Common animal diseases

• Anthrax, a highly infectious and fatal disease of cattle, is caused by a relatively large spore-forming rectangular shaped bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Hoofed animals, such as deer, cattle, goats, and sheep, are the main animals affected by this disease.The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins which are responsible for the ill effects, causing a high mortality rate.

• Black quarter (black-leg): acute infectious and highly fatal, bacterial disease of cattle. Buffaloes, sheep and goats are also affected. It is a bacterial disease caused byClostridium chauvoei.

• Foot and mouth disease(FMD) is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact. The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.

• Rabies known as “mad dog disease”because of the transmission of the disease is frequently associated with bites by infected dogs. A deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. Hydrophobia is the commonest name and relates to the major symptom.

• Johne's disease is a contagious, chronic, and usually fatal infection that affects primarily the small intestine of ruminants. Johne's disease is caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis), a hardy bacterium related to the agents of leprosy and TB.

• Rinderpest is the most destructive of the virus diseases of cloven-footed animals, such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs and wild ruminants. The virus is found notable in the saliva, discharge from eyes and nostrils, and in the urine and faeces.