Enterotoxaemia (Pulpy kidney)

This disease is a fatal toxaemia in lambs, sheep, goats, calves and seldom in adult cattle. The disease is manifested by diarrhoea, involuntary contraction of muscles, paralysis and sudden death. It occurs after a sudden change to a better, more nutritious diet. The disease is often noted in sheep that have been fed heavy grain, and in animals which graze on lush growing pastures. Clostridium perfringens multiplies in abomasum and intestine and produces toxin which paralyses the vital centres in brain and damages endothelium of blood vessels. The disease occurs extensively in particular in Southern Africa but is well controlled by vaccination.
Antemortem findings :
Short course of the illness (2 – 12 hours) in lambs and longer course (24 hours) in sheep Animal found dead without previous sign of the disease Dullness and depression Rapid shallow respiration Loss of appetite and frothing Muscular contractions Green pasty diarrhoea Grinding of the teeth and muscular tremor Logging behind the flock Staggering and recumbency.
Postmortem findings :
No lesions in peracute cases Large amount of clear, straw coloured pericardial fluid Petechial haemorrhages of the heart muscle Congestion of the abomasal and intestinal mucosa and liver Soft pulpy kidneys a few hours after death is characteristic of this disease Overload of the rumen and abomasum with concentrate Haemorrhage and edema in sheep brain Rapid decomposition of the carcass.
Judgement :
Carcass of an animal affected with enterotoxaemia is condemned.
Differential diagnosis :
Sudden death in lambs: pasteurellosis, hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia (reduced blood calcium and magnesium), polioencephalomalatia (less acute form), acute rumen impaction (no convulsions are present and the course is longer) and other septicemias. Adult sheep: rabies, acute lead poisoning, pregnancy toxaemia and louping-ill.