Naturally Occurring Ehrlichia ewingii and Mycoplasma sp. Co‐Infection in a Goat

A 9-year-old nonpregnant, nonlactating doe Boer goat was examined because of a 2-day history of not being able to stand. Other than diarrhea associated with coccidiosis in the first year of life, the goat did not have a history of illness. The owner had obtained the goat at approximately 2 months of age. The goat lived with 3 other goats in the same pen on the same premise located on the coastal plains of North Carolina. The goats spent the majority of time in a barn, with access to a wooded 1-acre lot where they browsed. Routine deworming prophylaxis was verified by fecal egg counts. The goat was vaccinated for clostridial diseases, was fed 1 cup of 13.5% protein commercial goat pellets twice a day, and had free access to good quality coastal Bermuda hay. At presentation for recumbency, the goat was nonweight bearing on the right forelimb and could stand only with assistance, but was unable to walk. Otherwise, the goat was bright, alert, responsive, and had a good appetite. Body condition score (5/5), body weight (65.5 kg), rectal temperature (39.2°C [102.5°F]), heart rate (80 beats per minute), respiratory rate (24 breaths per minute), mucous membrane color, and capillary refill time were normal. An abscess was present on the ventral aspect of the mammary gland. To further assess the lameness, lateral, craniocaudal, and oblique radiographs of the right humerus were obtained, and a mildly comminuted, moderately proximo-caudally and medially displaced short oblique fracture of the proximal humeral diaphysis was identified (Fig 1). Marked soft tissue swelling was associated with the fracture. Mild rounding and blunting of the fracture margins without evidence of callus formation were observed and, consequently, some degree of chronicity (>7–10 days) was considered likely. A CBC identified mild macrocytic normochromic anemia (PCV, 20%; reference range, 22–38%; mean cell volume [MCV], 26.4 fL; reference range, 16–24 fL; mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC],