Caseous Lymphadenitis Managment in Goats

January 2017

AG/Goats/2017-01pr

Caseous Lymphadenitis Management in Goats
C. Kim Chapman, M.S., Small Ruminant Specialist, Utah State University Extension
Matthew J. Kennedy, M.S.P.H., Coordinator, East African Refugee Goat Project of Utah

Introduction
Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) is a chronically
infectious, zoonotic disease of sheep and goats that
is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium
pseudotuberculosis. CL causes abscesses in both
goats and sheep which can be difficult to cure and
can lead to reduced production and on occasion,
death.

Found throughout the world, CL causes ulcerative
lymphadenitis in horses and superficial abscesses in
cattle, swine, rabbits, deer, laboratory animals, and
humans.
Economic losses due to CL result from loss of
breeding stock sales, reduced productivity, carcass
condemnation due to internal abscesses, animal
death, and abscesses that devalue hides.
C. pseudotuberculosis bacteria is hardy and can
survive in the soil for up to 2 years, even in dry
climates with high sun exposure. CL is transferred
between animals or to humans through the skin or
by ingestion, inhalation, or contact with
contaminated equipment, facilities, pastures, and
troughs. This transfer commonly occurs when an
abscess ruptures and the contagious pus enters
another animal through direct contact, open
wounds, ingestion or via vectors such as flies.
CL positive does can also transmit CL to kids
through nursing if a CL abscess is found on the
mammary gland. The disease can also be transferred
through contaminated needles during vaccinations.
Clinical Signs
CL can occur both internally and externally in sheep
and goats.

Figure 1: Abscess beginning to rupture naturally, abscesses
that occur under the ear can be very hard to spot.

attaches. However, they can occur anywhere on the
body. These abscesses are frequently, but not
always, adjacent to lymph nodes. Most often
abscesses present on the neck, jawline, and
shoulder. The abscesses range from firm to soft
when palpated. Some are well defined and rounded,
and typically contain a pasty, thick white/
yellow/ greenish pus. The pus is generally odorless,
but can have a strong odor in advanced abscesses.
Internal Abscesses
Internally, CL causes abscesses on the animals’
organs and lymph nodes. Specific organs impacted
may include the lungs, kidney and liver. These can
only be seen during necropsy. Internal CL is often
fatal to the animal, and generally causes chronic
weight loss.
Figure 2: Abscess close to bursting under animals’ left
jaw near the neck. Note the loss of hair.

External Abscesses
Externally, CL often presents as abscesses visible
behind the ears, beneath the jaw or neck, on the
shoulders, in the rear flank region and occasionally
behind the legs where the scrotum or udder

Figure 3: Abscess located on animals’ neck. Some
abscesses can be 3-4 inches across.

Typically, in goats, CL presents externally with
more frequency than internally, while sheep are
more prone to internal abscesses.
It can take 2 to 6 months for physical signs to
present after infection.
Carcass Rejection
A carcass may be rejected (condemned) during
processing if more than one abscess is found
externally, or if there is the presence of internal
abscesses. Animals with actively draining abscesses
cannot be sold commercially.
General Herd CL Management
The following management suggestions can be
implemented to reduce the likelihood of CL
infection in a herd or to reduce it from spreading
within a herd upon discovery.
• Constant vigilance.
o Herd should be constantly monitored
for presence of abscesses
(cysts/boils/etc.).
o Whenever animals are confined,
such as during vaccinations or hoof
trimming, thoroughly check each
animal for clinical signs of the
disease’s presence.
o Special care should be taken to check
on the jawline, under the ears, the
neck and behind the shoulders. See
figures above.
• If a goat is found to have an abscess, treat it
as if it is CL!

o Immediately isolate the goat from
the rest of the herd, preferably in an
area that can be easily disinfected.
o Wear gloves when draining the
abscess to avoid infection.
o To take a sterile sample:
 Scrub the area surrounding
the abscess with
chlorhexidine.
 Remove residue with
isopropyl alcohol.
 With sterile syringe, collect
sample from abscess.
 Place the sample in a sterile
vile and label it so it can be
sent to a veterinary diagnostic
lab for testing and
identification.
o Use a disposable scalpel to cut the
abscess and drain it, before it
ruptures on its own.
 Make the incision near the
bottom of the abscess, to
make draining easier.
o Create a cross cut (+) to better drain
the abscess, as the fluid can be very
thick.
o Completely drain the abscess. There
is often a large amount of fluid
present.
 The abscess can be drained
into a disposable plastic bag
to make cleanup easier and
reduce contamination of the
isolation pen
o Flush the abscess cavity thoroughly
with a diluted iodine solution.
 Flush until no more pus can
be seen coming from the
drain.
 Flush the wound daily for 3
days after treatment.
o Treat wound with scarlet oil or
similar wound spray.
o Keep the infected animal isolated
from the rest of the herd until the
wound is completely healed
 It is preferable to isolate the
goats completely until the
wound is scabbed over. They
can then be allowed into the
corral with the other treated

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goats until the wound is
completely healed.
o Thoroughly disinfect the area where
the isolated animals were housed
using bleach or chlorhexidine. This
disinfecting includes troughs, water
buckets and structures.
o Rake up any bedding material, loose
feed, or waste and burn it.
o Disinfect, incinerate or properly
dispose of gloves, paper towels,
scalpels, and lining material
immediately after use.
Keep thorough records of each animal with
abscesses and results of diagnostic tests.
Vaccinate the remainder of the herd to
reduce the risk of new cases.
o Develop an autogenous vaccine from
collected samples within the herd
 Test on a small number of
goats first to assess potential
side effects.
o Purchase a commercially available
goat specific CL vaccine to treat
young, uninfected goats.
Minimize the number of sharp surfaces in
corral facilities to reduce disease spread.
o Exposed nails, barbed wire, rough
feeders, etc., may cause abscesses to
rupture, spreading the disease to
other animals in the herd.
Improve/increase fly treatment to reduce
disease spread.
Disinfect hoof trimmers, shears, dehorners,
etc., between individual animals.
Consider culling older, infected does if it is
possible.
To reduce risk of introduction or spread, be
cautious when introducing new animals into
the herd.
o Thoroughly inspect the animal for
signs of current abscesses or
scarring.
o Infected bucks with open abscesses
can quickly spread the disease to any
doe they breed and should not be
used for breeding purposes.

Implications for Disposal of CL Positive
Animals
Scenario 1: Cull infected animals and sell them for
meat.
• Animals with active infections cannot be
sold until the abscess is completely healed.
• Animal must first be treated and completely
healed before sale.
• Purchaser must be informed of the potential
of CL being present internally in the carcass.
• Animal should be presented for harvest at a
state inspected harvest facility or if the
animal is being harvested on the farm, an
individual trained to recognized internal CL
abscesses should be present to reject the
carcass if abscesses are found.
• Any animal sold that is found to have
internal CL abscesses will be disposed of
and the price refunded to the buyer so no
part of the animal can be consumed.
Scenario 2: Treat breeding animals and reintroduce
them to the herd.
• Follow the general herd CL management
recommendations.
• Be even more vigilant in watching
previously infected animals for recurrence.
o Particular times to assess herd in
order to reduce disease spread
include prior to breeding and prior to
kidding (abscesses on udders).
• Cull the animal when other production
parameters warrant culling, or if there is a
recurrence of the CL.

Conclusion
A CL diagnosis is not necessarily a death knell for
an infected animal. However, management
following a CL diagnosis must be increased to
prevent the disease from spreading and becoming a
persistent problem within the herd. CL can be
managed to a successful conclusion if the proper
management steps and vigilance are maintained.
Sources
Leite-Browning, M.L., 2016. Caseous
Lymphadenitis (CL) in Goats and Sheep,
Alabama A&M University,
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP0085/index2.tmpl Accessed October 4, 2016.
Pezzanite, L., Neary, M., Hutchens, T. and Scharko,
P. 2009. Common Diseases and Health
Problems in Sheep and Goats, Purdue
University Extension Fact Sheet
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/as/
as-595-commondiseases.pdf Accessed October
7, 2016.
Washburn, K., 2014. Caseous Lymphadenitis of
Sheep and Goats. The Merck Veterinary
Manual,
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/circulat
ory_system/lymphadenitis_and_lymphangitis/c
aseous_lymphadenitis_of_sheep_and_goats.ht
ml Accessed October 9, 2016.

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