Respiratory diseases caused by Mycoplasma species cause significant welfare problems in goat flocks, with outbreaks causing acute distress and chronic welfare compromise in affected animals.
Mycoplasma respiratory disease in goats causes acute and severe welfare compromise during outbreaks. High fever, painful breathing, and systemic illness cause profound distress in affected animals. The pleuropneumonia associated with severe Mycoplasma infections fills the chest cavity with inflammatory exudate, causing respiratory failure that is acutely distressing. Animals develop visible respiratory distress with labored breathing, open-mouth breathing, and frothy nasal discharge. Chronic survivors of respiratory mycoplasma infection may have permanent lung damage causing ongoing respiratory compromise during exertion. Mastitis and arthritis complicating Mycoplasma infection cause additional pain and welfare compromise.