Treatment of infectious polyarthritis (joint ill) in neonatal lambs.

Excellent results have been achieved when treating sudden onset tetraparesis in neonatal lambs caused by Streptococcus dysgalactiae infection of the atlanto-occipital (AO) joint (video recordings 1-2); delayed treatments are largely ineffective (video recording 3). Treatment comprises a 5-7 consecutive day course of penicillin, and dexamethasone (off-label use) administered on the first day only. Dexamethasone is given to reduce synovial inflammation and the volume of exudate within the joint which causes spinal cord compression. Despite the AO joint being the largest joint in the body, relapse of clinical signs is uncommon. The results achieved when treating AO infection have been extrapolated to the treatment of other joints infected by S. dysgalactiae with good clinical success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]