Diagnosis of enteric disease in small ruminants

Diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease in small ruminants requires integration of information obtained in the signalment, history, physical or necropsy examination, and ancillary diagnostic tests. The purpose of this article is to provide the practitioner with a review of the clinical features of several common gastrointestinal diseases of sheep and goats. Rumen acidosis, enterotoxemia, gastrointestinal parasitism, neonatal diarrhea, and salmonellosis are discussed, and where appropriate, reviews of the pathophysiology, prevention, and control of these diseases are cited for further reading.