Clinical Management of Septic Arthritis in a Sheep: A Case Report

A 5-year-old male adult Merino sheep was presented to the Large Animal Unit, University Veterinary Hospital, UPM, with a complaint of inappetence and bilateral swelling of carpal joints. Clinical examination revealed that the sheep was dehydrated (7%), recumbent,pyrexic and has congested conjunctiva. The right carpal joint had a foul smelling wound (2cm x2cm) characterized by purulent exudates and maggots. The complete blood count (CBC) results revealed that the sheep had mild anemia with neutrophilic left shift and monocytosis whereas serum biochemistry revealed slight hyperbilirubinemia, hyperglobulinemia, hyperproteinemia and hypochloremia. From the history and clinical examination, the case was diagnosed as septic arthritis. Clinical treatment plan for this sheep were fluid therapy where 4L of Lactated Ringer’s solution together with 70 mL of dulphalyte was infused intravenously once. Wound cleaning at the joints were performed using povidone iodine daily for 10 days. Systemic antibiotic oxytetracycline (20mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly SID twice at 72 hours interval. Flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg) as NSAID was administered intramuscularly TID for duration of 5 days whereas Dexamethasone (1mg/kg) as steroidal was administered intramuscularly SID twice at 72 hours interval. On the 8th day post treatment the prognosis of the case was good and the sheep was bright and alert with good appetite and the swelling at joints were resolved and the wound on the right carpal joint had healed. This case report highlights the clinical management of septic arthritis in a sheep.