SUMMER MANAGEMENT OF BOVINE SKIN DISEASES

SUMMER MANAGEMENT OF BOVINE SKIN DISEASES

Dr. Meera P. Sakhare

Assistant Professor

Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine

College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,

MAFSU, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India

 

ABSTRACT :

The skin and hair coat condition is used as an indicator of animals general health, as smooth and glossy hair coat reflects healthy body condition. The parasitic, viral, bacterial, nutritional origin diseases frequently affecting bovines now a days due to decreased immunity. Most of the skin diseases in bovines causes animal suffering through annoyance, irritation, pruritus, disfigurement, reduced feed and water intake, decreased production, loss of body weight and secondary bacterial infection. Most commonly observed skin diseases during summer months are discussed.

Key words : Skin diseases, Summer, Photosensitization, Ringworm

https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/control-management-of-important-diseases-of-sheep-goat/

INTRODUCTION :

Skin is the major organ of the body and may represent 12-24% of an animal’s body weight depending on age and species involved. The skin and hair coat condition is used as an indicator of animals general health, as smooth and glossy hair coat reflects healthy body condition. The parasitic, viral, bacterial, nutritional origin diseases frequently affecting bovines now a days due to decreased immunity. Most of the skin diseases in bovines causes animal suffering through annoyance, irritation, pruritus, disfigurement, reduced feed and water intake, decreased production, loss of body weight and secondary bacterial infection. Most commonly observed skin diseases such as Photosensitization, ringworm, wart during summer months are discussed.

 

PHOTOSENSITIZATION:

Photosensitization mostly occurs when skin exposed to sun light and lacking significant protective hair, wool, or pigmentation. Due to presence of photodynamic agents in ultraviolet light animals becomes  more susceptible to photosensitization.

Classification of photosensitization according to the source of photodynamic agent-

• Primary Photosensitization ((Type I) – Due to presence of photodynamic agents (either ingested, injected, or absorbed through the skin).
• Secondary Photosensitization ((Type II) – secondary to liver damage, resulting in retention of the photosensitizing agent phylloerythrin (a porphyrin), because of impaired hepatobiliary excretion.

Clinical signs :

• Photosensitive animals are photophobic immediately when exposed to sunlight and appear agitated and uncomfortable.
• They may scratch or rub lightly pigmented, exposed areas of skin.
• Mostly affecting the muzzle and non-pigmented skin (ears, eyelids, muzzle).
• The affected skin may ooze serum.
• During the later stages, the affected skin becomes dry and parchment-like and sloughing in final stage.

Diagnosis :

• History and clinical signs.
• Estimation of porphyrin in blood, urine, and feces.

Treatment and control :

• Immediate removal from direct sunlight/pasture and confined in dark shed (cool shaded housing) to prevent further exposure.
• Prevention of ingestion of further toxic material
• Allow to graze only during morning and evening hours.
• The administration of laxatives to eliminate toxic materials already eaten.
• Supportive therapy with systemic antibiotics, topical antibiotic powders and fly control preparations.

 

DERMATOPHYTOSIS (RINGWORM):

• Dermatophytosis is an infection of skin, hair and nail caused by colonization of dermatophytes on keratinized tissue.
• The colonizing dermatophytes are Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton.
• Highly contagious, Zoonotic disease.
• Working bullocks mostly affected.
• Younger and immuno-suppressed animals show higher incidence.
• Transmitted by direct contact with infected animal or Indirectly by contaminated fomites.
• High temperature with humidity, overcrowding, close confinement during summer more predispose to ringworm.

Clinical signs :

• Whitish circular asbestos like lesion on the forehead, around eyes, ear, neck, shoulder and
• Mild or intense pruritus, Multifocal alopecia.
• Normal food intake.
• Scaling, Crusting,
• Follicular papules

Asbestos like crusty lesions around periocular area	Typical ring like lesions on entire body, hyperpigmentation

 

Diagnosis :

• Direct Microscopic Examination (Trichography)- spores/arthroconidia on surface of infected hair.
• Cultural examination on Sabraouds dextrose agar (SDA) for confirmatory diagnosis.

Treatment and control:

• Clip affected hair, clean area, remove crust.
• Wash or spray- Povidone iodine (1%) / lime sulfur (4%) / chlorhexidine (0.5%).
• Local application of Tincture Iodine or Povidine iodine or white field lotion (Benzoic acid + salicyclic acid) BID for 20 days.
• Individual lesions can be treated with miconazole / clotrimazole lotion BID locally.
• Application of Karanja oil and Neem seed oil locally BID for 20 days.
• Chlorpheneramine maleate @ 0.5 mg/kg BW IM for 3-5 days.
• Confinement in shed and in area that can easily clean.
• Prevent introduce other/new animal.
• Remove spores from environment.
• Disinfection of shed and premises with household bleach diluted 1:10 in water.

 

Discrete circular asbestos like lesion on forehead (Before treatment)	Disappearance of lesion with Povidine iodine (After treatment)

 

PAPILLOMATOSIS (WART):

• Bovine papillomatosis is an infectious, contagious and neoplastic disease, characterized by the presence of multiple benign tumors (papillomas) that can regress spontaneously or progress to malignant neoplasms.
• There are 6 strains of bovine papilloma virus and each has an affinity for different regions on the animal.
• BPV can be transmitted by direct contact, or indirectly by feeders, water tanks, halters, or other equipment or working facilities.
• Most affected age group-6 and 24 months of age.
• It can be exhibited as benign nodular lesions, finger-like projections or cauliflower-like small growths on the skin arising from stratified squamous epithelium that may appear solitary or in multiples.
• Regress as a result of a cell-mediated immune response.

Clinical signs :

• common afftected sites are head, eyelids, ears, neck, dewlap, brisket, shoulders and legs, occasionally on the back, para-genital region and along the lower line of the abdomen.
• Papillomas may also affect the penis, vagina and teats.

Greyish wart lesions on face region	Cauliflower like wart lesion on udder and teat

 

Treatment :

• Papillomatosis is self limiting and most cases will resolve without treatment in 1-12 months.
• Isolation of affected animal will help prevent the disease from spreading to others.
• Lithium Antimony thiomalate (Anthiomaline)
• Thuja ointment locally bid
• Autogenous vaccine
• Auto-haemotherapy

 

PARAFILARIOSIS

• The Parafilarial infection is a vector-borne disease of bovines and is characterized externally by focal cutaneous hemorrhagic nodules that ooze out marking dry clotted spots (Bleeding spots) on hair coat.
• Bovine parafilariosis caused by Parafilaria bovicola is prevalent in tropical region generally after rainy season through early summer, where the vector, face flies of genus Musca are abundant.
• Bovine Parafilariosis is of economic importance particularly in beef breeds and can be easily recognized in light coloured animals and was reared in a fly dominant area.
• The draught animals like bullock appears to be more susceptible to Parafilariois.
• The haemorrhagic nodules are commonly found on the neck, shoulder, wither, thoracic area, lateral abdomen and back, which burst out during morning hours with oozing blood and serosanguinous exudates leading to the formation of bleeding sores.
• Clinical examination have presence of swollen nodules on shoulder, neck, dorsal aspect of thorax, and lateral abdomen with clotted bloody exudates dried on haircoat.

Diagnosis and treatment :

• Blood smear examination with Giemsa stain- microfialriae of Parafilaria
• Ivermectin @200µg/kg BW s/c given three days apart, two injections.
• Supportive therapy – anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic and multivitamin preparations.

Control :

• Control of fly.
• Kept animal indoor during summer.

Conclusion :

• The challenges to manage the skin diseases, length of time required for treatment, demands of the owners and regular follow up visits leads clinician a state of frustration to treat skin diseases.
• Provide nutritious feed to enhance immunity, plenty of water, a clean pen protected from dampness and drafts and isolation and treatment of affected animals.

References :

Bhatia, B.B., Pathak, K.M.L. and Banerjee, D.P. (2006) Textbook of Veterinary Parasitology.2^ndedn.Kalyani publishers, Ludhiana-8 (India) Pp.191-192.

Feyisa, A.F. (2018) Cutaneous Bovine Papillomatosis (Warts) Treatment Outcome Using Ivermectin: A Case of Crossbred Heifer and Calf. J Vet Sci Technol 2018: 9:2.

Radostits, O.M., Gay, C.C., Hinchcliff K.W. and Constable, P.D. (2007) Veterinary Medicine. Textbook of the disease of Cattle, horses, Sheep, Pigs and Goats 10^thEdn.Saunders Elsevier publications, Philadelphia, USA.Pp. 1574.

Sharma R.D., Kumar Mahesh and Sharma M.C. (2010) Textbook of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology. I edn.ICAR Publication, New Delhi Pp.647-650.

Soulsby E.J.L. (2005) Helminthes, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals.VIIedn. ELBS and BaillereTindall, London, Pp. 313-314.

https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-a-z/cattle/skin-conditions-in-cattle-non-parasitic/