Characteristics, prevalence and aetiology of lesions of the oral mucosa in adult sheep

Abstract

A total of 214 sheep with lesions of the oral mucosa were recorded at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional laboratories between March 15, 2002 and February 28, 2003. Using denominator data from the scrapie abattoir survey a prevalence of 0.95 per cent (95 per cent CI 0.82 to 1.10 per cent) was recorded, and using the fallen stock survey a prevalence of 1.15 per cent (95 per cent CI 0.64 to 1.91 per cent) was recorded. The lesions varied widely and included dental pad lesions in 20 per cent of cases. In total, 248 sites were affected, the commonest being the lower gum below the incisors, which was affected in 100 sheep. Most of the lesions were 1 cm or less in diameter. Ninety per cent of the 251 lesions examined histologically were erosions, ulcers, healed ulcers, focal epithelial necrosis or haemorrhages, and the changes observed indicated that trauma was the most likely primary cause.

Profiling oral and digital lesions in sheep in Ireland

“…The lesions displayed little evidence of healing, suggesting that they were recently formed. As such, the lesions resembled the ulcerated lesions, described at various stages of healing and repair in New Zealand [ 27 ] and the UK[ 31 ]. In those surveys, lesions were attributed to traumatic causes including collisions with fencing due to flight/fright reactions from people and dogs and following exposure to abrasive soil, plant material or mineral blocks.…”

“…Idiopathic oral ulceration has been shown to have a low prevalence ranging from 0.95 % to 1.15 % in the UK [ 31 ], whilst the prevalence of idiopathic oral lesions in New Zealand has been reported to be up to 4 % [ 27 ]. In the present study, in 1,264 adults, the prevalence was 0.7 %, and in the abattoir study it was 0.5 %.…”

“…In the present study, in 1,264 adults, the prevalence was 0.7 %, and in the abattoir study it was 0.5 %. The New Zealand and UK abattoir studies on adult sheep were conducted on samples of 13,000 and 17,963 animals respectively [ 27 , 31 ]. The marginally lower prevalence recorded in the present study may reflect the smaller sample size as well as variations in grazing surface conditions or dosing techniques, or possibly other unidentified factors.…”

“…Idiopathic lesions of oral ulceration were described in previous studies as solitary or multiple, red, raw ulcerated areas surrounded by a hyperaemic border on the lower gum ventral to the incisor teeth with lesions less frequently seen on the upper gum, dental pad, hard palate and tongue [ 6 , 31 ]. In contrast to FMD, idiopathic oral ulcerative and erosive lesions were ulcerative not vesicular [ 30 ].…”

Serum paraoxonase activity and total sialic acid in sheep with foot and mouth disease

“…The condition of mouth lesions is one of the most important points focused on in sheep for the differential diagnosis of foot and mouth disease (35). In common with the academic studies revealing symptoms of FMD (1,6), deterioration of the general condition, decreased feeding, saliva hanging in strings, and vesicular lesions in the mouth and between hoofs were determined in clinical examinations of the animals.…”