Sudden Death in FA Flashcards
What is the first action needed if animals are found dead without cause?
move animals off pasture
- look around environment, perimeter, ditches
What should be looked for when investigating sudden death?
- poisonous plants
- any changes, ditching, cutting of trees
- piles of hedge/plant cuttings
- burnt out cars and car batteries - Pb
- feed stores
Give 6 causes of sudden death
- infectious (septacaemia/anaemia/toxaemia eg. clostridia)
- toxicity (plant or chemical)
- metabolic disease
- nutritional
- other eg. climate or trauma
- ditching -> exposure of tubers
What are the main casues of infectious septicaemia or toxaemia? What may predispose to this?
- usually bacterial
- environmental or commensal
- predisposed by management factors
> good nutrition eg. clostridial diseases
> high stocking density eg. slamonellosis
> flooding eg. leptospirosis - check vax protocols
Outline a common clostidial vacination protocol
Ewe: senstiser + booster 4-6weeks later
Young lamb: maternal AB -> 12 weeks until weaning
Weaned lambs: decided whether or not to vaccinate depending on length of time to slaughter
- need 2 doses 4-6 weeks apart for full protection
What are potential infectious causes of anaemia? How can diagnosis be made?
- parasites (acute fascioliasis, haemonchosis)
> history - parasite control - pale MMs
- PME more useful than FEC or bloods
Give examples of toxic plants
Yew
Oleander
Water Hemlock Dropwort (Dead mands fingers) - only tubers are toxic
Which minerals can be toxic if overdosed?
> selenium - very rapid death [check blood levels]
> copper [Cu levels/PME]
What is a common metabolic disturbance resulting in sudden death of cows?
Hypomagnesaemia
- cold wet pasture, no meg supplement, potassium applied to pasture antagonises Mg uptake
- majority of metabolic disturbances would be noticed if inspected regularly (bloat, peracute mastitis, twin lamb disease)
What nutritional imblaances may cause sudden death?
- Thiamine B12 deficinecy
- Change in GIT function (acidosis, bloat, gut torsion)
- Deficiency of essential nutrients (intrisic due to change in microflora eg. CCN [mainly cattle, sometimes sheep] or extrinsic eg. water deprivation -> salt poisoning and brain oedema)
What climatic effects may cause sudden death?
Lightning (rare)
Hypothermia (common, esp young sheared sheep)
What must all cows found dead be tested for?
Anthrax
- do not cut open or move until anthrax smear performed on ear
What clinical disease does anthrax cause?
- overwhelming septicamia
- enlarged spleen
Are goat vax protocol the same as sheep?
NO!
How should treatment for staggers be given?
Sub cut NOT IV!
- Mg
