North Coast Local Land Services District vets are reminding owners of the importance of having unusual disease events investigated, after tick fever was diagnosed on animals at two properties in Kendall.
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The owner of the first property affected contacted the Emergency Animal Disease hotline after three animals died.
The North Coast Local Land Services District veterinarian then visited the farm.
District veterinarian Ian Poe said that was exactly what they recommend in such situations.
“An important role of the district team is disease surveillance – investigating disease events such as this – which helps support our livestock markets,” he said.
“Ensuring that these are investigated means that in the unlikely event it is a disease not currently in Australia means it will be detected early.
“There have been many examples that clearly demonstrate that our ability to eradicate a disease quickly is largely dependent on how early it is first diagnosed.
“Ruling out such diseases during an investigation is also important as we use that as evidence to our trading partners that we don’t have these exotic diseases.”
Cattle ticks are only rarely identified in the southern parts of the north coast region.
Tick fever is caused by a protozoal parasite that is transmitted by cattle ticks It causes a fever, depression, and anaemia. Impacted animals may also stagger or show nervous signs. Red coloured urine, often referred to as redwater is also frequently noted.
In response to this detection properties with cattle tick will undergo a NSW Department of Primary Industries supervised program to eradicate cattle tick.
For more information or for advice if your animal is showing unusual symptoms call a private veterinarian, district veterinarian or the emergency animal disease hotline on 1800 675 888.
To find out more, visit: www.northcoast.lls.nsw.gov.au
