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Sulphur‐induced polioencephalomalacia in lambs
Author(s) -
Low J. C.,
Scott P. R.,
Howie F.,
Lewis M.,
FitzSimons J.,
Spence J. A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.138.14.327
Subject(s) - dexamethasone , outbreak , blindness , medicine , depression (economics) , antibiotics , thiamine , nystagmus , zoology , physiology , pediatrics , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , psychiatry , optometry , economics , macroeconomics
An outbreak of polioencephalomalacia affected 16 of 46 Swaledale lambs and five of 25 Scottish blackface lambs 15 to 32 days after they were introduced to an ad libitum concentrate ration containing 0.43 per cent sulphur. The clinical signs were acute and included depression, central blindness and head‐pressing, but no hyperaesthesia, nystagmus, dorsiflexion of the neck or opisthotonos were observed. Treatment of the affected lambs with vitamin B 1 , dexamethasone and antibiotics was associated with a prolonged recovery period, though no further cases were identified after vitamin B 1 had been given parenterally to all the lambs at risk.