Emaciated Roe Doe

[Buchan]

Johnes, like other diseases, would have to be confirmed by testing, but on examination of the gralloch in the field the thickened and corrugated intestines that are caused by the disease would be noticeable if you knew what you were looking for. I have seen it in sheep post mortem, and it's quite obvious. On its own it's not sufficient to give a diagnosis, but it's a good indication of the likely problem.

It is obvious - in the one's it's obvious in! It can crop up without this and certainly in the early stage. I've diagnosed it by default with low blood protein and high worm burden and all other tests negative!

 

[User00056]

Goats are a nightmare for parasites, probably as a result of being pure browsers and never evolving a strategy for coping with pasture based parasites. They also metabolise th drugs faster so you need higher doses

Yes, we dose double than that for sheep. I don't think we'll be starting again where we are, to be honest. Losing so many has knocked the heart out of me, and as they were more or less pets it made it doubly difficult.

 

[Buchan]

Have you tried Zolvix? It seems to have a good profile in goats at a higher dose level. The other option I've heard discuss is to grow hedges of brambles as feed, rather than letting them graze

 

[User00056]

Have you tried Zolvix? It seems to have a good profile in goats at a higher dose level. The other option I've heard discuss is to grow hedges of brambles as feed, rather than letting them graze

Wish I'd thought to ask your advice sooner. We've not used that one, but it seems to cover all bases for us, thanks. Haemonchus has been the bane of our life over this last year or so, and as we have limited pasture we've not been able to rotate them as I'd have liked. It's been a hard lesson

 

[Buchan]

Maybe also get your vet, unless a goaty vet, to have a chat with the Goat Vet Society (we have societies for all species!!) as I'm more sheep focussed. Haemonchus is a bugger, no question, and if you haven't read the SCOPS material, this might be helpful: Chapter 3. Internal Parasites & Diseases | Advisers Technical Resources
You could also consider closantel for treatment (eg Flukiver) if not already tried.
The big issue with Heamonchus is the overwintering, usually accepted to be in the host, but things are changing, making it more challenging.
What is puzzling slightly is that Haemonchus is not usually associated with scour, so I wonder if you have other factors. Good Luck

 

[User00056]

What is puzzling slightly is that Haemonchus is not usually associated with scour, so I wonder if you have other factors. Good Luck

That puzzled me too. I think you're right, and we had other issues but the same time. We had the here tested for CAE and Johnes, and both came back negative. I do wonder if we took the negative Johnes test at face value though, and we've actually had it all along. All the goats affected were just coming up to the two year stage. I wonder if the combination of Haemonchus and a latent infection were perhaps responsible. We have two adult does left now, both of which are unaffected and show really good body condition. Hopefully they have sufficient resistance to avoid any issues

 

[Buchan]

That puzzled me too. I think you're right, and we had other issues but the same time. We had the here tested for CAE and Johnes, and both came back negative. I do wonder if we took the negative Johnes test at face value though, and we've actually had it all along. All the goats affected were just coming up to the two year stage. I wonder if the combination of Haemonchus and a latent infection were perhaps responsible. We have two adult does left now, both of which are unaffected and show really good body condition. Hopefully they have sufficient resistance to avoid any issues

Johnes is very difficult to diagnose with certainty. One of the best guides is high worm count and low protein - with no other cause like fluke

 

[Alex M Barlow]

I examined a roe last May from the West Country, it was reported that four dead adult roe had been found recently. This was the fifth to be found.

Test​	WNDS 09-05-24​
Abo; Haemonchus spp. twc	2700​
Abo; Ostertagia spp. twc	400​
Abo; Comment twc	worms degraded​
Abo; Immature / L4 twc	23000​
SI - Comment twc	worms to degraded to identify​
SI - Immature / L4 twc	800​

Histology revealed marked surface autolysis of the abomasal wall but it was significantly thickened due to cellular hyperplasia. This is typical of type II ostertagiasis caused by hypobiotic larvae (resting stage larvae) in the mucosa. In the sections examined only a very few larvae were seen indicating that emergence was already taking place.

The parasitology results together with the gross (Morocco leather) and histological appearance of the abomasum indicated a dual infection with Haemonchus and Ostertagia. I have some photos but don't seem to be able to paste them in.

 

[VSS]

I examined a roe last May from the West Country, it was reported that four dead adult roe had been found recently. This was the fifth to be found.

Test​	WNDS 09-05-24​
Abo; Haemonchus spp. twc	2700​
Abo; Ostertagia spp. twc	400​
Abo; Comment twc	worms degraded​
Abo; Immature / L4 twc	23000​
SI - Comment twc	worms to degraded to identify​
SI - Immature / L4 twc	800​

Histology revealed marked surface autolysis of the abomasal wall but it was significantly thickened due to cellular hyperplasia. This is typical of type II ostertagiasis caused by hypobiotic larvae (resting stage larvae) in the mucosa. In the sections examined only a very few larvae were seen indicating that emergence was already taking place.

The parasitology results together with the gross (Morocco leather) and histological appearance of the abomasum indicated a dual infection with Haemonchus and Ostertagia. I have some photos but don't seem to be able to paste them in.

Interesting stuff.
Would be good to see the photos.

 

[Buchan]

I examined a roe last May from the West Country, it was reported that four dead adult roe had been found recently. This was the fifth to be found.

Test​	WNDS 09-05-24​
Abo; Haemonchus spp. twc	2700​
Abo; Ostertagia spp. twc	400​
Abo; Comment twc	worms degraded​
Abo; Immature / L4 twc	23000​
SI - Comment twc	worms to degraded to identify​
SI - Immature / L4 twc	800​

Histology revealed marked surface autolysis of the abomasal wall but it was significantly thickened due to cellular hyperplasia. This is typical of type II ostertagiasis caused by hypobiotic larvae (resting stage larvae) in the mucosa. In the sections examined only a very few larvae were seen indicating that emergence was already taking place.

The parasitology results together with the gross (Morocco leather) and histological appearance of the abomasum indicated a dual infection with Haemonchus and Ostertagia. I have some photos but don't seem to be able to paste them in.

Wow, that's some worm count!