Ovine Coccidiosis: A Case Report

Parasitism in food animal is of great economic importance. Coccidiosis is one of the gastrointestinal parasites that have a high detrimental effect on the sheep industry. A two and a half year-old ram was brought from the northern part of Nigeria into the University Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria on the 30th December, 2010. About two weeks later, the ram was observed passing diarrheic feces, frequently urinating (4 minutes interval) and mucopurulent nasal discharge. Clinical examination revealed fever, congested mucous membrane, slight dehydration, matted hind-quarter, respiratory distress and lethargy. Based on clinical signs, intestinal protozoan infection and peste de petits ruminants (PPR) were tentatively diagnosed. Initial management which included metronidazole oral, 20% oxytetracycline, 20% tylosin and multivitamins yielded no positive response. Laboratory results revealed presence of heavy coccidian oocyst. The combination of potentiated oral sulphonamide and parenteral sulfadimidine sodium injection proved very effective. This report shows that sheep of any age bracket can present clinical condition of coccidiosis at any season of the year if exposed to factors that favour the incidence of the disease and also that advanced cases of ovine coccidiosis may need combination therapy for effective treatment.