Fever/Septicaemia

• Fever is a generalised sign of disease that can produce changes to body tissues.
• Septicaemia (sepsis, or ‘blood poisoning’) is a life-threatening condition due to spreading by bacterial infection (via the blood stream), and an acute, generalised inflammatory response.
• Septicaemia and fever often occur together. Both conditions can produce changes to the carcase that require condemnation.
• Affected carcases are prone to putrefaction, often have cloudy fluid collection in tissue, darkened tissues, enlarged lymph node glands and evidence of bleeding within organs and muscles.
• The signs are general and simply reflect the presence of severe infection.

• Localised infections can result in bacteria gaining entry to the blood stream.
• Many bacteria and many sites of infection can lead to septicaemia. Septicaemia may develop from severe pneumonia, gut infections or from contaminated wounds (e.g. at marking etc.)
• The infection produces toxins, which damage tissues.
• Bacteria (and toxins) in the blood stream will stimulate acute inflammatory response by the body, and these further promote change in tissues such as reddening and swelling).
• An outbreak of septicaemia indicates animals are exposed as a group to infection. Immediate veterinary investigation is warranted.

• Affected cattle are often depressed and won’t eat.
• In the early stages of disease, they may have an elevated temperature and respiratory rate. This may progress to a decrease in temperature as disease progresses.
• Death may follow shortly after the onset of signs.
• The gums and membranes can show signs of small haemorrhages (mini bleeds) and lymph nodes may be enlarged and/or painful.

• A veterinarian can assist in diagnosis and management. 
• Samples may need be collected and sent to the laboratory for culture to determine the bacteria involved.
• Post mortem examination can identify the primary site of infection.

• Affected animals may require antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria from the blood stream and anti-inflammatory medications to counteract the effect of toxins, and the body’s response to the toxins.  
• Affected cattle should be withheld from slaughter.

• Requires identification of the source of the bacteria and the site of first infection. Control of these routes into the body underpin prevention.
• This may include use of sterile marking equipment, clean yards and changed practices if an outbreak is due to poor sterility practices.  

National Sheep Health Monitoring Project (general information)

Animal Health Australia - Cattle health and biosecurity (general information)