HEMORRHAGIC septicemia, a highly fatal viral disease in cattle, has already killed nine carabaos and five cows in the town of Leon, considered as Iloilo province’s livestock capital, the Provincial Veterinary Office said.
The veterinary office is set to revaccinate cattle and carabao in the Leon against hemorrhagic septicemia this week to prevent the spread of the disease in other areas of the municipality.
Provincial veterinarian Dr. Silvino Teodosio said that the revaccination will start once vaccines and needed supplies arrive.
Teodosio, meanwhile said that his office have already given out vitamins to livestock farmers in order to strengthen the resistance of carabaos and cows against pasteurella multocida bacteria that usually attacks during wet season.
Pasteurella multocida bacteria stays on the throat of the large ruminants during dry season and becomes active only during wet season, when the animals usually decreases its resistance because of humid climate and heavy work in the fields.
Teodosio said he had investigated one case last Friday and confirmed the par acute strain of the bacteria. A carabao is still grazing at around 8 a.m. but suddenly collapsed at 11 a.m. and subsequently died at around 12 noon that day.
The disease is characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, dyspnea, salivation, hot painful subcutaneous swellings, submucosal petechiae, and death in about 24 hours.
Teodosio reiterated to farmers not to slaughter their sick animals in order to avoid the spread of the disease to other areas.
Although this disease is not contagious to human, slaughtering of infected animals poses high risk of spreading the disease. (Lydia C. Pendon)