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Pneumonia
In
Goats
by
Mary
Blankevoort,
DVM
“Pneumonia”
is
the
term
given
to
describe
inflammation
or
infection
of
the
lungs.
Bronchitis,
tracheitis
and
laryngitis
describe
infections
of
the
upper
portion
of
the
respiratory
tract.
Pneumonia
and
respiratory
disease
in
general
is
very
serious
and
widespread
among
goat
populations,
dairy
herds
and
pygmy
alike.
Much
of
the
problem,
I’m
afraid,
is
due
to
poor
management
practices
which
predispose
the
animals
to
infectious
disease.
Some
of
these
predisposing
factors
include:
1.
Environmental
insults,
such
as
poor
ventilation,
dirty
conditions,
and
overcrowding
in
barns
and
sheds.
Inadequate
air
circulation,
especially
when
combined
with
high
humidity
and
a
manure
pack,
is
a
deadly
insult
to
lung
tissue.
Goats
don’t
need
to
be
warm
and
cozy
as
much
as
they
need
to
breathe
fresh
air
at
all
times.
A
three-sided
shed
or
lean-to
with
100%
air
exchange
is
ideal
for
them.
(Try
sitting
down
on
the
floor
of
your
goat
shed
-
pygmy-nose
level
–
and
breathe
the
air
down
there
for
awhile
to
get
some
appreciation
of
the
situation.)
Dusty
feed
and
bedding,
and
drafts
can
also
be
detrimental.
2.
Lungworms
can
produce
a
good
deal
of
damage
to
lung
tissue
on
their
own,
but
their
presence
debilitates
tissue,
making
it
easy
for
secondary
infection
to
set
in.
3.
Stress
of
any
kind-
shipping,
goat
shows,
etc.,
-
will
lower
an
animal’s
resistance,
making
it
more
susceptible
to
infection.
In
goats,
respiratory
infection
seems
to
be
a
common
sequella
to
stress.
4.
Aspiration
of
drench
material,
(especially
mineral
oil),
or
vomitus,
sets
up
a
nasty
infection
known
as
aspiration
pneumonia.
With
careful
drenching
technique
and
adding
a
flavored
substance
to
mineral
oil,
this
should
not
occur.
The
actual
infection
agent
that
causes
pneumonia
may
be
a
virus,
Mycoplasma,
Chlamydia,
bacteria
or
fungus,
or
a
combination.
The
most
common
are
bacteria
such
as
Pasteurella,
and
Corynebacterium.
Many
of
these
infections
are
spread
by
aerosol
transmission,
so
animals
can
give
them
to
each
other.
This
occurs
with
increased
frequency
when
strange
animals
are
introduced
to
a
herd.
Signs
of
pneumonia
in
goats
include
labored
breathing
(sides
heaving),
rapid,
shallow
breathing,
a
“rattle”
heard
in
the
chest,
standing
with
forelegs
apart
and
neck
stretched
out,
intolerance
to
exercise,
nasal
discharge,
and
eventual
weight
loss
and
often
death.
There
is
usually
a
fever
initially,
but
the
temperature
may
be
normal
throughout
most
of
the
disease,
which
may
last
for
months.
A
chronic
cough
may
accompany
pneumonia,
but
a
cough
may
also
mean
a
bronchial
or
laryngeal
infection.
These
signs,
however,
are
not
always
that
obvious
to
the
untrained
eye.
[.
.
.]
On
examination,
a
veterinarian
will
gather
history
and
clinical
signs,
and
may
get
a
culture
and
sensitivity
from
tracheal
or
nasal
exudate,
or
do
fecal
for
lungworms.
[.
.
.]
Prevention
and
control
of
pneumonia
and
other
respiratory
diseases
involves
removing
the
predisposing
factors,
isolating
sick
animals,
parasite
control,
and
vaccination
where
this
is
appropriate.
I
can’t
overemphasize
the
importance
of
good
ventilation
and
sanitation.
Sometimes,
when
a
specific
causative
organism
has
been
isolated
which
seems
to
be
a
herd
problem,
a
commerical
or
autogenous
vaccine
can
be
recommended
to
protect
your
herd.
[.
.
.]
Excerpts
from:
Hale,
Lydia,
and
Ellen
Kritzman,
eds.
Pygmy
Goats:
Best
of
Memo
(1976-1981)
National
Pygmy
Goat
Association:
pp
89-90
This
document
is
for
informational
purposes
only
and
is
in
no
way
intended
to
be
a
substitute
for
medical
consultation
with
a
qualified
veterinary
professional.
The
information
provided
through
this
document
is
not
meant
to
be
used
in
the
diagnosis
or
treatment
of
a
health
problem
or
disease,
nor
should
it
be
construed
as
such.
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