Animal well-being is a priority for farmers and if one
of the flock falls ill there is a best practice to follow. Here are some
guidelines on what to do when things go wrong, to protect the rest of the flock.
General Pathology:
1. In the living animal look for
clinical signs. General examination – start at the head, remember feet and
mouth (blue tongue); openings (discharges, colour, swellings, diarrhoea); mucous
membranes, behaviour, temperature; general body condition;
2. History!!!! – Clinical signs, vaccinations and previous
treatments, diet, age group, veld type etc. are important.
Post Mortem:
- Animal must lie on it’s right hand side, lift
forelimb and hind limbs and cut – look for subcutaneous lesions (bruising;
anaemia).
- Cut abdominal cavity open gently along the
midline – note if fluid comes out, and colour of fluid. Cut up to the end
of the rib cage. Cut attachment of the diaphragm to the rib cage – listen
for a popping sound – lugs collapsing due to loss of negative pressure. If
the lungs do not collapse it could be a possible pneumonia/
- Cut open the thorax along the sternum so all the
organs in the chest are exposed.
- Remove organs of the abdominal cavity: spleen
(sample for bluetongue); gastrointestinal tract (parasites; bacterial
infections; faecal collections); rumen contents (acidosis; plant remnants)
mesenteric lymph nodes and ileocaecal lymph nodes (Johnes disease); liver
(liver fluke; toxic plants; copper deficiency/toxicity; domsiekte);
kidneys (pulpy kidney, copper toxicity). Look at the bladder and if full
look at urine (possible copper toxicity if urine is red). Remove all
organs carefully and only once
samples have been taken cut into the organs.
- Do the same for the thorax. Cut open the trachea
into the bronchi and into lung tissue. Cut open the heart (look at clot in
ventricle).
- Head and Brain – brain can be sent in for
histopathology if nervous symptoms have occurred e.g. thiamine deficiency.
Sample Collection – label them clearly!!!!
·
Bacteriology – as sterile as possible; all affected
organs; tied off GIT loops; swabs;
abscess contents; take many samples in separate containers – keep
cold/on ice.
·
Virology – spleen and lymph nodes on ice; blood tubes
with green lid.
·
Histopathology – in formalin, numerous samples about
1cm thick with bit of normal tissue with abnormal tissue.
·
Mineral analysis -
fresh and frozen / in formalin: liver and kidneys
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