Severe teat lesions in a sheep flock
Quinney, S.; Davison, N.; Bebbington, T.
Veterinary Record 152(22): 696
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 12803403 Document Number: 558989
A case of severe teat lesions in lactating ewes is presented. The affected animals were developing pustules, erosions and scabs on the teats and occasionally on the udder, approximately 3 weeks after lambing. Some of the ewes developed mastitis, while the others subsequently dried up. Approximately 100 animals from among 1100 were affected. In addition, some lambs had erosive lesions on the gums at the base of the incisors resulting in instability of the teeth. One group of ewes and lambs also developed scabs and swelling in the periorbital region, with one lamb showing severe conjunctivitis. A number of samples from teat lesions were collected for electron microscopy, aerobic and anaerobic cultures and selective cultures for mycoplasmas. The isolation of Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. funduliformis from the teats promoted the culture of the oral lesions of the lambs. Four of five samples yielded F. necrophorum subsp. funduliformis, two yielded F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum, and three yielded Bacteroides species. Environmental factors may have predisposed the animals to these conditions. Further investigation is required to identify whether Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is involved in the pathology of these lesions.