Caseous lymphadenitis, pseudotuberculosis, abscesses

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is an extremely common disease of goats that is usually ranked as the most important disease goat owners have in their herds. CL is characterized by one or more abscesses involving lymph nodes, typically associated with nodes in the head and neck. Occasionally, the organism will involve internal lymph nodes and result in a wasting syndrome. CL is transmitted orally and through direct contact with skin. Some goats within a herd appear to be very resistant to CL while others are very susceptible. The causative agent, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, can live for long periods of time in soil and, thus, is extremely difficult to eradicate. Once a goat is infected, it remains infected for life.

Signs and symptoms

The most commonly seen sign is an enlargement of one or more of the lymph nodes. The enlarged lymph nodes are very thick-walled and filled with thick, greenish pus.

Treatment, prevention, and control

Antibiotic use is not successful in the treatment of this disease. Affected animals should be isolated and abscesses opened and drained away from the herd and grazing areas. All pus and discharge should be caught and burned or buried. This disease can affect humans so gloves should be worn. For proper procedure, see the lancing abscesses section of the Meat Goat Herd Health Procedures and Prevention chapter. The affected goat should be isolated from the herd until the opened abscess is completely healed over. Goats with multiple abscesses should be culled.

The best prevention is to maintain a closed herd or to carefully screen new additions to the herd by performing a blood test and by examining for the presence of abscesses or scars from old abscesses. All affected animals should be isolated from the herd or culled. Once this disease has entered a farm, it is difficult to eradicate. There is a vaccine available for sheep which will decrease the incidence and severity of the disease. It is a killed vaccine which requires 2 doses initially and an annual booster. The vaccine has no efficacy in animals which are already infected. Custom vaccines can be made from the organism found in your herd.

Location of lymph glands
Drawing by K. Williams

Internal CL abscesses near the lungs

Contagious ecthyma, sore mouth, orf

Sore mouth is a highly contagious disease of goats most prevalent in young kids within a few weeks of birth or weaning. It is caused by a poxvirus. Some strains of the orf virus cause more severe and extensive symptoms than others. People can get this disease so gloves should be worn when treating animals or giving vaccines.

Signs and symptoms

The virus causes sores to develop, usually around the mouth, that can spread throughout the lips and occasionally to the inside of the mouth. Lesions may also develop on the teats, vulva, face, and legs of affected goats. Lip lesions are extremely painful and inhibit the willingness of the kid to nurse or eat while does with teat sores may be unwilling to let kids suckle. This combination means that without special attention affected kids will succumb to simple starvation. Infection is spread by direct and indirect contact from infected animals or by scabs or saliva from infected animals. Immunity following disease is for less than 1 year. However, subsequent outbreaks are usually less severe.

Treatment, prevention, and control

Treatment is to reduce pain of affected animals and prevent spread of the virus. Lesions are carefully cleaned and coated with antibiotic ointment. It is crucial to make sure that affected kids continue to eat and that affected does don’t develop mastitis. The virus has the ability to live in scabs that fall from an animal for at least a year thereby being a source of later infections. Producers with infected herds may wish to vaccinate annually against the disease. The vaccines are modified live viruses which are inoculated topically on scarified skin (like the old smallpox vaccine in the U.S.).

Dermatophilosus, streptothricosis, rain scald

Dermatophilosus is a common contagious skin condition caused by the bacterium Dermatophilus congolensis. It is usually seen in moist, humid, wet conditions. The organism enters the body through skin abrasions and injury and can penetrate moist skin after prolonged contact. The ears, nose, face, and tail may be affected beginning with a low-grade, scaly, skin infection that spreads along the back and flanks. In mild cases, goats are not too itchy but in severe cases may scratch constantly. The bacteria can survive in soil or dust on an animal’s skin during dry weather and are transmitted by direct contact, infected equipment, flies, etc. Chronic ear infestation of some animals may also spread the disease. This disease is zoonotic so care should be taken when handling affected animals.

Signs and symptoms

Dermatophilosus starts with scabs forming around the ears, face, nose, lower legs, or tail. These will later form crusty, scaly lesions that can spread over the back and flanks of the animal. The affected areas are also susceptible to secondary bacterial infection. Lesions around the mouth may be confused with contagious ecthyma (orf). Infection of the feet with formation of large crusts is called strawberry footrot.

Treatment, prevention, and control

Antibiotics such as Procaine penicillin G (20,000 to 70,000 units/kg body weight for 4 to 7 days) or oxytetracycine (LA 200 at 9 mg/50 kg or 4 to 5 cc/100 lbs) can be injected. Topical treatment options include zinc sulfate 0.2 to 0.5%, 0.2% copper sulfate, or 1% potassium aluminum sulfate. Prevent by providing shelter from rain for animals on pasture and ensuring good nutrition and control of external parasites.

Ringworm

Ringworm is caused by one of several fungi. The infection is commonly seen on the face, ears, and neck. Goats commonly acquire it by direct contact with infected animals or from the environment such as by rubbing on wooden posts or mangers contaminated with fungal spores. Young animals and animals living in dark, damp environments or having nutritional or other debilitating diseases are most at risk. Ringworm is a zoonotic disease so care should be taken when handling affected animals.

Signs and symptoms

Goats will be itchy and have typical circular patches of hair loss on the face, ears, or neck.

Treatment, prevention, and control

Treatment can limit spread in the herd and can reduce environmental contamination. Topical compounds such as 2% iodine, 3% captan, 2% chlorohexidine, and 2% lime sulfur are effective. Prevention practices include disinfecting equipment used on goats.

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