Gareth Hunter, [16 Aug 2024 at 11:07:47 Good morning everyone. A question with regards to a haemorrhagic enterocolitis case in a common reedbuck. A 5-year-old female presented acutely collapsed with the most severe haemorrhagic diarrhoea I’ve ever seen in a ruminant. It was basically just watery blood and reminded me a bit of parvovirus infection in dogs. I attempted treatment but she unfortunately died. On postmortem examination, a segment of the spiral colon was extremely haemorrhagic, and the luminal surface was almost black. Other parts of the colon/caecum/abomasum had some petecchiation. Extensive haemorrhaging in heart. Rumen papillae looked a bit atrophied to me, contents normal. Other than that, mainly signs of septicaemia. She tested positive for coronavirus from rectal swab. I have read there has been a few cases of coronavirus in wild ruminants in zoos overseas. My question is, do you suspect it could solely be responsible for such severe pathology? I will send samples for histopathology/culture, but in the meantime just wondering if there is something one needs to be worried about wrt the rest of the herd. These animals are unfortunately not vaccinated (much to my frustration). A feedlot colleague suggested Johne’s disease as it looks as though the walls of some of the GIT are hypertrophied. Anything else come to mind? Pierre Nel, 16 Aug 2024. Clostridial (rooiderm). Impression smears? 🤷♂️ Jacoba Dongo, [16 Aug 2024 at 14:18:18]: Not likely Johne's disease in a fat animal. I would also expect lymphadenitis to be present in Johne's disease. I agree with Pierre (Clostridial). Was there a hydropericard with or without a fibrin clot? What is history, especially nutrition and anthelmintics? Gareth Hunter, [16 Aug 2024 at 15:05:16]: Yes, this animal was in fairly good condition. There was a little more pericardial fluid than normal. No fibrin clots. They are fed teff hay and Boskos. Faecal floats are done routinely in the animals and anthelmintics are only given if high parasite loads are found. This camp hasn’t been dewormed for quite a while (probably for at least 6 months I’d say).
