Animal Health, Hygiene and Common Diseases
Grouping diseases
Infectious (bacterial, viral), parasitic (protozoa, helminths, arthropods), metabolic and deficiency diseases. Learn one signature sign for each disease.
Key diseases
- FMD: viral; vesicles on tongue, gum and hoof, drooling, lameness; polyvalent vaccine twice a year.
- Haemorrhagic septicaemia: Pasteurella multocida; sudden death, hot swelling of the throat; vaccinate before the monsoon.
- Black quarter: Clostridium chauvoei; crepitant swelling of the hindquarter muscle; vaccine available.
- Anthrax: peracute, tarry blood from natural openings; never open the carcass - zoonotic, spores survive in soil for years.
- Brucellosis: Brucella abortus; abortion at 5–7 months, retained placenta; zoonotic (undulant fever); calfhood RB51 vaccination.
- Mastitis: Staphylococcus/Streptococcus; strip cup and California Mastitis Test; strict milking hygiene.
- PPR in goats, swine fever in pigs, Ranikhet and IBD in poultry, coccidiosis in chicks (bloody droppings; amprolium or sulpha drugs).
Worked example
A 3-week-old chick with bloody droppings, ruffled feathers and huddling: coccidiosis fits best. Reasoning: the age excludes Marek's, the blood excludes ND, and damp litter supports coccidia. Response: coccidiostat plus dry litter.
Traps
An anthrax carcass must not be opened; antibiotics do not act on viruses; HS and anthrax both kill suddenly, but anthrax shows tarry blood; brucellosis is a zoonosis, so aborting animals are handled with gloves.