Enterotoxemia

1
Enterotoxemia

• Caused by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens
  found in the lower digestive tract of man and
  animals and in the soil worldwide.
• Several types of the bacteria exist
• Type A, B, C, D E
• All produce powerful exotoxins (A,B,C,D are
  responsible for specific enterotoxemias).

2
Clostridium perfringens Type A

• Cause enteritis in dogs and poultry, colitis in
  horses and diarrhea in pigs and dogs.

3
Clostridum perfringens Type B

• Type B - Lamb Dysentery in lambs up to 3 weeks of
  age.
• Types B C - Calf enterotoxemia in well fed
  calves up to 1 mo.
• Type B - Foal enterotoxemia during the first week
  of life.
• Type C Goat enterotoxemia in adult goats.

4
Lamb Dysentery

• Clostridium perfringens Type B
• Acute disease of lambs less than 3 wks old
• Many die before signs are observed
• Lambs stop nursing, lay down and will not rise,
  blood tinged fecal material, die within a few
  days
• Treatment is usually ineffective
• Vaccinate pregnant ewes during the last trimester
  so they will produce antibodies in their clostrum

5
Hemorrhagic Enterotoxemia

• Most frequently seen in cow-calf operations(most
  frequent in the mountain states and the western
  part of Kansas, Nebraska, South and North Dakota)
• Cl. Perfringens Type C is normally present in the
  intestinal tract, only causes a problem when the
  number of organisms get to high due to a slow
  down or stoppage of intestinal tract movement.
• Usually brought about by ingestion of an
  abnormally large amount of feed allowing the
  toxins to accumulate and be absorbed in the gut.

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• The bacteria must have and abundant source of
  nutrients, particularly carbohydrates to grow.
  Milk is often the source in suckling calves.
• The only symptom may be dead calves, however more
  often acute abdominal pain, kicking at the
  stomach and bloody diarrhea are seen. Death
  proceeded by the calf going down and having
  paddlingtype convulsions may occur in a few
  hours. In less severe cases a few may survive and
  recover over several days.

7

• Post mortem examination reveals reddened lesions
  and a thick blood tinged fluid in the small
  intestine. Hemorrhages may be seen on the thymus
  and heart.
• No treatment as most animals showing symptoms die.

8

• Antitoxin given at birth protects calves during
  the first couple of weeks of life.
• If a history of a problem with this disease
  exists on a farm the cows should be vaccinated
  with Clostridium perfringens Type C Toxoid.
  (Usually two doses during pregnancy and yearly
  thereafter)

9
Clostridium perfringens Type D

• Also called Overeating Disease or Pulpy Kidney
  Disease
• Seen most frequently in sheep, less frequently in
  goats and rarely in cattle.
• Most common in lambs less than 2 weeks old or in
  feedlot lambs on a high carbohydrate diet.
• Occurs in beef calves nursing high producing cows
  grazing lush pasture and in feedlot cattle
  (sudden death syndrome).

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• Acutely affected calves not found dead show
  mania, convulsions, blindness and death in a few
  hours. (Dont confuse with rabies)
• Calves dying of type D do not have the
  hemorrhagic lesions in the small intestine post
  mortem but due have hemorrhages on the thymus and
  heart.

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• In lambs sudden death of the best lambs is the
  first symptom. Some lambs will exhibit
  incoordination, circling, pushing head against
  fixed objects, and convulsions before death.
  Diarrhea may or may not occur.
• Vaccinate ewes to prevent in lambs.
• Reduce amount of concentrate in the diet of lambs
  entering the feedlot and/or vaccinate.