# Help, CL disease!!  **** Pictures very worried!



## Arabiansnob (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi, i got a couple new goats today and I notice that one of them has kinda of a lump on her neck area, its very hard.  and I was reading about CL disease in goats, and now I am very very worried!!   Im going out to get some pictures buut could someone tell me alittle more about this disease.  The woman I got her from is a good friend and has had her for over a year, she has never had a problem with her, she isn't thin and eats very well and fat.  I dont know if its me worrieing to much but i would really like some Help!





Here is a cuople pictures please look, im really worried:


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 5, 2012)

I am writing an article on CL right now. lol I am going to put it up here as soon as I am done. For now, however, I will try and give you an answer.

First of all, CL is not as bad as it is made out to be. The only thing it does to a goat, or sheep, is cause swelling of the lymph nodes. There are two kinds of CL, internal and external. I will try and get to both of them.

The only way a goat can get CL is thru direct contact with the CL pus. It must be ingested or enter the body thru a cut or any body opening. It is not transmitted thru body fluids, nor is it transmitted sexually or by birth.

It take 2-6 months for a lump to appear after the animal has come in contact with the pus. Most of the time it takes about 6 months. The lump(s) will be on a lymph nodes and nowhere else. The lump will appear overnight it seems and it will continue to grow until it starts to lose hair on the lump at which time it is only a few days away from bursting. Once it is open it will be leaking the very contagious pus, possibly affecting the other goats or sheep. The best way to prevent that from happening is, when you see the hair falling of you separate the animal away from all others. You then must place the animal on a tarp or plastic (something you can throw away). It is best if you can restrain the animal, it makes it easier to deal with it. You lance the lump either in an X pattern or straight down. Squeeze the puss into a container so you can send it into a lab that tests for CL. Be sure to squeeze all the pus out and then flush with water. Then flush it with rubbing alcohol and let it sit for 2-8 minutes, preferably longer. Alcohol takes 2-8 minutes for it to kill whatever it need to. After letting it sit for a few flush the lump with iodine. Be sure to do it in and around the lump. Try and clean the goat up because there will be some blood and maybe some pus. The pus is yellow/white and sometimes has an bad smell, but not always.


I believe that CL can be easily controlled is is not a big deal. It is made out to be because many don't know what it really is. I have heard people say it is a death sentence. Where they get that from, I have no idea. It is not bad like CAE. It is easily maintained and really doesn't do harm to the goat.

Internal CL is a very different case. With internal CL the goat will lose weight, act sickly, cough alot, and hang behind the herd. Internal CL causes the lumps on the lungs and other internal organs. It is said that it could be transmitted thru feces if there are lumps in the colon. The danger with internal CL is that when the lump bursts in the body it causes sickness to the goat. If an animal has internal CL I would highly recommend culling it. 

CL does not mean you cannot eat it. If you slaughter a a goat with CL all you have to do is cut the abscess out.


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## Arabiansnob (Aug 5, 2012)

So I shouldn't worrie to much about this?   Do these pictures look like it is CL disease??  How do I test for it?  and is it expensive?  Right now i have currently 11 goats,...


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## HankTheTank (Aug 5, 2012)

You test for it by either bringing your goat to a vet where they will take a sample and send it  to a lab, taking a blood sample and sending it yourself, or having a vet come to your house to take the sample. The results usually come back in about a week.

It can be a big deal if you planned on showing or if you interact with other people's goats. Like SHK said, it's not a death sentence, though it's definitely something you want to avoid if possible. It's a good idea to do a lot of research on it.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 5, 2012)

You can do several test for it. You can do a blood test or have the pus tested. That is the best way to do it. UC Davis and Washington State do CL testing. They are two of only three that I know of. They are both very good and the only two I would recommend. 

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/FAQ/cl.aspx

There is more info on it here:

http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/caseouslymphadenitis.html

Yes, the abscess looks to be on a lymph node. Also,it is very reasonably priced in my opinion.
And do remember, not all abscesses are CL. If there is a lump on a goat people scream CL before they even think. It is very suspect due to the fact it is on a lymph node, but the ONLY way to tell is to test.


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## HankTheTank (Aug 5, 2012)

Cornell does testing too, that's where mine got sent to. The vet will know where to have it sent. If you're not sure what to do I'd recommend at least asking a vets opinion.


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## 20kidsonhill (Aug 6, 2012)

If it tests positive, or even  if it doesn't you can order vaccine for CL for goats through Jeffers and vaccinate your herd. They just came out with the goat vaccine. Before you either had to use the sheep vaccine or have a vaccine made for your farm.


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## Marianne (Aug 6, 2012)

I would suggest getting your goat tested as soon as possible because having the absess erupt puts your whole herd at risk and contaminates your pens/pasture.  I, too, had CLA appear out of nowhere.  Developed in a nannie nursing twins.  Vet guesses that CLA took advantage of compromised immunity with pregnancy and delivery.  When it turned out to be CL, I suspected having all three with the problem and ordered Formalin for treatment.   Using Formalin is no easy task, but lancing and draining would be much more difficult and traumatic for the goat.  Treating one or two goats with Formalin can certainly be done, but monitoring and treating a herd of infected goats would be a big task.   In the end, all three of my CL goats are now gone and EVERY GOAT I have will be vaccinated.  Used the new vaccine with absolutely no side effects -- Hope it works as well as touted!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 6, 2012)

I too have heard of the 10% Formalin. I have never used it before but I would try it and see how it works. It is supposed to dry the abscess up and let it fall of in a scab form. It is said that it can no longer infect other goats. I do have to say that lancing and draining an abscess is not a big deal and is very easy. The goat also does not feel it because the nerves have been stretched due to the abscess. SO it does not hurt the goat nor is is traumatic. It's almost as if nothing eer happened. The goat acts and is completely normal. It just has to be away from the rest of the herd for a few days, until it heals.


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