Easter born Lambs
Seasonally, during the months of April to June, lamb carcasses are observed presenting with:
- Pallor and jaundice of varying degrees of intensity, which can affect all animals in the game.
- Enlarged spleen (sometimes very evident) and liver.
- The general live appearance of the animals is usually normal as well as conformation and fat cover.
- Anecdotally, some shepherds say these "are lambs born on Easter".
Previously animals with similar symptoms, had been diagnosed of Eperythrozoon ovis.
The query was:
What samples would be appropriate to confirm the diagnosis of this pathologyi? (And how to keep and send them)
Which criteria would be suited to determine whether this carcasses should be condemned or not?
Ovine Eperythrozoonosis (now the name of the agent is Mycoplasma ovis) is a disease that primarily causes anemia, effusions and, in some cases, jaundice. Macroscopically different phenomena can be observed: the appearance of normal or slightly altered kidneys due to hemosiderosis (orange brown) or hemoglobinuria (blue), enlarged spleen and soft, hyperplastic lymph nodes.
For laboratory diagnosis of this process it is necessary to submit unstained, air dried blood smears to determine the presence of Mycoplasma ovis and formalin fixed samples of liver, spleen, kidney and lymph nodes to rule out other lesions.
This is a systemic process with a widespread involvement of the carcass.
Moderate increase of liver and spleen size.
Mild carcass jaundice.
