|
Intestinal Diseases in Sheep and Goats |  |
| The causes and circumstances of diarrhea in neonatal lambs and kids are similar to those in newborn calves. Intensive lambing practices and shed-lambing increase the potential for disease and buildup of infectious agents and can be associated with serious outbreaks of diarrhea. The serotypes of enteropathogenic
Escherichia
coli
that cause secretory diarrhea in calves also do so in lambs, and the approach to diagnosis, treatment, and control is similar. Similarly, rotavirus, coronavirus, and cryptosporidia (
Cryptosporidiosis) also cause outbreaks of diarrhea in lambs. See also
diarrhea in neonatal ruminants,
Diarrhea in Neonatal Ruminants. Lamb dysentery caused by
Clostridium
perfringens
type B (
Enterotoxemia Caused by
Clostridium
perfringens
Types B and C) is a distinct intestinal disease of lambs in the first week of life. It is seen principally in hill breeds of sheep in the UK and is characterized by sudden death or diarrhea, dysentery, and toxemia. In the USA,
C
perfringens
type C causes a similar syndrome. Watery mouth or rattle belly (see below), a disease of uncertain etiology associated with low concentrations of circulating immunoglobulins, is seen predominantly in the UK. It also affects young lambs but is manifest by GI stasis. Coccidiosis (
Coccidiosis: Introduction) and GI helminthiasis (
Gastrointestinal Parasites of Sheep and Goats: Overview), except for haemonchosis, are important causes of
diarrhea in older nursing and weaned sheep. Terminal ileitis and villous atrophy, both of unknown etiology, are often present in the intestine of lambs culled because of poor growth. |
| GI helminthiasis is the most common cause of diarrhea in pastured sheep. Coccidiosis develops in association with overstocking or intensive indoor housing and poor sanitation. Salmonellosis (
Salmonellosis: Introduction) can cause diarrhea in all ages; the circumstances in young lambs are similar to those in calves. It also can cause outbreaks of diarrhea late in
pregnancy and is frequently accompanied by abortion. Salmonellosis is more common when sheep or goats are congregated intensively or stressed, particularly by shipping.
Yersinia
pseudotuberculosis
and
Y
enterocolitica
have both been associated with enterocolitis and diarrhea in young sheep at pasture that are debilitated from factors such as starvation and cold weather. Diarrhea may be present in bluetongue in sheep (
Bluetongue: Introduction) and is accompanied by typical mucosal lesions. In goats, diarrhea is often prominent in enterotoxemia associated with
C
perfringens
type D (
Type D Enterotoxemia). This is not a feature of the clinical disease in sheep but may be present in flockmates of affected sheep. In feedlot sheep, diarrhea most commonly is associated with grain overload, salmonellosis, or coccidiosis. |
| Other intestinal diseases of adult sheep may manifest with diarrhea. Infection with
C
perfringens
type C (struck,
Enterotoxemia Caused by
Clostridium
perfringens
Types B and C) manifests with abdominal pain, tenesmus, and rapid death. Intestinal obstruction due to intestinal accidents occur sporadically but are usually not seen clinically. Sheep with paratuberculosis (
Paratuberculosis: Introduction) usually show progressive emaciation without diarrhea. Progressive emaciation also is the primary sign in adult sheep with intestinal adenocarcinoma, which can be prevalent in certain areas,
associated with ingestion of bracken fern (see
Bracken Fern Poisoning : Introduction). |
