Animal Disease control and treatment

		1-Foreword
		2-Disease causes and symptoms
		3-Disease of Ruminants
		4-Diseases of pigs
		5-Diseases of chickens
		6-Diseases transmissible to people

 

Diseases of ruminants:

Foot-and-mouth disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute and highly contagious viral disease which affects all animals with hooves (such as cattle, water buffalo, goats and pigs). All ages are affected. 

Foot-and-mouth disease Symptoms

· Blister-like sores and ulcers on the feet, mouth, muzzle, udder and teats.

· High fever.

· Refusal to eat.

· Heavy salivation.

· Hooves sometimes fall off.

· Lameness.

Treatment

· Herbal medicine. Refer to booklet on Herbal medicine for animals. Herbal medical relieves only the symptoms of FMD.

· Western medicine. Treat the animal with any of the following:

— Alum (locally known as tawas) and gentian violet.

Dissolve alum in I glass of gentian violet. Use cotton to apply the solution to blisters 2-3 times a day. This will quickly dry up blisters.

— Formalin and gentian violet. Mix 1 glass of formalin with 1 glass of gentian violet. Apply the solution to the blisters 2-3 times a day. This will also dry up blisters.

— Antibiotics. Inject antibiotics like penicillinstreptomycin into the muscles of the hip or neck to fight complications. Repeat the injection for 34 days.

— Vitamins. Inject Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) into the muscles of the hip or neck to speed up wound healing.

Prevention

Regularly vaccinate animals against FMD.

· Isolate infected animals.

· Do not slaughter or sell infected animals. Destroy and bury them.

· Quarantine infected areas.

· Report FMD to the nearest office of the Bureau of Animal Industry.

Hemorrhagic septicemia

Hemorrhagic septicemia is an acute infectious characterized by pneumonia. It occurs after a long, dry period and at the onset of rainy reason.

Symptoms

· Swelling of the neck.

· Difficultly in breathing. In the last stage of the disease, the animal's tongue sticks out because of breathing difficulty.

· High fever.

· Loss of appetite.

· Nasal discharge.

Treatment

· Herbal medicine. Boil tamarind or camphor leaves. (See booklet on Herbal medicine for animals.)

· Western medicine. Inject the following drugs:

— Ecolmin. This will loosen mucus in the respiratory tract. Site of injection: Muscle of hip or neck. Repeat the injection for 2-3 days.

— Antibiotic. Inject antibiotics like penicillin-streptomycin or trimethoprim-sulfa into the muscles of the hip or neck. Repeat the injection for 3-4 days.

Prevention

· Vaccinate animals against hemorrhagic septicemia. (Refer to vaccination.)

· Avoid stress to animals.

· Keep animals and shed clean and dry.

· Bury dead animals.

Tetanus

Tetanus is an acute, highly infectious, non-contagious disease. It is manifested by contractions the muscles. It affects humans, swine and ruminants. The bacteria gain ertrance through deep wounds that heal quickly on the outside.

Symptoms

Early stage

· Stiffness of the jaw (lockjaw).

· Erect ears.

· Extended tail.

Acute stage

· Protruded third eyelid (white to pinkish membrane found at the inner corner of the eye).

· Inability to swallow food and water.

Treatment

Inject the following drugs into the muscles:

· Tetanus antitoxin. Dosage: 10,000-50,000 International Units (IU) for cattle and buffaloes; 3,000-15,000 IU for goats and pigs

The exact amount will depend on:

—Degree of tissue damage.

—Amount of wound contamination.

—Time passed since injury.

· Acepromazine. This will lessen pain or excitement of the affected animal.

· Penicillin-streptomycin. Dosage: 5-15 cc per animal. Inject into the muscle of hip or neck. Repeat injection after 24 hours.

Prevention

· Regularly trim hooves. (See section on hoof trimming in Restraining animals and simple treatments.)

· Thoroughly clean all wounds as soon as they occur.

· Instruments for castration should be properly cleaned and disinfected. (See section on Restraining animals and simple treatments.)

· Inject tetanus antitoxin at a dose of 1,500 IU to protect the animal from tetanus for at least 10 days after the wound occurs.

Husbandry measures

· Put the animal in a quiet, dark place.

· When infection is found, the wound should be reopened and thoroughly cleaned.

Foot rot

Foot rot is a major cause of lameness in ruminants of all ages.

The bacteria multiply in wounds in the skin between hoof sections. 

Foot rot

Prolonged standing in mud, water, manure or urine can lead to foot rot. The bacteria enter cracks in the skin, causing painful swelling on the affected foot. The flesh dies and rots, causing a foul smell.

Symptoms

· Lameness.

· Hoof smells bad.

· Pus in the inflamed foot.

· Swelling.

Warning: If you see sores in the mouth of ruminants with foot rot, the problem may be FMD.

Treatment

· Wash the foot with lukewarm water and soap. Remove dirt or manure in the affected area.

· Apply or spray fly repellent like Gusanex or Negasunt, 2-3 times a day until the infected area is cured.

· Inject an antibiotic preparation such as penicillinstreptomycin. Inject into the muscle of hip or neck. If symptoms remain after 2-3 days, repeat the injection.

Prevention

· Provide salt in diet.

· Keep animals in a dry place.

· Regularly trim the hooves.

· Clear the pasture area of sharp objects such as glass, wire or sharp stones.

Tick infestation

Ticks are external parasites, dark in color and two or three centimeters in size when full of blood. They get on the livestock by climbing up on bushes and weeds and waiting for an animal to brush against them. They attach themselves to the skin of animals and suck their blood. Ticks can transmit serious diseases like tick fever.

Direct damage

· Hundreds or thousands of ticks infesting an animal can result in anemia, low milk production, weight loss and even death.

· Some species of ticks can cause tick paralysis.

· Ticks damage the animal's hide. A damaged hide reduces the market value of the animal.

Symptoms

· The animal scratches.

· The animal's hide has red patches (tick-bite marks noticeable in white-colored cattle and buffaloes).

· The animals show discomfort.

· A large number of ticks may be found in less hairy areas.

Humans can be infected with ticks while handling infested animals.

After sucking the blood, an adult female tick falls from the animal. It lays eggs on the ground, in sheltered places, under stones and in cracks in walls. After this, the tick dies.

Treatment

· Herbal medicine. Leaves of Gliricidia or Premna (Refer to section on Herbal medicine for animals).

· Dissolve 1 tsp of either Asuntol or Neguvon in 1 gallon of water. Use the solution to bathe the animal. Thoroughly rinse after 10 minutes

Warning: Do not allow the animal to lick the solution; it is toxic.

Prevention

· Regularly bathe the animal.

· Give salt to the animal.

· If your farm is near the sea, bathe your animal in the sea at least once a month.

Lice infestation 

Lice infestation in ruminants is the result of bad sanitation.

Symptoms

· Itchiness.

· Animals scratch or rub their bodies against trees, posts or their pens.

· Lice eggs concentrate at the tip of the tail, hair inside the ears, hair around the eyes and at the neck.

Treatment

· Herbal medicine. Leaves of Gliricidia or Premna (See Herbal medicine for animals.)

· Western medicine. Dissolve 1 tsp of Asuntol or Neguvon in I gallon of water. Bathe the animal with the solution. After 10 minutes, rinse the Knin al thoroughly.

Warning: Asuntol and Neguvon are toxic. They can cause poisoning and death to animals and humans.

Prevention

· Wash your animals regularly.

· If the place is near the sea, bathe the animals in the sea once a month for half an hour or so.

· Shave water buffaloes, especially during summer.

· Allow animals, particularly water buffaloes, to wallow in mud. Dried mud on the animal's skin stops parasites like ticks and lice from biting. 

Tapeworm infestation

Tapeworms are long, flat worms that live in the intestines of ruminants, robbing them of nutrients.