Abstract
BackgroundPregnancy toxaemia (PT) is a disease that affects pregnant goats during their last month of gestation and is characterized by a high case fatality rate. This study involved 32 does maintained on a commercial dairy goat farm that were diagnosed with PT. A physical examination was performed on and haematology parameters obtained from each doe, at the time of diagnosis. The data from the 24 PT goats that died was compared with the corresponding data from the 8 PT goats that survived.ResultsPolypnea, swollen limbs, anorexia with absence of ruminal motility, recumbency, nervous signs and drooping ears were the most frequently observed clinical manifestations. Nineteen out of 21 recumbent goats died. Sixteen out of 17 goats with anorexia and absence of ruminal motility died. Mean beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) values in the goats that died were not significantly different from those in goats that survived. The blood values for pH and pCO2 (p < 0.005) as well as for HCO3 −, BE and K+ (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the goats that died than in those that survived.ConclusionsThe clinical signs most indicative of a poor prognosis are anorexia with absence of ruminal motility and recumbency. Among the blood parameters to be considered, hypokalaemia and metabolic acidosis are the most relevant. Goats with PT have a high mortality and their condition can deteriorate very fast. Based on the authors’s experience, a good strategy to minimize the economic losses caused by PT is to focus on the offspring survival rate since an early decision (induction of kidding or caesarian surgery) can increase the number of alive kids.
Highlights
Pregnancy toxaemia (PT) is a disease that affects pregnant goats during their last month of gestation and is characterized by a high case fatality rate
Lima et al Irish Veterinary Journal (2016) 69:16 this high rate of mortality of goats affected with PT, in this study we have used offspring survival rate when different clinical options are taken as an outcome measure
The objective of the present study was to establish a prognosis for dairy goats diagnosed with PT, utilizing the blood values for pH, Beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), glucose, ions (K+, Na+, Cl−), blood gases and clinical signs
Summary
Pregnancy toxaemia (PT) is a disease that affects pregnant goats during their last month of gestation and is characterized by a high case fatality rate. Lima et al Irish Veterinary Journal (2016) 69:16 this high rate of mortality of goats affected with PT, in this study we have used offspring survival rate when different clinical options are taken as an outcome measure. We hypothesized that the latter would vary depending on clinical signs and clinical pathology parameters of the dam as this focus seems to be a more useful strategy to minimize economical losses
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