Cattle leptospirosis: epizootology and symptoms, treatment and prevention

Leptospirosis often affects many animals, but cattle are the most affected. The situation requires the immediate intervention of a veterinarian, because the infection spreads at a jet rate, and the consequences of the disease can become fatal, so you can not delay with therapy. A serious approach to vaccination and compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules will help to avoid trouble.

Characteristics of leptospirosis

Leptospirosis affects many animal species. This infectious natural focal disease affects the internal vessels, gastrointestinal tract, skin and mucous membranes.The disease is accompanied by fever, involuntary abortions or the appearance of sick offspring. The productivity of a sick pet is noticeably reduced.

The causative agent of a dangerous disease - microscopic parasites - leptospira (Genus Leptospira). With multiple magnification, you can see that the pests look like thin silver threads.

Leptospiras live in the aquatic environment, so they thrive in lakes, rivers and even sewers, but quickly die on land. So, in open reservoirs, parasites can live up to 200 days, and in dry soil they cannot withstand even 12 hours. An outbreak can occur at any time of the year. Young pets aged 1-1.5 years are more difficult to tolerate leptospirosis than adult animals. For them, the probability of death reaches 25%.

Epizootology shows that mainly cattle and pigs become victims of the disease. Often leptospirosis affects sheep, goats, dogs, horses and poultry.Arctic foxes, foxes, mice and other rodents are susceptible to infection. Livestock and wild animals become carriers of leptospira. In most cases, small rodents are the source of infection.

Pathogens are excreted in milk, excrement or secretions from the genital organs of animals. Most individuals carry the disease without significant symptoms and are only reservoirs for parasites. Such animals are especially dangerous for pets. In the organisms of cattle, leptospira live up to 6 months.

Causes of disease in cattle

Thanks to animal carriers of Leptospira, parasites freely enter food, water bodies and soil.

In most cases, the infection of livestock occurs during watering. Parasites live and breed safely in lakes, ponds and rivers. Sources of increased danger - reservoirs filled with stagnant water (swamps and deep puddles).
Leptospira often live in humus moist soil with neutral acidity. Infection occurs through damaged skin or cracked hooves.
Pets get the infection along with food. Rodents infected with leptospirosis leave traces of vital activity in prepared feed.
Calves catch the disease while still in utero or while feeding milk from infected cows.
Often, infection occurs during mating of a pet with an infected individual.

Parasites easily enter the body of a cow through wounds, scratches, bites, as well as mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, mouth, genital tract and gastrointestinal tract. Within an hour, leptospira freely enter the blood and internal organs of pets.

The spread of leptospirosis is facilitated by poor conditions for animals (unsanitary conditions, poor nutrition, lack of vitamins), improperly chosen places for pasture and watering.

Symptoms of pathology

Symptoms of pathology depend on the form of leptospirosis. The course of the disease is acute, mild and chronic. Depending on the symptoms, the disease can be typical and atypical. The incubation period for the development of an infectious disease, on average, ranges from 5 to 20 days.

Acute development of the disease:

Sudden increase in temperature (40-41 degrees).
Depression, weakness or vice versa - extreme excitement.
Disturbance of coordination of movements, the animal spends time in a lying position.
Sharp refusal to eat, no chewing gum.
The pulse becomes frequent, breathing becomes difficult.
On the third day after the onset of the disease, the mucous membranes become yellow.
Urine mixed with blood. Trying to empty the bladder causes the animal severe pain.
Some individuals develop conjunctivitis.
Less milk supply.
Constipation, pet intestinal atony.

Young animals under the age of 1.5 years are more likely to develop acute disease. Animal pregnancy often ends in abortion. In a cow, the separation of milk is reduced, if not completely stopped. It takes on a saffron color. The coat becomes dull, disheveled. Necrotic formations appear on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and the skin in the back and tail of the neck. As a result, the body of the pet is covered with ulcers. The disease lasts no more than 10 days. In the absence of medical care in 50% of cases, the animal is at risk of dying from asphyxia.

Symptoms of a subacute disease practically do not differ from the reactive course of the disease, but they are mild. In this case, the development of the disease lasts up to 3 weeks.

The chronic form of the disease is accompanied by significant weight loss, jumps in body temperature, an increase in inguinal lymph nodes, the appearance of blood in the animal's urine. The pet is tormented by frequent urge to urinate and rapid breathing. Animals hide from bright light and shed heavily. As a result, the skin of the pet is covered with bald spots. Sick cows experience difficulties with the reproductive system. Pregnancy of pets often ends in abortion or the birth of sick offspring. Postpartum complications are not uncommon.

The atypical form of leptospirosis begins with a short-term, slight increase in temperature (by 0.5-1 degrees). The animal becomes a little lethargic. The mucous membranes of the pet acquire a yellowish tint. Hemoglobin appears in the urine (hemoglobinuria).This condition lasts from 12 to 96 hours, after which the pets make a full recovery.

How to make a diagnosis

First of all, the veterinarian examines the animal to see the clinical picture of the condition of the sick pet. The specialist takes into account not only the external signs of the pet's malaise, but also its behavior. At the next stage, blood, urine and samples of other physiological secretions are taken from the animal for analysis. The samples obtained are examined to detect antibodies to parasites - leptospira. Specialists do bacteriological seeding on suitable, selective media, and also conduct a general hematological examination.

An indicator of the disease is a significant decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood of a pet, a sharp drop in sugar levels, changes in hemoglobin.

Additional studies are carried out by PCR. As part of the samples, DNA and RNA contained in leptospira are detected. If a pet dies in the herd, the veterinarian prescribes a post-mortem examination. Confirmation of the disease are:

Yellow tint to skin and mucous membranes.
Necrosis and edema.
Blood accumulations in the chest and abdomen.
Liver enlargement.

How to properly treat the disease

Treatment includes 2 courses: antimicrobial therapy and elimination of symptoms of the disease. First of all, sick pets are separated from the herd. Infected animals are injected with antileptospiral serum. The agent is administered subcutaneously, after 2 days the procedure is repeated. A dose of 20-60 ml is enough for calves, 50-120 ml of serum is administered to adult pets.

Antimicrobial therapy

For the destruction of infectious agents, the drugs "Streptomycin" (subcutaneous injection of 10-12 units per kg of pet weight), "Kanamycin" (intramuscularly 15 units per kg of animal weight) are used. Effectively cope with the task means "Tetracycline" and "Biomycin". They are given to animals 2 times a day for 4 days.

Symptomatic treatment

Simultaneously with antimicrobial therapy, the animal is administered Urotropin, 40% glucose solution and caffeine. The consequences of intestinal atony are eliminated with the help of Glauber's s alt. The pet's oral cavity is regularly treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. The diet of the animal is enhanced with vitamin supplements and trace elements. Supplements in the form of fishmeal or fish oil will benefit the pet.

Prevention and vaccines

To prevent an infectious disease, a modern VGNKI vaccine is used. A polyvalent remedy protects pets from an acute form of leptospirosis. For a lasting effect, it is necessary to regularly revaccinate. One-year-old calves are vaccinated once every six months, adult animals - once a year.

The rest of the preventive measures are monthly treatment with antibacterial agents of places where animals are kept and preventive examination of pets. Cattle are not recommended to graze in swampy meadows and nearby areas.