ART AND PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE.

DISEASES/CONDITIONS CHARACTERIZED BY LAMENESS IN

SHEEP AND GOATS MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
College of veterinary medicine animal resou rces and biosecurity

BY KAWOOYA KENNETH
18/U/26435/PS
ON 15TH JUNE 2022
 INTRODUCTION

 LAMENESS is an abnormal gait or locomotion

characterized by limping or not bearing a full weight on the
leg, usually associated with pain in the musculo-skeletal
system.
 It can be due to infectious or non-infectious causes.
 Conditions characterized by lameness
in shoats.
1. Caprine arthritis and encephalitis*
2. Tetanus*
3. Black leg*
4. Foot and Mouth disease*
5. Trauma*
6. Epiphysitis in goats*
7. Foot rot in goats*
8. Laminitis*
9. Mycoplasmosis*
10. Contracted tendons in goat kids*
11. White muscle disease*
12. Non suppurative poly arthritis*
 Conditions causing lameness
continued
13. Joint ill*
14.Copper deficiency*
15. Persistently wet and unhygienic ground conditions
16. Over grown hooves.
17.Ovine inter-digital dermatitis
18.Arthritis
19.Shelly hoof

.
 Classification of lameness

It may be classified as lameness due to .i.e.

 Due to infectious causes
 Due to non infectious causes
Infectious conditions include;

 Foot and mouth disease,

 Foot rot and foot scald,
 Black leg
 Caprine arthritis and
encephalitis
 Tetanus
Non- infectious include
 Injuries due to rough floor surfaces(Trauma),
 Overcrowding and trampling during transportation and
handling,
 Nutritional deficiencies,
 Persistently wet and unhygienic ground conditions
 Etc.
Factors facilitating lameness

A constellation of factors are implicated to cause lameness and

they can be subdivided into:-
 Animal factors
 Environmental factors
 Management factors.
Animal factors

 Temperament
 Weight
 Pregnancy
Environmental factors

 Moisture or dryness especially of

housing
 Surface conditions such as broken
concrete, sharp objects and rough
floors.
 Management factors
 Handling practices
 Stocking densities
 Nature of housing facilities.
 Holding times
DISEASE/ EPIDEMIOL CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
CONDITION AND GY SIGNS
ETIOLOGY

1. CAPRINE Dairy breeds polysynovitis -Clinical signs -No specific

ARTHRITIS AND more affected -arthritis, -Agar gel treatment, give
ENCEPHALITIS than beef -loss of immunodiffusion supportive
  Prevalence condition, -poor test(AGID) treatment.
Etiology; Enveloped, increases with hair coats, -ELISA -NSAIDs
single stranded RNA age but not Encephalomyelitis -Virus isolation or Phenylbutazone or
Lentivirus of influenced by , weakness, ataxia, PCR to Aspirin
Retroviridae sex paralysis, head demonstrate
Goats get tilt,opisthotonus, presence of viral
infected at torticollis, antigen in tissues.
early age and paddling and
remain positive depression, hard
with virus then udder
develop disease
months to
years later.
DISEASE/ EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
CONDITION Y SIGNS

-Bacteria found in -Incubation period -Clinical signs and - Tetanus toxoid

soil varies from one to history of recent vaccination to
intestinal tracts, several weeks but trauma prevent occurrence
enter tissues via usually averages of disease.
2. TETANUS deep puncture 10–14 days
wounds
(LOCK JAW)

-Tetanus may tonic spasms and -demonstrate - Disinfect with

Etiology; follow docking in hyperesthesia is bacterium in gram- I2 or Cl2, these
Clostridium tetani, lams. evident stained smears and kill spores, used
-Mortality is -Temp. rise of (42– by anaerobic at tail docking
anaerobic, spherical
approximately 43)°C, culture in sheep.
spore forming 80% -Localized stiffness - Supportive
e.g. masseter mm, treatment and
neck mm, hind isolation to aid
limbs recovery in acute
-Spasms of head cases.
mm cause difficulty
in prehension and
mastication of food,
hence the common
name, lockjaw
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY CLINICAL SIGNS DIAGNOSIS TREATMEN
T
-Worldwide -Sudden onset -Culture and -Vaccination
-Spores remain -Acute, severe biochemical with a
3. BLACK LEG viable in the soil for lameness and identification multivalent
years marked depression vaccine

Etiology; -Case fatality rate -Edematous and -Fluorescent -Prophylactic

approaches 100% crepitant swellings antibody test for C treatment with
Clostridium develop in the hip, chauvoei is rapid Penicillin
chauvoei shoulder, chest, and reliable
anaerobic, spherical back, neck, or
spore forming elsewhere

In sheep it follows -prostration and -PCR especially for -Burry carcass

wound infection tremors clinical samples deep or burn to
after castration, tail - Death occurs prevent soil
docking etc. within 12–48 hrs contamination
with Clostridia
spores.
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
SIGNS
4. FOOT AND -Middle East, -Lameness is -ELISA is to
MOUTH Africa, Asia, and usually the first detect antibodies
DISEASE (FMD) in parts of South clinical sign, then specific for FMD -No specific
America fever and vesicles virus treatment
on the inter-digital
cleft, heel bulbs,
coronary band,
Etiology; FMD -North and Central and mouth -reverse PCR to -Give supportive
virus of genus America, -Blisters/sores on detect DNA fluid therapy
Aphthovirus Australia, New feet, mouth and
Family Zealand, around the udder. -Complement
Piconarviridae Greenland, fixation test
Iceland, and
Western Europe
are free of FMD
-Six of the 7 -Fluorescent -Use antibiotics
serotypes have antibody staining like
occurred in Africa oxytetracycline
(O, A, C, SAT-1, 10% parentally 3-
SAT-2, SAT-3), 4 5 days to prevent
in Asia (O, A, C, secondary
Asia-1), and 3 in infection.
South America (O,
A, C).
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS
5. Affected kids are -Severe lameness Culture and
MYCOPLASM generally 2–4 wks with multiple hot identification of
OSIS old swollen joints bacteria Oxytetracycline
10% for 3 to 5
days

Etiology; Morbidity and -weight loss,

mortality rates are pyrexia, poor hair -IM Treatment
Mycoplasma 90% and 30%, coat with Tylosin for
mycoides respectively. -may have 3 -5 days
mycoides diarrhea,
large colony increased lung
sound and
respiratory rate.

-Adult does may -Prognosis for

have mastitis and complete
polyarthritis recovery is
guarded
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS
6. -Mostly kids are -More than one -Treat with
NAVEL/JOINT affected joint is hot, -Culture and antibiotics
ILL -Bacteria is picked swollen, and sensitivity parenterally
from contaminated painful -Fever -Joint lavage with
Etiology; soil but normal saline and
Staphylococci, appetite antibiotic
Streptococci, solutions

Corynebacterium -Does kidding from -Carpus, -ELISA to detect -Good nursing

spp, Actinomyces overcrowded dirty shoulder, hock antibodies care.
spp, conditions and stifle joints -soft bedding
are affected

and Erysipelothrix -poor pen -Abscess may - Molecular -Euthanasia if

rhusiopathiae, as sanitation form on navel technique PCR treatment is not
well as gram- long after kid has economically
negative coliforms recovered justifiable
-WBC count
increase with left
shift.
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS

  Australia, - -Clinical signs

7. FOOT ROT Most prevalent in -Culture and -Foot bathing in
AND FOOT high rainfall areas, Affect more than isolation of the copper sulphate
SCALD warmer moist one foot, bacterium solution
areas. -lameness Dichelobacter
nodosus - Regular hoof
trimming
Etiology; -reddening between
-introduction of toes, -it starts at - Antibiotic
Dichelobacter new stock that are heel progress to treatment with
nodsus infected sole ,toe and penicillin and
eventually outer streptomycin for
-Bacterium that wall, bad smell, 3 to 5 days
causes foot rot can - Or with
live in the feet of a -fly brown oxytetracycline
carrier sheep in appearance of 10% for 3-5
definitely, even affected foot days.
under dry
conditions -Vaccination
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS
8. NON -Affect older, -Sudden onset of
SUPPURATIVE growing lambs (6- moderate to -Clinical signs Antibiotics are
POLYARTHRI 16) weeks severe lameness used such as
TIS IN LAMBS -High morbidity

Etiology; -Moderate to -carpus and hock -Culture and -Oxytetracycline,

severe lameness Joint affected isolation of E. (3-5 days) IM
Erysipelothrix with enlargement -Sternal rhusiopathiae
rhusiopathiae of affected joints recumbency Bacterium. -Tylosin,(3-5
days) IM

-Penicillin(3-5
days IM

-Common in wet -depression, - -ELISA

weather thickening of  
joint capsule, - -PCR
erosion of
articular
cartilage
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS
-Trim the hooves
9.FOOT -Too heavy sheep -Lameness and -Clinical signs -Clean and apply
ABSCESS are prone to this acute pain antibacterials
condition -Swelling -Epidemiology
above the hoof

Etiology; -Occur in wet -Pus may build -Culture and -Antibiotic

paddock conditions up above the isolation of injection
Bacterial hoof between bacteria from pus penicillin 3-5
infection after the toes days IM
damage

or prolonged -Often one foot -Apply Zinc

irritation mostly front Sulphate and
Wet paddock foot is affected bandage
conditions
Overzealous
paring
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS
10. LAMINITIS Laminitis in goats -the affected goat Basing on -Place acute cases
(FOUNDER) is seen worldwide is lame and clinical signs on soft flooring,
Etiology: reluctant to move an energy-
Toxic infectious restricted diet,
condition such as and keep moving
pneumonia or but not
metritis, or after excessively.
ruminal acidosis.

Due to several -there is a fever, -

microorganisms. and all four feet NSAIDS(flunixin
are hot to the meglumine, or
touch. ketoprofen)

-Touching the -Careful paring of

coronary band overgrown horn
elicits a severe may also help
pain reaction. relieve pain.
 Non infectious diseases/conditions

DISEASE/ ETIOLOGY CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT

CONDITION SIGNS

1.WHITE -Selenium (Se)

MUSCLE -Selenium -Lambs stillborn Lab testing of supplement in
DISEASE deficiency blood sample to diet via Se
(WMD) check for drench
selenium and
vitamin E
quantities.
- Vitamin E -Stiffness and or Soil sampling to -“5 in 1” vaccine
deficiency lameness establish the containing
increase selenium supplement
markedly if quantities in the prevent (WMD)
animal is driven soil.
any distance
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMEN
Y SIGNS T

2. COPPER -Decreased -Severe ill thrift -Copper

(CU) Copper in diet, -Clinical signs supplement as
DEFICIENCY digestive system, -Diarrhoea stock licks,
in soil drench,
-Steely wool

-Excess minerals -Lameness -Additive to

of molybdenum, due to fractures fertilizer
iron and sulphur -Laboratory
inhibit uptake of -Loss of testing of the liver -Copper
copper by pigmentation in and blood sample injection.
ruminants black sheep
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS

3.EPIPHYSIS -Lateral/medial -Clinical signs -Provide

(Bent leg, bowing of one balanced Ca:P
Windswept) in or both radii, supplements
goats -Epidemiology -Give injectable
Vitamin D

Etiology: -Excessive protein -Lateral -Avoid mating of

Imbalance in an iron deviation of -Radiography young does less
Ca:P ratio digits on than 7 months
fore/hind feet

-Arched back

-Excessive dietary -Soft swelling -Separate males

Ca i.e. Ca : and pain in from female kids
P>1.4:1 carpal, tarsal, to avoid
-Lack of metatarsal unplanned
VitakminD mating
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS

4. PHYSICAL
INJURIES AND -Rough handling of -Bleeding or -Evidence of -Treat wounds
TRAUMA sheep, hemorrhage bleeding with disinfectants

-Loose fencing Prevent the

wire get tangled -Wounds or -Evidence of condition;
tears on the wound without -Avoid loose
-Wounds or tears foot. rot on the foot barbed wires
on the foot. lying in the
pasture

-Barbed wire or -Ensure no gaps

sharp stones in the gating
puncture sole of which can catch
foot the sheep’s foot.
DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOG CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT
Y SIGNS

5. -Affected kids may -Flexed fetlocks Basing on In mild cases, the

CONTRACTED be 5–6 generations clinical signs of limbs may
TENDONS IN kids born with gradually be
GOAT KIDS flexed tendons. splinted
straighter and
straighter until
the kid is able to
bear weight on its
feet.

Etiology: -Either the fore- or - Lameness in - Surgery

Idiopathic hind limbs are the affected
And also affected. its limb
congenital as fetlocks
seen in angora
goats
Caprine arthritis and
encephalitis
Laminitis
Tetanus
Foot rot
Epiphysitis (lateral bowing)
Epiphysitis (medial bowing)
Fracture
Contracted tendons in a kid
 References
 http://
www.veterinaryhandbook.com.au/Diseases.aspx?diseasenameid=
159
 Overview of Lameness in Goats - Musculoskeletal System - Merc
k Veterinary Manual (merckvetmanual.com)
 https://
www.msdvetmanual.com/musculoskeletal-system/lameness-in-go
ats/trauma-in-goats
 https://backyardgoats.iamcountryside.com/health/selenium-defici
ency-white-muscle-disease-in-goats
/
 https://goats.extension.org/caprine-arthritis-encephalitis-virus-cae
/
 https://
www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/2.07.
02-03_CAE_MV.pdf