Erik Verrynne, 9 Mar 2024 A client lost 14 sable (basically all except for the bull) which ranged from 6 months to adult cows - all in a matter of a few days. The sable in the adjacent paddock (10m corridor in between) were not visibly affected. The owner thought it was poison leaves, but when presented with rumen content, I could not find any leaves. This prompted the owner to allow me to do a PM on the last of the heifers, and dart the bull and a very heavily pregnant cow. The heifer pm showed marked anaemia, ascites, hydrothorax, spleen enlargement, severe lung oedema, but I could not find wireworm in the abomasum, omasum or small intestines. Some ticks and also what looked like brown ear ticks. Lnn were slightly swollen. Rest of the organs, except the liver, started showing post mortal changes. I darted the cow, very anaemic and dewormed her plus adding blood building vitamins. I took blood but she died shortly after reversal. Her HT= 13.4%, platelets 251, Hg =4.4g/dl, Gran 0.7x 109/l No parasites or signs of regeneration on the blood smear. Some eosinophils. Blood chemistry seems normal and certainly no icterus. The owner has been feeding pellets treated with Prodose Orange for about the last 3 weeks.. What am I missing? Apart from the wire worms? And why only in one paddock? Is this management related? Henry Labuschagne, [10 Mar 2024 at 07:27:54]: Erik. If you dart them and they are pale: I find they can be kept under for a long time but they die at reversal. I supply oxygen and do a blood transfusion before reversal. I have done a few without issue by directly transferring blood from another animal or even from a jersey cow. When the mucous membrane gets pink, you can stop the transfusion and do the reversal (a practical but not scientifically sound method!). My first DD is Haemonchus. If they were on Prodose, it could be that the worms were killed and thus not visible in the abomasum but the damage caused was still visible. Get proper Hx eg. previous problems with wireworm. Did you do a faecal flotation? Richard Burroughs, 10 Mar 2024 I agree. Haemonchus would be top of my list Henry Labuschagne, [10 Mar 2024 at 07:42:06]: H.O., to answer your comment – it’s practical if you have a Jersey cow in your pocket . I recommend to game farmers that I serve to keep a Jersey cow. It’s very handy to supply fresh milk to workers and to orphaned antelope that needs bottle feeding. I prefer Jersey cows due to their creamy milk and calm nature. Its also handy for xenotransfusion: I do not want to collect blood from an animal in a herd where there is a worm problem and the donor also has a low Ht. I had cases where faecal egg counts were high and the farmer calls you to treat a weak animal, so you expect an animal with low Ht. If he hasn't got a cow, I collect blood from a cow of another client and take it with RTU prn so you don't need to dart another animal and waste valuable time. Henry Labuschagne, [10 Mar 2024 at 18:28:27]: I would do a faecal exam on a fresh sample and dart animals with a dropout Doraject dart if worms are a problem. Increase the plane of nutrition. Prodose Orange can cause blindness if overdosed. Luis Amaral, [10 Mar 2024 at 19:16:40]: Wirecide in a dropout dart also works well where there is wireworm resistant populations.
