Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Blackleg Barry Whitworth, DVM Area Food/Animal Quality and
Transcript
Blackleg BarryWhitworth,DVM AreaFood/AnimalQualityand HealthSpecialistforEasternOklahoma UsuallyatleastonetimeeachsummerthatIwasinpractice,aproducerwouldcalltoinformmeofthe suddendeathofhisorherbestcalf.Aftermoreconversationandexaminingthedeadanimal,a diagnosisofblacklegwouldusuallybemadetothesurpriseoftheproducer. BlacklegiscausedbyarodshapedbacteriacalledClostridiumchauvoei.Thisbacteriacausesanacute non-contagiousbuthighlyfataldiseaseoftheheartandskeletalmuscle.Thebacteriaisfound worldwide.Itexistintheenvironmentinspores.Thesporesgainentrytothebodybyingestionorby contaminationofanopenwound.Ifingestedthebacterialiedormantintheliver,spleen,and gastrointestinaltract.Thebacteriagainsaccesstothemuscletissuefollowinganinjuryorbruising.The damagedtissueisidealforthepathogentoproliferateandproducetoxins.Thetoxinscausemuscle death. Weathermayplayaroleindiseaseoutbreaks.Anincreaseinthenumberofcasesmayfollowflooding conditions.Floodsdisturbthesoilexposingthespores.Duringdroughts,casesmayincreasedueto grazingclosertothesoil.Grazingsolowincreasesthelikelihoodofcomingincontactwiththespores. Inmostcasesofblackleg,theonsetofthediseaseoccursbetween6monthsand2yearsofage.Rarely doanimalsover2yearsofagegetthedisease.Clinicalsignsofthediseasearerarelyseen.Most animalswillbefounddead.Thefewthatarealivewillshowsignsofdepression,lameness,swellingof infectedarea,fever,pain,andcrepitusundertheskin(theareafeelsandsoundslikebubblewrapwhen palpated). Treatmentisusuallyfutile.Butifananimalisfoundalive,itcanbegivenlargedosesofantibioticsand supportivecare.Preventingblacklegissimple.Allcalvesshouldbevaccinatedbetween60to90daysof agefollowedbyasecondvaccinationin4to6weeks.Thisprotocolshouldprovidegoodimmunity. WiththefloodingthatsomeofOklahomahasexperiencedandthepossibilityofaflashdrought, conditionsareprimeforblacklegcasestopossiblybeontherise.Producersneedtomakesureto vaccinatealltheircalvestoprotectthemfromthisdisease.Formoreinformationonblackleg, producersshouldcontacttheirlocalveterinarianorLocalCountyExtensionEducator.
