.pdf, and Pipestone vet http://www.pipevet.com/articles/tips.htm).

 

 

http://www.moa.gov.jo/html/projects/

Livestock%20Health/docs_en.htm

Causative Agent:  Eimeria Sp.

 

Clinical Signs: Usually affects infants and feeding stock 3-5 months of age.

Poor growth, weight loss, diarrhea (may be hemorrhagic,) abdominal discomfort, depression, weakness, dehydration, acidosis, anemia.

Treatment:  Good supportive care, coccidostat, sulfonamides, Amprolium. (Haskell, Small Ruminant...) 

 

SpectoGard Scour Check 1 Squirt (1 ml) twice a day, three- four days.  If continues, recheck cause.  (Dr. Kurt Hallgren DVM)  

 

For severe cases: Albon (sulfadimethoxine) 25 mg./lb. initially IV, then 12.5 mg/lb by mouth or IV thereafter until well. (Haskell, Small Ruminant ...) .

 

Prevention: Good hygiene & management, low stress, no feeding on ground, small group housing.  Use of Monensin, Lasalocid, Deconquinate. (Haskell Small Ruminant Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 273)

-For unweaned kids, Use a milk replacer with a coccidostat in it, (or)  add liquid Sulmet to unmedicated milk replacer or goat milk milk to prevent diarrhea.   (Haskell, Herd Health)  

-For weaned kids: mix 2# of 6% Decoquinate (Deccox) per ton of calf starter or calf grower feed (or) mix 2# of 6% Decoquinate (Deccox) per 50# of white salt and feed free choice   (Pipestone Vet)

 

Contagious To Humans: ?

 

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.

 

Links:

 

Scott Haskell.  Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272:

  http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf

 

Scott Haskell,  Herd health Program  http://www.adga.org/kidding.pdf

 

Pipestone Vet http://www.pipevet.com/articles/tips.htm).

 

Coccidiosis  http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/April2006.html#coccidia

 

Table of Products Used to Treat or Prevent Coccidiosis: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable.htmCol

 

Coccidiosis: repair of damage to the intestine  http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable.html

(Treatment with Cat's Claw, prepared as a decoction (5 gms bark simmered 30 minutes in a liter of water)

 

Coccidiosis  

http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ansc/publications/sheeppubs/ASWeb050-coccidiosis.pdf

Management and Control of Goat Coccidia http://www.goatworld.com/articles/coccidiosis/goatcoccidia.shtml

 

Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine, 312-319 (overview) 503-507 (causes of sudden death), 248-249 (cause of coughing), 503 (disposal of body after death), 317 (table of drugs.)

Cobalt Deficiency

 White Liver Disease

 

Summarized from: Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p. 272.

 

Causative Agent:  lack of cobalt in diet

 

Clinical Signs: Anemia, hypoproteinemia, thinness, weakness, listlessness, pale mucous membranes, edema below jaw, diarrhea, Polioencepalomalacia/thiamine deficiency, progressive emaciation, and hepatic lipodystrophy (Haskell at 272)

Treatment:  Provide cobalt in diet at 1 mg/head/day, Vitamin B12 shots, cobalt pellets to correct deficiency. 

 

Prevention: Provide cobalt in diet at 1 mg/head/day at all times

 

Contagious To Humans: no

 

Contagious to Other Goats: If the diet is deficient for one, it may be for all goats in the same area.

 

Links:

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, Cobalt deficiency, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p. 272, accessed 3-29-30-08.

 

Cobalt, http://www.saanendoah.com/cobalt.html

 

Cobalt For Animals, http://www.saltinstitute.org/47r.html, accessed 3-30-08.

 

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 235-236  and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapyhttp://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 273.  

Causative Agent: CHF in the goat has been attributed to cor pulmonale (disease of the heart secondary to disease of lungs or their vessels).  It may be secondary to pneumonia, mediastinal thymoma ( tumor or mass) or VSD (a defect in the heart between the ventricles). (Smith at 235)

Clinical Signs:  Pulsing and/or swelling of the jugular vein (Check first to see whether the goat's collar is too tight, as this also causes swelling in this area), moist cough, tachycardia, ascites (abdominal swelling), chronic weight loss, swelling below the jaw line, exercise intolerance,, fluid in lungs, around heart, in abdomen, enlarged heart, ventricular dilation. White muscle disease (d/t to lack of selenium in diet) may lead to CHF. 

Treatment: Can include Digoxin (as in small animals), diuretics and lidocaine. (See discussion of drug options at p. 236, Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine.)

Prevention:   --

Contagious To Humans: no

Contagious to Other Goats: no

Links:  

Contact Dermatitis

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 36-37 )  

Causative Agent: Excessive exposure to irritants.

Clinical Signs:  Skin is damaged. 

Treatment / prevention: Identify source of the problem and treat accordingly.  Examples: 1) Rotting away of skin from dehorning past. (Don't use it!)   2) Rubbing so much while drinking milk from the mother, that the hair is taken off, and skin lesions form on the lips and face of kids.  (Wipe or wash kid's face after each feeding if it is a problem.) 

Contagious To Humans: no

Contagious to Other Goats: no

Links:  

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 36-37 

Contagious Agalactia

(absence or failure of milk secretion ability)

(Summarized from Contagious Agalactia

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/agalactia/index.htm)

Causative Agent: Incubation period of 5-7 days after subcutaneous inoculation and up to 60 days after natural exposure. 

Clinical Signs:  High fever, 105.8 - 107.6 degrees F (41-42 degrees C)

Depression, lack of appetite, inflammation of the cornea of the eye which may lead to swelling, ulceration, decreased vision or blindness, arthritis, mastitis, abortion.

The goat's milk becomes yellow, and if left to stand for a while, becomes separates out into a green layer with sediment at the bottom.  The acidity of the milk changes from a normal pH of 6.8 to pH 7.8,,  The udder atrophies over time, and milk production drops.  

Joints, especially the carpal and tarsal joints, become swollen and painful, and this may lead to lameness.  Sometimes these joints rupture, and pus comes out of the joint.

Animals in late pregnancy may abort either dead or living infected offspring and will develop vaginal discharges. 

Treatment: none

Prevention: avoid contact with infected goats. 

Contagious To Humans:

Contagious to Other Goats:  yes

Links:  

Contagious Agalactia (accessed 8-24-07)

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/agalactia/index.htm

 

Contagious Agalactia (accessed 8-24-07)

http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual/A_00070.htm

 

 

Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP)

(NOT the same as Pleuropneumonia)

(Make sure you consult up-to-date references on this disease.  Classifications have changed.

(Summarized from  Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine at p. 256-257)

Wet nose often seen in CCPP  

Photograph from http://www.das.psu.edu/goats/health/gallery/

Causative Agent: F38 biotype mycoplasma.  (Formerly M. Mycoides, subspecies capri was cited as the source of this illness, but the disease from that organism is now designated as Pleuropneumonia instead. See the section on Pleuropneumonia in this database.)  CCPP is found in eastern Europe, Africa, Asia.  Transmitted by aerosol (breathing, coughing, sneezing.) Lesions in lungs  Incubation period 6-10- days or longer.  Affects all ages. 

Clinical Signs:  High fever, lack of appetite, cough, painful respirations with grunting, forelimbs held widely separated (trying to make more room for lungs to work), Head held low, frothy nasal discharge, salivation, goat will not move.  Death 2-10 days after onset. 

Treatment: Tylosin (11 mg/kg), Oxytetracycline (15 mg/kg), Chloramphenicol (22 mg/kg), Streptomycin in the 30 mg. per kg strength.  Recovery with prompt treatment is 85%.  See page 257 in Goat Medicine for more information.:

Prevention: Vaccination with inactivated F38 vaccine in Kenya produced good protection for as long as 1 year after a single immunization.

Contagious To Humans:

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.  100% morbidity (the % of animals exposed to the disease, that actually get the disease). 58-100% mortality (% of animals that get the disease and then die.)... 

Links:  

Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/diseaseinfo/notes/ContagiousCaprinePleuropneumonia.pdf

 

Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia Power Point Slide Show

www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ ppt/ContagiousCaprinePleuropneumonia.ppt

 

Contagious Ecthyma,

 

(Orf, Soremouth, Contagious Pustular Dermatitis)  

 

(Summarized from Herd Health Management 

Practices For Goat Production.  

  Seyedmehdi Mobini, DVM, MS)

            

 

   Orf on a goat's mouth<