Calf diphtheria

03/02/2023

17/07/2022

There’s no single best way to raise calves. What works on one farm may not be ideal for another farm. But you should have and enforce a newborn protocol and calf care plan that remains consistent from day to day. Proper management can greatly reduce the illness and death rates of calves.
Poor facilities and improper animal care make raising healthy calves impossible. Recognizing this and understanding calf growth, nutrition, health and behavior can help you successfully care for your calves.
The following practices for raising calves can:
Decrease the exposure of calves to disease.
Improve calf health.
Improve calf survival rates.
Improve growth rates.
Calf growth
Use both survival and growth rates to measure calf-raising success. Dairy replacement growth rates ultimately affect the timing of puberty. This affects the age of first freshening and lactation milk production.
Properly raised calves will be healthy and ready to freshen between 22 and 24 months.

01/07/2022

Diagnosis
Unhygienic housing conditions, poor general health, along with clinical signs and signalment of the animal are indicative of the disease.
Thorough oral examination with a gag is required for a definitive diagnosis. Differential diagnoses may include Foot and Mouth Disease Virus, foreign bodies, Papular Stomatitis and BVD mucosal disease. Appearance of the lesions should exclude all of the above differentials.
Treatment and Control
The animal should be isolated from the herd and cross contamination between its and others' feed buckets and equipment should be prevented.
Treatment with anaerobic specific antibiotics should commence immediately, either parenterally or orally for three to five days. In the laryngeal form, treatment should continue for longer.
Control focuses on hygiene with recommendation to disinfect all feed buckets regularly and improve the quality of feed.

01/07/2022

This is a disease associated with Fusobacterium necrophorum, which is a strict anaerobic bacteria found everywhere in the environment. The disease is usually trasmitted by oral ingestion of the bacteria. It is often a secondary invader, meaning prior tissue damage must have to occur for the bacteria to gain entry, however it can be a primary pathogen in some cases. There are two forms of calf diptheria; oral and laryngeal.
Oral form - common yet sporadic in occurrence and is often associated with poor hygiene especially in housed calves that are bucket fed, although it can occur in calves at pasture. Calves are usually less than three months old and the disease is often predisposed to by teeth eruption, rough feed, poor use of dosing gun or presence of a concurrent disease.
Laryngeal form - is less common can be seen in animals of all ages, but particularly calves up to the age of one year.

01/07/2022

Clinical Signs
Swelling of the rostral cheek and salivation are the main clinical signs.
Upon physical examination, there may be a foul smell emitting from the mouth and deep necrotic lesions may be found on the cheek or tongue. These irregular shaped ulcers will be covered by a thick, diphtheritic membrane. In severe cases, sloughing of the tongue may occur.
If the larynx or pharynx are involved, swelling may lead to dyspnoea and the presence of pneumonia. These animals will also be pyrexic. They usually die fairly quickly as exudate may block the airways.

04/03/2022

01/07/2021

Calf Diphtheria
A case of calf diphtheria was diagnosed in a young calf on a cow-calf operation in southern Indiana. This case highlights calf diphtheria as a cause of death which can be prevented in calves.

The herdsman observed a week-old Charolaiscalf which was lethargic and becoming very distant from the rest of the herd. The calf had difficulty nursing, diarrhea, and made frequent painful swallowing attempts.

On physical examination, the referring veterinarian noted that the calfs breath had a fetid odor. The cheeks appeared to be swollen and a large lump was located in the left cheek. Excessive saliva dripped from the calfs mouth. The re**al temperature was 105F. Other clinical signs were tachypnea and loud wheezing. On examining the oral cavity, an ulcer was observed on the proximal aspect of the tongue and there was excessive pharyngeal edema. Based on the clinical signs, a diagnosis of calf diphtheria was made.

The herdsman stated that the mother, a first-calf heifer, would often leave the calf separated from the rest of the herd. He went on to say that the calf would continually bawl for the cow over an extended period of time. The veterinarian attributed the ulcers in the laryngeal and pharyngeal mucous membranes to be caused by the continuous bawling by the calf. The damaged oral mucous membranes allowed the secondary colonization of Fusobacteriumnecrophorum which is the primary cause of calf diphtheria.

The calf was given oral electrolytes by esophageal feeder and sulfamethazine boluses. However, the calf died within four days of the initial examination. On postmortem evaluation, several deep necrotic ulcers were present on the tongue, the inner surface of the cheeks, the lining of the pharynx, and the trachea. The cause of death was an acute necrotizing pneumonia which presumably resulted from aspiration of the infected oral tissue. The aspiration pneumonia may have been prevented if the sick calf had been noticed earlier and aggressive antibiotic therapy was immediately started. Frequently monitoring young calves on pasture is essential in identifying and preventing the spread of calf diphtheria.

Calf diphtheria is an infectious disease affecting the pharynx, larynx, and oral cavity. Fusobacteriumnecrophorum is part of the normal flora of the mouth, intestines, and ge***al tract of herbivores and omnivores. The organism is also widespread in the environment (Frasier, 1991). Fusobacteriumnecrophorum is considered to be a secondary invader instead of a primary cause of disease. The organism leads to infection by gaining access through traumatic injury of the oral mucous membranes.

Diphtheria most often occurs as necrotic stomatitis in calves less than three months of age, but usually occurs as necrotic laryngitis in older calves. As in the case previously discussed, necrotic stomatitis caused fever, depression, anorexia, excessive salivation, and a fetid smelling breath. Loud respiratory wheezes are most often observed in older calves with necrotic laryngitis. Some cases have been reported where calves have both necrotic stomatitis and necrotic laryngitis. If calves go untreated, death usually occurs in two to seven days from toxemia and pneumonia (Fraser, 1991).

The diagnosis of calf diphtheria is usually based on the clinical signs. Differential diagnoses include pharyngeal trauma, IBR,actinobacillosis, laiyngeal edema, trauma, paralysis, tumors, and abscesses (Smith, 1996). Lesions identified on necropsy include marked edema, hyperemia, and swollen oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal mucous membranes surrounding a necrotic ulcer. In chronic cases, an ulcer may extend into the nasal cavity, trachea, or lungs. In smears from deep in the lesions, filamentous, beaded, gram-negative bacteria may be identified. The bacteria may also be cultured on blood agar in an anaerobic environment (Frasier, 1991).

Sulfonamides (140 mg/kg IV loading dose followed by 70 mg/kg daily) or procaine penicillin G (22,000 U/kgIM or SQb.i.d) are the drugs of choice (Smith, 1996). Flunixinmeglumine or aspirin may be given to reduce the fever and inflammation. Supportive care in the form of oral or IV fluids, shelter, adequate ventilation, and easy access to food and water is very important. The prognosis is good if the infectious disease is detected very early and aggressively treated. If animals are closely confined, the spread of this infectious disease can be prevented by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting all calf feeders. Young calves must be examined daily to identify early stages of the disease.

This report serves as a reminder, that even though it occurs infrequently, cases of calf diphtheria are still diagnosed. With early detection, aggressive parental antibiotic therapy, and supportive care, complete recovery is likely.

01/07/2021

12/06/2021

I am sure most producers over the years have had calves (on a sporadic basis) develop a throat infection. These are the calves which have an extremely loud inspiratory and expiratory sound which can be heard, across the pen. They generally have extended neck breathing and are in various forms of respiratory distress.

The cause of these signs is generally an infection of the throat or larynx area caused by the same bacteria, which can often cause foot rot. Technically it is called necrotic laryngitis or calf diphtheria, sometimes referred to as “barker calves.” The initiating cause is usually an abrasion to the throat caused by rough feed or an oral ulcer. Seldom do we see these cases in outbreak form. Sporadic cases are the norm and can occur from young calves right up until cattle are in the feedlot. The younger cattle having a soft oral lining are therefore most susceptible to these abrasions.

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The oral ulcerative lesion could have even started from sharp teeth and them inadvertently biting the inside of their cheeks. I am sure we have all done this from time to time or bitten our tongue so we all know how these injuries could occur.

The organism gains entry this way and over time an abscess is formed around the laryngeal cartilages. This combined with the surrounding swelling significantly reducing the respiratory passage. In a sense, what you are hearing is like a whistle when the calf is breathing.

Various treatment approaches
Over the years veterinarians have used various treatments depending on what they have found to be most effective. The larynx is mostly cartilage and as a result the blood supply and hence the ability to get antibiotics to the site of the infection is not good.

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Drugs from the potentiated sulphonamides to penicillin and more recently drugs such as the macrolides (Zuprevo and Draxxin) or florphenicol (Resflor) have been tried. If you have a calf with symptoms, make sure to get your vet’s advice as to what drugs have worked the best and for what length of time as they are all prescription drugs.

Veterinarians will often recommend a NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as banamine, anafen or metacam, to name a few. These and the antibiotics are all prescription drugs, which is why you need your herd veterinarian involved.

Response is favourable if caught early and treated aggressively. I have found in numerous cases where the producer notices the condition early, but stops treatment too early, that a relapse occurs. In my experience even if clinical signs have subsided substantially I continue treatment for several more days. The NSAIDs may be stopped after a few days but the antibiotics are kept on board for the duration.

In chronic cases or those unresolvable with drugs some can be saved with an emergency tracheotomy and laryngeal surgery where the abscess is peeled out and the proper diameter to the wind passage is re-established. These cases of course carry a guarded prognosis, but leaving these calves and doing nothing is grave indeed. You will have such a restriction that the eyes seem bugged out from straining to breathe.

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Calving injury similar symptoms
There is only one other condition I know of that mimics necrotic laryngitis. Large calves that are born backward and have had a hard pull may break some ribs. The first few ribs as they heal it causes a restriction on the windpipe resulting in the same clinical signs.

These generally cannot be helped and although a tracheotomy may provide temporary relief, the actual problem cannot be corrected as the restriction is lower down the wind passage. This is why one question I always ask with these affected calves was it a hard-pull backward calf. If the answer was yes then the prognosis is much much worse and treatment does nothing to alleviate the clinical signs.

Cattle are valuable so keep in mind something can be done or at least tried on these calf diphtheria cases. Try to not wait too long before treatment is initiated and remember to finish the course of antibiotics your veterinarian recommends. Laryngeal surgery can be done as a salvage operation but most cases will clear up with good sound medical treatment. A few will recover but will still have a distinctive whistle especially if they breathe heavy after running a bit. This will be a permanent condition for the rest of their life but they still will do well enough in the feedlot.

Extra attention to a few of these calves can save them so do your due diligence and treat where appropriate on advice from your vet. Watch for these calves both this fall as they go on feed and in spring as young calves run the risk of developing this condition.

12/06/2021

This is a disease associated with Fusobacterium necrophorum, which is a strict anaerobic bacteria found everywhere in the environment. The disease is usually trasmitted by oral ingestion of the bacteria. It is often a secondary invader, meaning prior tissue damage must have to occur for the bacteria to gain entry, however it can be a primary pathogen in some cases. There are two forms of calf diptheria; oral and laryngeal.

Oral form - common yet sporadic in occurrence and is often associated with poor hygiene especially in housed calves that are bucket fed, although it can occur in calves at pasture. Calves are usually less than three months old and the disease is often predisposed to by teeth eruption, rough feed, poor use of dosing gun or presence of a concurrent disease.

Laryngeal form - is less common can be seen in animals of all ages, but particularly calves up to the age of one year.

Clinical Signs
Swelling of the rostral cheek and salivation are the main clinical signs.

Upon physical examination, there may be a foul smell emitting from the mouth and deep necrotic lesions may be found on the cheek or tongue. These irregular shaped ulcers will be covered by a thick, diphtheritic membrane. In severe cases, sloughing of the tongue may occur.

If the larynx or pharynx are involved, swelling may lead to dyspnoea and the presence of pneumonia. These animals will also be pyrexic. They usually die fairly quickly as exudate may block the airways.

Diagnosis
Unhygienic housing conditions, poor general health, along with clinical signs and signalment of the animal are indicative of the disease.

Thorough oral examination with a gag is required for a definitive diagnosis. Differential diagnoses may include Foot and Mouth Disease Virus, foreign bodies, Papular Stomatitis and BVD mucosal disease. Appearance of the lesions should exclude all of the above differentials.

Treatment and Control
The animal should be isolated from the herd and cross contamination between its and others' feed buckets and equipment should be prevented.

Treatment with anaerobic specific antibiotics should commence immediately, either parenterally or orally for three to five days. In the laryngeal form, treatment should continue for longer.

Control focuses on hygiene with recommendation to disinfect all feed buckets regularly and improve the quality of feed.

11/06/2021

Treatment and Control:
Oxytetracycline (11 mg/kg, IV or SC, bid, or 20 mg/kg of long-acting tetracycline, SC, every 72 hr) or procaine penicillin (22,000 U/kg, IM, bid) are the antimicrobials of choice. NSAIDs (aspirin, 100 mg/kg, PO, bid; flunixin, 1.1–2.2 mg/kg, IV, once daily or divided bid; or ketoprofen, 3 mg/kg/day, IM or IV, for up to 3 days) are used to decrease the fever and laryngeal inflammation and edema. A single dose of dexamethasone (0.2–0.5 mg/kg, IV or IM) may be used to decrease laryngeal edema in animals with severe respiratory distress. A tracheostomy is indicated in cattle with severe inspiratory dyspnea. Good nursing care should be provided. Intravenous fluids may be required in dehydrated animals. The prognosis is good for early cases treated aggressively; chronic cases require surgery under general anesthesia to remove necrotic or granulation tissue and to drain laryngeal abscesses. A 60% success rate has been reported for surgical intervention in advanced cases.

There are no specific control measures for necrotic laryngitis; however, the proposed pathogenesis suggests that control measures for common respiratory pathogens may be beneficial.

11/06/2021

Diagnosis:
Clinical signs are usually sufficient to establish a diagnosis. However, because numerous other conditions can cause signs of upper airway obstruction, the larynx should be visually inspected to confirm a diagnosis. This can be accomplished by means of an orally inserted speculum, laryngoscopy, endoscopy, or radiography, but care must be exercised to avoid further respiratory embarrassment. A tracheostomy should be performed before laryngoscopic or endoscopic examination in cattle with severe inspiratory dyspnea. Differential diagnoses include pharyngeal trauma; severe viral laryngitis (eg, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis); actinobacillosis; and laryngeal edema, abscesses, trauma, paralysis, or tumors.

11/06/2021

Lesions:
Lesions are typically located over the vocal processes and medial angles of arytenoid cartilages. Acute lesions are characterized by edema and hyperemia surrounding a necrotic ulcer in the laryngeal mucosa; lesions may spread along the vocal folds and processes to involve the cricoarytenoideus dorsalis muscle. In chronic cases, lesions consist of necrotic cartilage associated with a draining tract surrounded by granulation tissue.

11/06/2021

Clinical Findings:
Initially, a moist, painful cough is noticed. Severe inspiratory dyspnea, characterized by open-mouth breathing with the head and neck extended, and loud inspiratory stridor are common findings. Ptyalism; frequent, painful swallowing motions; bilateral, purulent nasal discharge; and a fetid odor to the breath may also be present. Systemic signs may include fever (106°F [41.1°C]), anorexia, depression, and hyperemia of the mucous membranes. Untreated calves die in 2–7 days from toxemia and upper airway obstruction. Longterm sequelae include aspiration pneumonia and permanent distortion of the larynx, resulting in a chronic harsh cough and inspiratory dyspnea.

11/06/2021

Transmission, Epidemiology, and Pathogenesis:
Necrotic laryngitis is most common where cattle are closely confined under unsanitary conditions or in feedlots. The prevalence in feedlot calves is estimated to be 1%–2%. Most cases are sporadic and occur year round, but disease peaks in fall and winter. Mixed upper respiratory tract infections (caused by infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and parainfluenza-3 virus; Mycoplasma spp; and bacteria, including Pasteurella and Haemophilus), and the coughing and swallowing associated with these infections, may predispose feedlot cattle to develop laryngeal contact ulcers. These ulcers on the vocal processes and medial angles of arytenoid cartilages are thought to provide a portal of entry for F necrophorum.

F necrophorum causes inflammation, necrosis, and edema in the laryngeal mucosa, resulting in variable narrowing of the rima glottidis and inspiratory dyspnea and stridor. If infection extends into the laryngeal cartilage, laryngeal chondritis develops, which may lead to a chronically deformed larynx. Pharyngeal invasion by the organism causes discomfort characterized by painful swallowing motions. Systemic signs of illness have been attributed to the exotoxin produced by F necrophorum.

11/06/2021

Etiology:
Predisposing factors are not fully understood. F necrophorum, commonly isolated from laryngeal lesions of affected cattle, is unable to pe*****te intact mucous membranes. Laryngeal contact ulcers, a common finding in slaughtered cattle, are thought to provide a portal of entry for F necrophorum.

11/06/2021

Fusobacterium necrophorum, a gram-negative, nonsporeforming anaerobe, is a normal inhabitant of the alimentary, respiratory, and ge***al tract of animals. The organism is an opportunistic pathogen that causes several necrotic conditions in animals (ie, necrobacillosis), including necrotic laryngitis.

Necrotic laryngitis is an acute or chronic F necrophorum infection of the laryngeal mucosa and cartilage of young cattle, characterized by fever, cough, inspiratory dyspnea, and stridor. It occurs primarily in feedlot cattle 3–18 mo of age; however, cases have been documented in calves as young as 5 wk and in cattle as old as 24 mo. Cases are seen worldwide and year round but appear to be more prevalent in fall and winter

11/06/2021

There are two forms of calf diphtheria. The most common is an acute oral (mouth) infection, usually seen in calves less than 3 months old. The second form is usually seen in older calves and affects the larynx (or voice-box), Both forms are caused by the bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum, which also causes foul-in-the foot and liver abscesses in older cattle.

Clinical Signs
Oral form
Initial presenting sign may just be a swollen cheek
Calf may be otherwise bright and active with no temperature
Examination of the inside of the mouth shows a foul-smelling ulceration and swelling of the cheek
Temperature may be normal at the start
If untreated more signs develop:
High temperature
Coughing
Loss of appetite and depression
Difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing
Swollen pharyngeal region
Deep ulcers on the tongue, palate, and inside of cheeks
Pneumonia
Usually only a few calves in a batch are infected though outbreaks can occur where hygiene is poor

Laryngeal form:
Coughing : Moist and painful
High temperature
Loss of appetite and depression
Difficult breathing, chewing and swallowing
Pneumonia
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of calf diphtheria is usually based on the clinical signs.
For one-off cases rule out other problems such as BVD and foreign bodies by getting your vet to do a thorough oral
examination
Bacteriology can be also useful.
A post-mortem can confirm the ulcerative nature of the disease, particularly in calves with the laryngeal form
Treatment
Early prompt treatment is important as early treatment is much more effective
Separate the infected animals and isolate them
Antibiotics and pain killers are effective in most cases
The laryngeal form is much more resistant to treatment. Get veterinary advice
Prevention
Fusobacterium necrophorum is a normal inhabitant of cattle intestines and the environment. Under unhygienic conditions, infection may be spread on feeding troughs and dirty milk buckets. Some of the contributory factors for occurrence of this disease include abrasions in the oral mucosa (such as those from erupting molar teeth), poor nutrition and the presence of other diseases present in young calves.

If animals are closely confined, the spread of this infectious disease can be prevented by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting of all calf feeders. Young calves must be examined daily to identify early stages of the disease.

11/06/2021