Clostridial diseases including pulpy kidney, blackleg, and tetanus are rapidly fatal in unvaccinated sheep, causing acute suffering and preventable mortality that is entirely avoidable with routine vaccination.
Clostridial diseases cause acute, rapidly fatal suffering in affected sheep. Pulpy kidney causes seizures, recumbency, and death within hours. Blackleg causes severe muscle necrosis with intense pain. Tetanus causes progressive spastic paralysis with extreme suffering before death. All of these conditions are almost entirely preventable through routine vaccination — the welfare case for clostridial vaccination is overwhelming. Unvaccinated flocks that experience outbreaks impose preventable suffering on animals that had every chance of a welfare-positive life. Regular booster programmes and correct timing of ewe vaccination to protect lambs via colostral immunity are essential.