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Arthritis in Goats
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Arthritis in Goats For several years Mrs. Alice Gay Hall, a southern California dairy goat breeder, has been trying to find some answers to the abscess and arthritis problems which plague many goat herds. Most veterinarians she contacted pleaded ignorance. Then she got in touch with the San Bernardino county veterinarian, Dr. Robert A. Jackson, and he was interested and willing to help the goat raisers if he could. Nowadays when a goat breeder gets a problem animal he can't cope with, he calls Alice. She takes blood samples and Dr. Jackson does the lab work to try to pinpoint the problem. Well over a dozen goat herds have been involved in the effort. Alice first reported some of their findings in "Corynebacteria", published in the September, 1972, Countryside. By Alice Gay Hall Corynebacteria, all the many varieties, have been heavily implicated in causing the typical arthritic reactions seen so frequently in dairy goats—swollen knees, swollen hocks, crippling in the stifles, reached back, steep rump, and a general lack of thriftiness or "wasting". For a few years Corynebacteria was the organism we found in all animals showing these symptoms here in Southern California. But we've learned there are other organisms involved, and we have learned that Coryne can be controlled in many cases. We've been able to keep Coryne to a minimum with the annual or semi- annual use of a bacterin that contains at least 50 percent Corynebacteria, plus free-choice organic iodine in the mineral mix, plus good sanitation procedures. Even abscesses are kept to a minimum. But controlling Corynebacteria did not seem to eliminate the arthritic symptoms, and further work has been done. Apparently Corynebacteria grow so well in the laboratory that they were able to mask all other organisms that could be implicated in the arthritis problems. With Coryne controlled, other organisms have shown up and we have been working on ways of treating and controlling them. The most frequently found organisms in arthritis cases, especially lameness in the stifle joints, have been Actinobacilli and Actinomyces. Actinobacillus is in the family Brucellaceae and is the cause of glanders 38 in horses. It causes some types of abscesses. Wasting and a rough coat are not uncommon with an actino- bacillosis infection. A five to ten day series of streptomycin can bring the problem under control, or one 15 cc intravenous injection of sodium iodide or potassium iodide. Be careful with iodide treatments—they do cause abor- tions and they can cause temporary sterility. Actinomyces somewhat resemble molds and are difficult to control. They may cause abscesses, especially "Lumpy Jaw" which is a disease of the bony material of the jaw. This organism is found in nature and it is usually introduced into the body as a contaminant. There is no evidence that it is contagious, passing from animal to animal. Sodium iodide seems to be the best treatment, although Chloramphenicol may be effective. Chlamydia are especially evident in swollen knees and they are easily re- covered from the synovial fluid of the knee. Chlamydia, a rickettsia, has been heavily implicated in arthritis of feed- lot lambs for some time. It is an organism that generally affects the eyes and genitalia, so the relationship to arthritis was difficult to understand. It is also an organism that is implicated in "foothill abortions" in most species of ruminants. Once the infection strikes, although abortion may not be evident after the first onslaught, it is forever present in the herd. Chlamydia are not easily treated, although tylosin, sulfonamides, chlorte- tracyclines and exytetracyclines may be effective. One of the most serious conditions found to cause the lameness syndrome in goats is Mycoplasma, formerly called PPLO (Plural-Pneumonia-Like Organism). There are about 15 species of Myco- plasma. Some of them are parasitic, others are pathogenic, and one is sapprophytic. Mycoplasma is a soil-borne organism and is between the virus and bacterium in size. It is difficult to culture in the laboratory. Mycoplasma invasions are often asymptomatic: Mycoplasma have been found in about 80 percent of cultured normal human throats and in 80 percent of the organs of normal goats cultured in Michigan. When symptoms of Mycoplasma infection occur they closely resemble symptoms of typical Coryne infections. Abortion and mastitis can also be out- comes of Mycoplasma. Mycoplasma is heavily implicated in pneumonias and other respiratory conditions. Mycoplasma is difficult to treat, but some success has been noted. Lincomy- cin is used by hog breeders plagued by Mycoplasma, and use of this drug in kids as a preventive measure may have some value. The treatment is two 3-day series, 3 days apart, in very tiny kids. Tylosin may be effective against some strains. Treatment with Terramy- cin together with organic iodide in the feed has been effective. In cases of Mycoplasma mastitis, Terramycin and Neomycin infusions together with Countryside & Small Stock Journal
Transcript of Arthritis in Goats
Arthritis in GoatsFor several years Mrs. Alice Gay Hall, a southern California dairy goat breeder, has
been trying to find some answers to the abscess and arthritis problems which plaguemany goat herds. Most veterinarians she contacted pleaded ignorance. Then she got intouch with the San Bernardino county veterinarian, Dr. Robert A. Jackson, and he wasinterested and willing to help the goat raisers if he could.
Nowadays when a goat breeder gets a problem animal he can't cope with, he callsAlice. She takes blood samples and Dr. Jackson does the lab work to try to pinpointthe problem. Well over a dozen goat herds have been involved in the effort.
Alice first reported some of their findings in "Corynebacteria", published in theSeptember, 1972, Countryside.
By Alice Gay Hall
Corynebacteria, all the many varieties,have been heavily implicated in causingthe typical arthritic reactions seen sofrequently in dairy goats—swollen knees,swollen hocks, crippling in the stifles,reached back, steep rump, and a generallack of thriftiness or "wasting".
For a few years Corynebacteria wasthe organism we found in all animalsshowing these symptoms here inSouthern California. But we've learnedthere are other organisms involved, andwe have learned that Coryne can becontrolled in many cases.
We've been able to keep Coryne toa minimum with the annual or semi-annual use of a bacterin that containsat least 50 percent Corynebacteria,plus free-choice organic iodine in themineral mix, plus good sanitationprocedures. Even abscesses are keptto a minimum.
But controlling Corynebacteria didnot seem to eliminate the arthriticsymptoms, and further work has beendone. Apparently Corynebacteria growso well in the laboratory that they wereable to mask all other organisms thatcould be implicated in the arthritisproblems. With Coryne controlled,other organisms have shown up and wehave been working on ways of treatingand controlling them.
The most frequently found organismsin arthritis cases, especially lameness inthe stifle joints, have been Actinobacilliand Actinomyces.
Actinobacillus is in the familyBrucellaceae and is the cause of glanders
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in horses. It causes some types ofabscesses. Wasting and a rough coatare not uncommon with an actino-bacillosis infection. A five to ten dayseries of streptomycin can bring theproblem under control, or one 15 ccintravenous injection of sodium iodideor potassium iodide. Be careful withiodide treatments—they do cause abor-tions and they can cause temporarysterility.
Actinomyces somewhat resemblemolds and are difficult to control.They may cause abscesses, especially"Lumpy Jaw" which is a disease ofthe bony material of the jaw. Thisorganism is found in nature and it isusually introduced into the body asa contaminant. There is no evidencethat it is contagious, passing fromanimal to animal. Sodium iodideseems to be the best treatment, althoughChloramphenicol may be effective.
Chlamydia are especially evident inswollen knees and they are easily re-covered from the synovial fluid of theknee. Chlamydia, a rickettsia, has beenheavily implicated in arthritis of feed-lot lambs for some time. It is anorganism that generally affects theeyes and genitalia, so the relationshipto arthritis was difficult to understand.It is also an organism that is implicatedin "foothill abortions" in most speciesof ruminants. Once the infectionstrikes, although abortion may not beevident after the first onslaught, it isforever present in the herd.
Chlamydia are not easily treated,
although tylosin, sulfonamides, chlorte-tracyclines and exytetracyclines maybe effective.
One of the most serious conditionsfound to cause the lameness syndromein goats is Mycoplasma, formerly calledPPLO (Plural-Pneumonia-Like Organism).There are about 15 species of Myco-plasma. Some of them are parasitic,others are pathogenic, and one issapprophytic.
Mycoplasma is a soil-borne organismand is between the virus and bacteriumin size. It is difficult to culture in thelaboratory. Mycoplasma invasions areoften asymptomatic: Mycoplasmahave been found in about 80 percentof cultured normal human throats andin 80 percent of the organs of normalgoats cultured in Michigan.
When symptoms of Mycoplasmainfection occur they closely resemblesymptoms of typical Coryne infections.Abortion and mastitis can also be out-comes of Mycoplasma. Mycoplasma isheavily implicated in pneumonias andother respiratory conditions.
Mycoplasma is difficult to treat, butsome success has been noted. Lincomy-cin is used by hog breeders plagued byMycoplasma, and use of this drug inkids as a preventive measure may havesome value. The treatment is two3-day series, 3 days apart, in very tinykids. Tylosin may be effective againstsome strains. Treatment with Terramy-cin together with organic iodide in thefeed has been effective. In cases ofMycoplasma mastitis, Terramycin andNeomycin infusions together with
Countryside & Small Stock Journal
What can we, as breeders, do when wesuspect a joint ailment in our animals?
The best approach, of course, is todetermine the cause. Find a good veteri-narian or laboratory, and have the bloodor synovial fluid cultured and a sensitivitytest run. These tests will tell you whatorganisms are causing your problems andwhat antibiotics will assist your fight.Never assume that because a doe hassuch-and-such symptoms, that she hasa particular infection. These animals arefull of surprises.
A less efficient and more expensiveway to treat animals with wasting andarthritic conditions is to run themthrough the whole series of treatments:100 cc of Pen-Strep in ten days forCoryne or Staph, 15 cc of Sodium Iodidefor the Actinos, or five days (5 cc total)
Tylosin injections have been effective,although a doe with Mycoplasmamastitis will probably never produceat more than half her normal capacity.
Mycoplasma often pairs up witheither Corynebacteria or Pasturella.Pen-Strep to fight the secondary infec-tions and Oxytetracyclines, chlortetra-cyclines, neomycin or chloramphenocolto work on the primary infection aresuggested.
Mycoplasmas are resistant to peni-cillin, sulfas, thallium acetate and erthro-mycin. Two new drugs supposedlyeffective against mycoplasma have beenintroduced, but they have not beentested adequately at this time. Theyare Gentomycin and Vectrin.
The joints seem to be the mostsensitive portion of the body of thedairy goat. Almost any organism canbe implicated in causing swollen andsore joints. Escherichia coli andsalmonella, organisms generally asso-ciated with digestive problems, havebeen isolated in blood and synovialfluid samples taken from crippled goats.This may not be too surprising, sinceE. coli and Pasturella are often foundin relation with Actinobacillosis.Commercial bacterins usually pairPasturella and Coryne bacterins.REFERENCES:
1. Dr. Robert A. Jackson, D.V.M., SeniorPublic Health Veterinarian, San BernardinoCounty, Calif.
2. Merck Veterinary Manual, O.K. Siegmund,et. al., 1970, Merck & Co.
3. Microbiology, Pelczar and Reid, 1958,McGraw-Hill.
4. Microbiology, Zinsser, et. al.5. Bill Evans and Bill Gilmartin, U.S.N.
Undersea Research, Calif.
Chloramphenicol, then 70 cc in ten daysof terramycin, or 15 cc in ten days ofTylan 200 with high levels of organiciodide besides, hoping to hit Mycoplasmaor Chlamydia. An accurate diagnosis isbetter.
There are preventive measures.Selection of breeding stock is the
first step to healthy animals. Animalswith heavier bone structure, more widthand substance, seem to be more able toresist stresses and traumas that precipi-tate the onslaught of disease. Selectionfor these things does not mean that thebreeder must select against dairy charac-ter. The two can be compatible.
Housing is important. Animals shouldnever be crowded. The more space theyhave to run, the better off they'll be.Lack of exercise only compoundsarthritis problems. They should beallowed a choice of sun and shade, openspaces or shelter. Most important, nomatter how they are housed the facilitiesmust be kept clean.
Nutrition is also important. Dairygoats probably do not need the highquality roughages that dairy cattle oftenget as a steady diet. Dairy goats canthrive with some high quality roughageand some coarser stuff, especially ifthey have some good concentrates intheir diet. Fresh, clean water is veryimportant and water should not be leftstanding around in puddles. Free-choiceminerals assist, and organic iodine shouldbe a part of the mineral mix.
No matter how sanitary you try tokeep your facilities, infections will occur.We have found that a sturdy animal willresist that infection and live longer thana refined animal. .̂
/^Selection by pedigree may play amore important part in maintaining ahealthy herd than we previouslyimagined. There is, at this time, workbeing done on the study of auto-immunedisease. This condition is one wherethe antibodies produced by the animalto fight against foreign organisms losetheir ability to fight foreign invadersand turn, instead, against the animal'sown body. Such an animal would fallprey to every such infection that comesalong. . . and, indeed, such animals doexist.
A healthy herd is within the reach ofany breeder who wishes to follow theformula of SS + SS + NN + DD + TT =HH. That is Sound Selection + SeriousSanitation + Necessary Nutrition +Definite Diagnosis + Tenable Treatment =Healthy Herd.
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