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improves the effect of the antimicrobials by enhancing im
munity and feed intake. Aspirin given orally not only re
duces fever, but also pain and inflammation. A newer
product for control of pain, inflammation, and fever is
flunixin meglumine (Benamine) which is given by injection.
Drug selection can also be determined from an antimicro
bial susceptibility test performed at the diagnostic labora
tory. In a respiratory disease outbreak, sample submission
for this procedure can come from a tracheal wash taken
from a live infected animal or a piece of lung taken from an
animal that died from the disease. Treatment for BRD
should continue for about 48 hours after signs and elevated
temperature have abated, a total of about 3 to 5 days with a
successful response.
For best success, sick cattle should be kept dry and pro
vided with shelter from cold winds or hot sun. They should
not be overcrowded and receive good quality long stem hay.
What Is A Foreign Animal Disease?
Amy NesslCrodt, Regional Veterinary Officer,
APHIS, Harrisburg Office
Most producers and veterinarians don’t spend a lot of
time worrying about Foreign Animal Diseases. They are not
something we expect to encounter in our every day life, and
thus are not something most of us are concerned about. “It
will never happen here” is a common thought. Unfortu
nately, this attitude can get us into trouble. The threat from
Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD’s) is very real.
No matter what species you raise, there have likely been
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A separate hospital facility for cattle during treatment
offers freedom from competition with other cattle, a better
opportunity for assessment and treatment of individual ani
mals, and reduced exposure of healthy animals to infectious
organisms.
When treating cattle by injection, remember to observe
the procedures that minimize injection site blemishes. Spe
cifically, injections should be given subcutaneously, beneath
the skin, rather than in the muscle whenever that is a choice
listed in the literature provided with the product. If it is nec
essary to use intramuscular injections, limit them to 10
ml/site and try to move them around during the entire treat
ment period. Injections should be located in the neck or im
mediately behind the front leg rather than the more
valuable cuts of meat in the hind legs. Be sure to keep good
treatment records and be aware of the antibiotic withdrawal
times to avoid residue violations in animals sold or sent to
slaughter.
recent outbreaks of serious FAD’s somewhere in the world
affecting that species. For instance, there is currently Highly
Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Italy. Taiwan is experiencing
problems with Foot and Mouth Disease in goats, which is a
disease that can seriously affect swine and cattle also.
Bovine Spongiform Encephlopathy has devastated the
cattle industries in countries that have been plagued with
this disease. The zoonotic implications have caused wide
spread panic among consumers of beef and dairy products.
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