| Pneumonia in Goats |
|
|
| Written by Administrator-GL | |||||
| Saturday, 30 June 2007 | |||||
Page 3 of 3 What is Pneumonia?Once the bacteria, virus or fungus enter the lungs, they usually settle in the air sacs of the lung where they rapidly grow in number. This area of the lung then becomes filled with fluid and pus as the body attempts to fight off the infection.Abscesses in the lung can cause hemorrhage (bleeding) in the lung if untreated, but antibiotics that target them have significantly reduced their danger. Acute respiratory distress is a specific condition that occurs when the lungs are unable to function and oxygen is so severely reduced that the patient's life is at risk. Failure can occur if pneumonia leads to mechanical changes in the lungs (called ventilatory failure) or oxygen loss in the arteries (called hypoxemic respiratory failure). Bacteremia (bacteria in the blood) is the most common complication of pneumococcus infection (equine), but rarely does this infection spread to other sites. Bacteremia is also a frequent complication of infection with other gram-negative organisms. In rare cases, infection may spread from the lungs to the heart and can even spread throughout the body, sometimes causing abscesses in the brain and other organs. Pneumonia is more than likely the most common disease of goats today, especially in kids. Major Causes of Pneumonia:The 3 main causative agents of pneumonia are: Bacterial, Viral and Parasitic.High humidity, close conditions, drastic change in weather conditions, change in environment,feed, or kidding (Sometimes referred to as shipping stress), inadequate ventilation and dusty damp bedding are some of the most common antagonists for the beginning of pneumonia. Most Common Clinical Signs of Pneumonia:1. Weight loss2. Cough 3. Nasal Discharge 4. Fever present sometimes not always 5. Raspy breathing 6. Difficult breathing 7. Anorexia Treatment Choices:Do not delay in treatment, early detection and treatment ease the seriousness of pneumonia greatly.Different medications will work on different types of pneumonia. If you have not had a diagnosis by a Veterinarian, and are treating yourself- expect some improvement by the second full day of treatment. If you do not see this improvement, I would change the medication choice for treatment. 1. Bacterial Causes of Pneumonia -* Treatment with antibiotics such as Tylan200, Nuflor, LA-200, penicillin, tetracycline, Albon, and Gallimycin may be considered. Like most bacterial infections, veterinary culture and testing is recommended.2. Viral Causes of Pneumonia -* Viral Pneumonia willnot respond to antibiotic treatment unless it has advanced to a secondary bacterial infection- which will respond to antibiotic treatment. Treatment for viral pneumonia involves treating the symptoms, not killing the virus. Electrolytes, fluids, anti-inflammatory agents (Banamine) along with antihistamine such as Benadryl can be given.3. Parasitic Causes of Pneumonia -* Lungworm can cause a secondary bacterial pneumonia in cases not treated - Ivermectin and Valbazen being 2 good choices for treatment of lungworm. **NOTE: Do Not use Valbazen on pregnant does.Pneumonia: Not a DiseasePlease understand that pneumonia is not a disease but a condition of the lungs because of causative agents (mentioned above- bacterial, viral, parasidic).The most common bacterial pneumonia is by far Pasturella because this bacteria lives naturally within the goat's mouth, throat, lungs and bronchi. It causes no problem until the goat is stressed by some means, illness, fright, kidding, weather change, environment change etc. The goat's natural immune system is then compromised and the goat's body allows the bacteria within the body to multiply and therefore pneumonia can develop. Interstitial Pneumonia: MisunderstoodThis is most often a fatal pneumonia -75% of the time.I know many of you have asked me about interstitial pneumonia. You have heard it is a pneumonia that is not noticed until the animal is dead. That said animal will be fine one day and dead the next. This is mis-information. After much research, this is a chronic situation within the lungs typically related to CAEV. Instead: "Outbreaks of acute pneumonic pasteurellosis often commence with sudden deaths before clinical signs are observed. As an outbreak proceeds, respiratory signs become more apparent, particularly in older sheep rather than in lambs. Signs then include dullness, anorexia, fever, dyspnoea or hyperpnoea. On auscultation, respiratory sounds are loud and prolonged. Affected sheep froth at the mouth, cough and have a serous nasal discharge. In acute cases, death occurs in 1 to 3 days."[Gilmour NJL, Angus KW and Gilmour JS (1991) Pasteurellosis in Diseases of sheep 2nd ed, ed WB Martin and ID Aitken, publ Blackwell Scientific, London p 133] Interstitial definition = Relating to or situated in the small, narrow spaces between tissues or parts of an organ. Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a general term that includes a variety of chronic lung disorders. When a person has ILD, the lung is affected in three ways. First, the lung tissue is damaged in some known or unknown way. Second, the walls of the air sacs in the lung become inflamed. Finally, scarring (or fibrosis) begins in the interstitium (or tissue between the air sacs), and the lung becomes stiff. The tissue between the air sacs of the lungs is called the interstitium. Interstitial lung disease is named after this tissue because this is the tissue affected by fibrosis (scarring). Interstitial lung disease is sometimes also known as "interstitial pulmonary fibrosis." The terms interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis are often used to describe the same condition. [ref: American Lung Association] Now what can happen is that the shortness of breath or dry cough in an animal can go unnoticed, the condition advances and causes a rapid onset of respiratory failure. *Note: Recently I have been made aware of BO-SE, an Rx medication, [1 mg of Selenium with the 50 mg of Vitamin E] as treatment for the immune system when a goat is debilitating. Sue Reith does much research with goat health and has given me a therapeutic treatment program which I personally have tried and can attest - it does work: Sue recommends upon her own research: BoSe injection (at the rate of 1cc/40 lbs SQ) is given once daily for 3 days... Then it is given once every 2nd day for 3 doses... Then once a week for a month... I hope this helps you to understand how the lungs work and how pneumonia works in the goat's body. Until Next time...goatlady |
|||||
| Last Updated ( Sunday, 30 March 2008 ) | |||||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
