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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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Clinical Examination Protocol to Detect Atypical and Classical Scrapie in Sheep
Published on: January 19, 2014
Clinical observations from a study comparing two different treatments for bluetongue in sheep
Ruurd Jorritsma1, Hannes J C Bijkerk2, Reynaldo Martina3
1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Population Health Sciences, Sustainable Ruminant Health, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, Utrecht, 3584 CL, the Netherlands. r.jorritsma@uu.nl.
Irish Veterinary Journal
|June 23, 2026
Summary
Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) caused severe illness in Dutch sheep. Treatment with meloxicam and paracetamol showed a 57% fatality rate, with antihistamines not improving survival outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Animal Health
Background:
- Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) emerged in The Netherlands in September 2023.
- BTV-3 infection presented with severe clinical signs in sheep, complicating treatment decisions.
- There was a need to document clinical presentation and evaluate treatment efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the clinical presentation and survival outcomes of sheep affected by BTV-3.
- To evaluate the effects of a treatment protocol with and without antihistamines.
Main Methods:
- 83 sheep with acute BTV-3 clinical signs were divided into two groups.
- Group 1 (n=41) received meloxicam and paracetamol.
- Group 2 (n=42) received meloxicam, paracetamol, and chlorphenamine maleate (antihistamine).
Main Results:
- An overall case fatality rate of 57% was observed.
- Common clinical signs included excessive salivation, dyspnea, depression, and lameness.
- Severe salivation was linked to reduced survival; antihistamine treatment did not improve survival rates (0.8 days vs. 2.5 days).
Conclusions:
- BTV-3 poses a significant challenge to treating naive sheep populations.
- Antihistamines are not recommended for treating BTV-3-affected sheep due to lack of survival benefit.
- Timely treatment decisions are crucial given the generally poor prognosis in clinically affected sheep.
