Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐ is a type of ๐๐ก๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐, or irregular development of cartilage. In particular, this disease causes several skeletal abnormalities that give the lambs the appearance of a long-legged spider.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This disease occurs in sheep!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This disease is hereditary, with an ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ inheritance pattern. This means that if a lamb inherits two โabsentโ copies of the gene from its parents, then it will develop this condition. This genetic makeup causes increased growth of the ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ, such as those found in the limbs.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
As mentioned before, this condition causes several skeletal abnormalities! The most obvious one is disproportionately long legs and neck, hence the name โspider lambโ. These long legs often have a knock-kneed appearance due to malformation of the bones below the knee. It can also cause ๐ค๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ and ๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ, both different types of permanent twisting of the spine.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
The diagnosis is typically made based on X-rays of the elbow and shoulder joints. In these joints, the veterinarian will see irregular areas of cartilage. This is actually the ๐๐ก๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ tissue causing the problem! The veterinarian may also take X-rays of the spine to identify any twisting patterns that are also characteristic of the disease.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
Unfortunately there is no treatment for this condition, and these animals often have difficulty moving around and fulfilling their basic needs. Therefore, these animals are often euthanized. It can be prevented by doing genetic testing for the affected gene, and avoiding breeding two sheep that are both carriers of the disease.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-2) Two long-legged spider lambs with the characteristic knock-kneed appearance.
3) A lamb spine with ๐ค๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ, or rounding of the spine, compared to a normal spine (bottom).
4-5) Two examples of joints with irregular patterns of cartilage from lambs with spider lamb syndrome.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-5 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributor Leipold, Vet Biosciences, Sagartz, Harrington licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
