Veterinary Services

Edinburgh diagnosed copper toxicity in a 16-month-old Zwartbles tup that had presented in recumbency with jaundice. This was the only animal to develop clinical signs from a group of tups at grass that were being prepared for sale and were receiving supplementary feeding.  At post mortem examination the carcass was jaundiced with a yellow liver as well as dark kidneys and urine. Kidney copper levels were significantly raised at 12,500 umol/kg DM (reference range: 0 to 787 umol/kg) confirming the diagnosis.  The only source of copper was concentrate feed which had been fed at high levels.

Parasitic diseases

Parasitic gastroenteritis of differing aetiologies was diagnosed by Dumfries in two three-month-old lambs from the same farm. The first lamb was very dull, laterally recumbent and scouring on submission.  Six other lambs in the cohort had died following a period of scouring during the previous seven to ten days.  The group were set stocked since just after lambing time.  Some 13,000 Teladorsagia sp. adults were subsequently recovered from the abomasum. No Nematodirus battus worms or eggs were detected. A second lamb from a different group was submitted five days later. In this case masses of Nematodirus battus were recovered from the small intestine while only 500 Teladorsagia sp. worms were found in the abomasum.  SACCVS considers that this case demonstrates how the species of worm challenging a flock can differ from field to field on the same farm. 

Generalised and systemic conditions

Aberdeen suspected septicaemia due to Escherichia fergusonii infection caused the death of a three-month-old Suffolk cross ewe lamb. Six lambs had died from a group of 310 however only one carcase was submitted for examination. The organism was isolated in culture from the liver, lung and spleen.

Respiratory tract conditions

Dumfries diagnosed ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma in a two-year-old Scottish blackface tup that developed crackly breathing while being gathered for shearing. The tup was housed for treatment but became increasingly dyspnoeic and lost condition.  Clinical examination prior to euthanasia for necropsy found the animal to be bright but tachypnoeic and thoracic auscultation revealed crackles over the right anterior lung field.  At necropsy grey areas of consolidation were found in the right anterior, cardiac and diaphragmatic lobes with a small area affected in the left anterior lobe.  Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma was confirmed on histopathology.

Nervous system disorders

Aberdeen suspected cervical myelopathy, or “wobbler syndrome” to be the cause of locomotor abnormalities in several sheep in a pedigree Beltex flock. Several male lambs of four to six months of age, a shearling ram and three older ewes were affected and a similar case had occurred in a ram lamb in the previous year.  The affected sheep had gait abnormalities including hindlimb ataxia, stumbling and forelimb hypermetria.  There was a wide based stance at rest and signs of pain such as tail swishing and a hunched back. Some of the animals held the head lowered and slightly to the side.  The signs appeared to be triggered by handling or poor weather.  Blood results were unhelpful showing mild increases in creatinine kinase enzyme levels and no evidence of vitamin E or selenium deficiency. The diagnosis was confirmed on postmortem of a six-month-old beltex ram.  A fatty nodule was identified at C6/7 protruding into the spinal canal causing compression of the adjacent spinal cord with associated haemorrhage and reaction (figure 3 - see top right-hand side).  Compressive Cervical Myelopathy is seen most commonly in sheep of 15 to 18 months of age. (Penny et al, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2007 21:322-327).

Edinburgh diagnosed cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN) in a ewe and two lambs submitted from a flock which experienced an increase in mortality. The ewe was submitted alive and appeared to be blind and was unable to stand. Grossly the brains of all three animals were pale with some flattening of the gyri. Neuropathology revealed cortical laminar necrosis, consistent with CCN / polioencephalomalacia in each case. 

CCN was also diagnosed by Ayr as the cause of recumbency and opisthotonos in a mule gimmer. Neuropathology identified extensive lesions of cerebrocortical necrosis as well as generalised spongy change in the white matter throughout the brain. The spongy change suggested that the CCN may have been secondary to a severe toxic insult or acute metabolic imbalance. 

Renal diseases

Aberdeen diagnosed urolithiasis in three-month-old Cheviot-cross lambs. The lambs were creep-fed with concentrates and were castrated. Four deaths had occurred following clinical signs typical of urolithiasis. Examination of a urine sample found large numbers of struvite crystals and SACCVS provided advice on prevention of further cases.