Animal Health
Chapter #5
What Causes Disease?
Germs: bacteria, viruses, protozoa Parasites: worms, insects
– Infestations: external parasites – Infectious: internal disease
Injury: handling, facilities Inherited Genes Poor Nutrition: easiest to correct
– toxic materials in plants, nitrogen content – chemicals for insect control
Disease
• Infectious Disease: spread by contact • Confinement Systems: disease easily spread • Animal Waste: host for germs • Soil Born Disease: live in soil
– hog diseases – anthrax: bury animals deep, cover with lime or burn – feline distemper – do NOT drag dead animals
• From water & feed: chemical residues, waste • From air: germs, chemicals, mosquitos host disease • Diseases divided according to how rapid they progress: Acute: rapid progression (cholera, bloat, mastitis) all generally have a rapid increase in body temperature Chronic: last a long time (cancer), costly to fight Some are localized: mastitis, pink eye
Disease
Pulse: high under left foreflank or over jawbone Respiration: rate of breathing Temperature: most reliable & constant
– taken rectally – rise of 3 deg F is considered serious
Vital Signs
• Symptoms: not eat, isoalte self, lack alertness, nucous discharge, droopy, lowered head, swelling, bleeding, abnormal bowel movements, worms in feces, unusual walk, abnormal behavior
Disease Prevention
• Sanitation: most important • Vaccination: build up antibodies to fight disease • Some diseases (tetanus) animals can’t be saved once they show signs
– separate from herd – humanely kill and dispose of
Parasite Control
• Some parasites may be passed to humans
– trichina, bladder worms
• Worming usually done in spring • Insectisides: apply manually or cattle rub • Tick: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in humans • Sanitation: remove waste, disinfect floors & walls, remove dead animals, insect & rodent control, repair equipment, proper bedding • Hog house: steam clean & disinfect • Pile manure to kill germs (heat)