Aspiration Pneumonia

Inhalation or aspiration of feed, saliva, or medication causes a cough and a non-specific pneumonia, from which a mixture of organisms can often be isolated. Unless for­eign material such as a plant awn (King 1989), feed particles, or mineral oil is found in the affected lung at nec­ropsy, the true etiology of the pneumonia may be overlooked.

Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy

Aspiration is a common sequela to nutritional muscular dys­trophy (white muscle disease) in rapidly growing, well-fed kids. These kids cough after drinking and milk may appear at the nostrils because of weakness of the muscles of degluti­tion in the pharynx and tongue. Other animals in the herd may show stiffness, heart failure, dandruff, or off-flavored milk. A subcutaneous injection of vitamin E and selenium is reasonable adjunctive therapy for any kid with pneumonia, as selenium deficiency will also impair immune function. The diagnosis and prevention of nutritional muscular dys­trophy are discussed in detail in Chapters 4 and 19.

Iatrogenic Aspiration Pneumonia

Although cleft palate and inadequate function of pharyn­geal and laryngeal muscles due to nutritional muscular dystrophy can occur in very young kids, improper force feeding is another common cause of aspiration in this age group. It is far better for a kid to be tube-fed (see Chapter 19) than for milk to be dripped or squirted into the mouth of a kid that is unable to swallow.

Errors in administration of medication (e.g., anthelmintic drench, propylene glycol, mineral oil) can cause aspiration pneumonia. Dyspnea, cyanosis, mild fever or subnormal temperature, nasal discharge, mild coughing, crackles, and wheezes are often noted within a few hours after improper drenching. A radiograph reveals a ground-glass appearance of involved areas of the lung (Ahuja et al. 1985).

When eliciting a complete history, it is prudent to ask if anything has been given orally before questioning the carefulness of administration. If surgery has been recently performed by another veterinarian, that veteri­narian rather than the owner should be asked if a cuffed endotracheal tube was used.

Neurologic Causes of Dysphagia

Any neurologic disease that interferes with the goat's abil­ity to swallow can cause secondary pneumonia. The most common of these are listeriosis and CAE, but pituitary abscess, cerebrospinal nematodiasis, and botulism are other possibilities.

Plant Poisoning

Plant poisoning with members of the heath family (Ericaceae), including rhododendrons, laurels, and Japanese pieris, produces a syndrome of abdominal dis­comfort that normally includes vomiting as a prominent sign (Knight and Walter 2001). Goats that have received a sublethal dose of the toxic principles, grayanotoxins, may develop inhalation pneumonia subsequent to vomiting. Likewise, if IV lipid emulsion treatment successfully addresses the acute signs caused by grayanotoxins, serious or even fatal inhalation pneumonia may still develop (Bischoff et al. 2014). Therefore, prophylactic antibiotics are indicated when poisoning with these plants occurs. Consumption of sneezeweeds (Helenium and Dugaldia spp.), bitterweed (Hymenoxys spp.), and desert baileya (Baileya multiradiata) on ranges in the western United States has also produced aspiration pneumonia in sheep and goats (Knight and Walter 2001). In South Africa, Geigeria spp. cause vermeersiekte (vomiting disease; regur­gitation and hence aspiration) in sheep and goats (Kellerman et al. 2005). Additional signs in goats include stiffness and paralysis.