Synonyms

Calf croup, necrobacillosis

Name of the disease in English

Oral necrobacillosis – Necrotic stomatitis

The disease in brief

Mouth infection with the necrosis bacillus (Fusobacterium necrophorum), which affects young people generally between 2 weeks and 3 months (sometimes more), when they are kept in poor housing and hygiene conditions. Malnutrition can also promote the disease. It can develop into necrotic laryngitis, also called croupous or stridulous laryngitis.

Clinic & diagnosis

Clinical signs include salivation, dysorexia, a foul putrid odor from the mouth (halitosis), and deep ulcers covered with false membranes and necrotic deposits on the cheeks, gums, or tongue. Croup is the false membrane that develops extensively. These signs are suggestive enough to allow an easy and reliable clinical diagnosis in most cases. If there is laryngitis, there is a wet, painful cough, severe dyspnea, fever, difficulty swallowing, and laryngeal sounds. 

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-Actinobacillosis of the tongue DG13                                                                                                                                                

-Stomatitis due to foreign body or burn by caustic or urticant DG16

-papular stomatitis

-vesicular stomatitis

-esophageal obstruction

-croupal laryngitis

Confirm a suspicion?

Confirmation is often not necessary; it could be done by taking a buccal swab (sterile dry swab) to send to the bacteriologist (specify search for Fusobacterium).

Prognosis and treatment

If we intervene at the beginning of the infection, the treatment gives good results; it is based on the injection of penicillins, or potentiated sulfonamides or tetracyclines. We can also debride the lesion(s) and apply iodized glycerin locally on the lesion(s).

Prevention

Ventilation and hygiene of the home are the bases of prevention, associated with a good diet for young people.

References

Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 351

Memo written by G Argenté, DVM, Y. Millemann, Professor at ENV d’Alfort-2019