1. Emphysematous abomasitis in one month old lambs
Hein Snyman BVSc
DVSc Anatomic Pathology Resident
Department of Pathobiology
Ontario Veterinary College
University of Guelph

2. Signalment
One month old lambs (n=3)
Male
Rideau Arcott

3. History Novice small scale operation Farmer away on the weekend
Returned to find 3 lambs dead
Acute death within last 36 hours
Growing well

4. Gross findings Good body condition
Fibrinous peritonitis & serosal petechiae
Abomasal mucosal haemorrhage, necrosis and ulceration
Exuberant autolysis of the kidney and liver

15. Gram + Rods

16. Ancillary diagnostics
Faecal flotation – NAD
Bacterial culture:
4 + Clostridium perfringens
3 + Mannheimia haemolytica
Clostridial Fluorescent
antibody test (FAT)
Clostridium septicum

17. Diagnosis
Mdx - Emphysematous, necrotizing and suppurative abomasitis, trans mural, regionally extensive, acute. Edx - Clostridial gangrenous abomasitis/Braxy Etiology – Clostridium septicum & C. perfringens

18. Braxy Highly fatal Acute to peracute Treatment rarely successful
NW Europe
Norway, Denmark, North Germany, Iceland and the Faroe islands – Bradsot
UK, Ireland, North America and Australia

19. Braxy Low prevalence Cold winters Overwintering on summer pasture
Autumn, early to mid winter
North America – early spring

20. Braxy
Severe oedema, necrosis and gangrenous inflammation of the mucosa of the abomasum
C. septicum, C. novyi, C. perfringens type A & C

21. Braxy Good condition 6 to 18 months Morbidity up to 50 % Calves
Abomasal ulcers

22. Pathogenesis Poorly understood
Mucosal invasion and proliferation without any predisposing lesion
Coarse and frozen vegetation
Toxin production
Abomasal canula – Glucose & VFA’s
Centrifugal emphysematous lesions
Ellis T.M., Rowe J.B. and Lloyd J.M. (1983). Acute abomasitis due to Clostridium septicum infection in experimental sheep. Aust. Vet. J. 60,

23. Prevention Immunoprophylaxis Toxoid/Bacterin No vaccination protocol
No Clostridial vaccines

24. References
Coetzer J.A.W., Tustin R.C. Infectious diseases of livestock, 2nd Edition, Volume Three, Section Five: Bacterial diseases, 183 Clostidium septicum infections, pg
Ellis T.M., Rowe J.B. and Lloyd J.M. (1983). Acute abomasitis due to Clostridium septicum infection in experimental sheep. Aust. Vet. J. 60,
Eustis S.L. and Bergeland M.E. (1981). Suppurative abomasitis associated with Clostridium septicum infection. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 178,
Songer JG. (1996). Clostridial enteric diseases of domestic animals. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 9,