Atrophic rhinitis in goats in Norway

The spontaneous occurrence of atrophic rhinitis in 12 of 49 goat herds in one area of Norway is described. The clinical signs included nose bleeding, nasal discharge, sneezing and tender noses. Pathologically, the macroscopic and histological findings resembled those found in pigs with atrophic rhinitis. Bacteriological investigation of nasal swabs in five of the herds revealed toxigenic strains of Pasteurella multocida in three of them. In four of the herds the clinical signs were seen in two or more consecutive years. No specific source of the infection was discovered. Atrophic rhinitis was induced experimentally in kids by the nasal inoculation of toxigenic strains of P multocida and atrophic rhinitis toxin.