A three-month-old lamb was euthanised on welfare grounds by a private veterinary practitioner as it was found with breathing difficulties from a suspected oral dosing gun injury.
The animal was brought to the Dublin regional veterinary laboratory (RVL) for a postmortem in the month of May this year.
The group of lambs had been orally dosed four days before the lamb was euthanised.
The RVL found that the lamb was in good body score condition, but had swelling under the jaw.
Extensive trauma and haemorrhaging of the throat were observed, as well as swelling of the oesophagus and mouth.
The report detailed that this was “classic damage from a rough or incorrectly angled dosing gun nozzle”.
These injuries are easy to miss externally, but can lead to the formation of abscesses, difficulty swallowing, choking and death.
Prevention
The report from RVLs around the country noted that mortality from dosing gun injuries is frequently down to improper application technique.
“Equipment selection should be species and weight appropriate: bolus guns must match the manufacturer-specified device for each product,” the report stated.
“Drenching guns should be calibrated and maintained to deliver accurate volumes without excessive nozzle pressure. Farmers should be counselled that adequate physical restraint is essential.
“Sudden head movement during bolus delivery is a primary mechanism of pharyngeal and oesophageal trauma and liquid drenching performed in an improperly restrained or incorrectly positioned animal carries a significant aspiration risk.”
SHARING OPTIONS