Case notes on veterinary investigations in sheep, cattle and other species

2011 Winter edition of case studies

Winter 2011 State Report
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands LHPA

Sheep

Adverse reaction to Tetravet flexi-dose Oxytetracycline PVP injection? | Posted June 2011
Written by: Tony Morton, DV, Hume LHPA
With the withdrawal of penicillin/streptomycin from the market there has been a move to the use of long-acting tetracyclines ... Read More

Dystocia in maiden Dorper ewes | Posted September 2011
Written by: Derek Lunau, DV Moree
Dystocia is a common problem in lambing ewes. A definition of dystocia is lambing which takes more than one hour after rupture of the foetal membranes ... Read More

Goitrogenic compounds causing congenital goitre in Poll Dorset lambs | Posted September 2011
Penelope Hasson and Penelope Brown, 5th year Veterinary Science Students,
University of Sydney
Robert Watt, Cowra, private veterinary practitioner
Bruce Watt, Senior District Veterinarian, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority
Last spring lambing (2010), the producer noted a reduced lambing rate compared with normal years, in addition to an increased number of late term abortions and stillbirths ... Read More

Grain overload and polioencephalomalacia in Dorper cross lambs | Posted September 2011
Written by: Andrew Biddle - District Veterinarian, New England LHPA
Six lambs were found dead in the paddock and a visit was scheduled for the following morning when 4 more animals had to be picked up while mustering ... Read More

Grass seed infestation of ear of lambs with penetration through the auditory meatus | Posted June 2011
Written by: Dan Salmon, District Veterinarian, Riverina RLPB
Grass seed penetration is a significant problem of domestic animals with the barbed awns of many native and introduced grass species penetrating the ears ... Read More

Lameness and foot lesions in Dorper sheep | Posted June 2011
Written by: Jillian Lawrence, University of Sydney Intern and Libby Read, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
Three cases of lameness in Dorper sheep were investigated during December and January ... Read More

OJD Staggers | Posted September 2011
Written by: BR Watt, Tablelands LHPA, Eliz Braddon, Lachlan LHPA, Sarah Robinson, NSW DPI and Tony Morton, Hume LHPA
Oil based vaccines, as used in Australia to control ovine paratuberculosis, provoke a local tissue reaction that can include granulomatous cellulitis and lymphadenitis. If the vaccine is incorrectly administered ... Read More

Possible Arboviral Disease in Sheep | Posted September 2011
Written by: Matt Ball- District Veterinarian Lismore
A farmer near Grafton reported lambs being born in the winter of 2011 with twisted necks, a syndrome had also been seen the previous year on both his property and on the neighbour's property ... Read More

Cattle

A case of abortion in cattle due to infection by Salmonella chester | Posted September 2011
Written by: Andrew Biddle - District Veterinarian New England LHPA
For a number of years, calves around 3 months of age had been dying suddenly with the only sign prior to death being bloating ... Read More

Abomasal ulceration | Posted September 2011
Written by: Andrew Biddle - District Veterinarian New England LHPA
For a number of years, calves around 3 months of age had been dying suddenly with the only sign prior to death being bloating ... Read More

‘Dummy’ calves - a BVDV syndrome | Posted September 2011
Written by: Matt Ball- District Veterinarian Lismore and Adrian Philbey - Laboratory Leader, State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
The North Coast of NSW can be prone to arboviral disease in calves that are born from dams that originated from out of the region ... Read More

Mother of millions toxicity in pregnant cattle | Posted September 2011
Written by: Libby Read ? District Veterinarian, Narrabri-Walgett
One cow was found dead in a mob of calving cows, with another cow depressed, lethargic, inappetant with watery, brown diarrhoea ... Read More

Paspalum staggers (nervous ergotism) in steers | Posted September 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst and Andrew Denman, Blayney Veterinary Hospital
It has been known for over 100 years that sheep, cattle and horses can develop a ?staggers? syndrome after ingesting the seed heads of paspalum ... Read More

Yersiniosis or more ? | Posted October 2011
Written by: David Thomson, District Veterinarian, Grafton
Losses involve both sporadic individual deaths and multiple-death outbreaks, and are also sometimes associated with at least some evidence of diarrhoea within affected mobs ... Read More

Other species

Arboviral disease in horses | Posted September 2011
Written by: Sara Biasutti BVSc, Canobolas Veterinary Hospital
As of February 2011 an increase in muscle soreness, joint pain and neurological disease was reported in NSW horses ... Read more

Coccidiosis in a commercial layer flock | Posted September 2011
Written by: Eliz Braddon, SDV Lachlan LHPA
A commercial layer operation experienced a sudden increase in mortalities in one layer shed with deaths occurring in birds in the bottom two rows of cages only ... Read more

Flavivirus neurological disease in horses - Information for Vets | Posted June 2011
Written by: Belinda Walker, Technical Specialist Animal Biosecurity, NSW DPI
Since late February there has been an increase in reports of horses displaying unusual neurological signs across NSW. Similar cases have been reported in Victoria and South Australia ... Read more

Hendra virus case studies | Posted September 2011
Written by: Matt Ball - District Veterinarian Lismore
In 2011 the North Coast of NSW has had multiple properties diagnosed with Hendra virus with the last known occurrence of the disease in NSW in 2006 ... Read more