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Research (Published
online : 16-05-2013)
9. The influence of dexamethasone treatment and
successive road transport stress on the occurrence of caprine pneumonia in a
hot humid tropical environment -
Benjamin Obukowho Emikpe, Polycarp N Tanko, Opeyemi Mayowa Onilude and Mohd
Yussof Sabri
Vet World. 2013; 6(8): 497-501
doi:
10.5455/vetworld.2013.497-501
Abstract
Aim: The information on the effect of multiple stress and caprine
pneumonia especially in a hot humid environment is limited in literature.
Materials and Methods: Sixteen goats were divided into 4 groups. Group A
were subjected to 8 hours and 3 hours transportation, group B to 8 hours
transport stress once and dexamethasone injection, group C to 8 hours
transport only while group D was the control. All goats were observed for
respiratory signs while temperature was monitored daily. Dead ones were
necropsied while the survivors and the goats in group D were sacrificed on day
21. The clinical, gross, histopathological, immunohistochemical scores were
according to standard methods.
Results: The mean total clinical score
was higher in group B than group A, C and D. Two goats of the groups A, B and
C goats died 21, 14 and 7 days post treatment. The dead goats in groups A, B,
C had lung lesions typical of pneumonic pasteurellosis. An average of the lung
consolidation of dead animals in group A was 15%, in group B, 8.5% and group
C, 6.5% mostly involving the anterior and ventral part of the lung. The
immunostaining results was also similar with all the lung samples positive for
both Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica especially in the groups
A, B, C with enhanced severity in A > B > C.
Conclusion: This
further buttress the need to reduce stress in farm animals and the emergence
of P. multocida over M. haemolytica in the epidemiology of bacterial caprine
pneumonia in stressed goats in Malaysia.
Keywords: caprine pneumonia,
dexamethasone treatment, humid tropical environment, road transport stress
