Malignant Catarrhal Fever

[Kate]

I would be interested to know if anyone has ever had a dexter suffer from this disease ! Would love to hear your input Duncan !!!!- its a disease I have never heard off but having sheep and cows that at times are in contact - we have suffered our first (and hope last) dexter fatality - not 100% confirmed by the vets - but from reading into it further I feel it was this.
Not nice at all and my decision to have the animal put to sleep to stop its suffering.
Kate

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Hello Kate, fortunately this is a disease I see very little of, one maybe every 5 years or so, no more than that. And none of these in Dexters, but since my Dexters are the only ones in our practice I am doubly grateful for that.

It is a nasty virus disease which seems to have a natural reservoir in sheep and deer, I think possibly other species such as Wildebeeste. When it does get into bovine they have high fever, very very dull, horrible eye lesions, blind, just deteriorate and die. Not nice, sorry you have had one. Fortunately, as far as I know, it does tend to be very much a one off in a herd and not affect multiple cows at the same time.

[Kate]

Well I am glad you see little of it Duncan - as it is horrible to see an animal deteriorate like that. Its finished with now and have to get on with life having learnt a lesson - even though we have kept cattle and sheep in close contact for many years and never had a problem !!
best wishes kate