Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Goat with swollen droopy ear from tick bite treated successfully
By Edwards, Kristine T et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2011·Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Gotch ear in a goat: a case report.
- Species:
- goat
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old male Saanen goat was brought in with a drooping left ear that was swollen and puffy, a condition known as gotch ear, often linked to tick bites. Upon examination, three ticks were found inside the ear, which were promptly removed. The ear was treated with a topical antiseptic, and within three days, the swelling went down completely, and the goat showed no further signs of illness. This case is notable as it is the first reported instance of gotch ear in a goat.
People also search for: goat drooping ear · gotch ear treatment in goats · tick removal in goats
Abstract
A 1-year-old castrated male Saanen goat was observed to have drooping and edema of the left ear consistent with published accounts of gotch ear in cattle associated with a tick bite. The goat's left ear was edematous from the tip of the pinna to the base of the ear. No signs of trauma or infectious processes were observed. Three engorged Gulf Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum) were observed attached inside the ear. Ticks were removed and the ear biopsied at tick attachment sites. The affected ear was treated topically with betadine after removal of the ticks. No other treatment was administered. The goat remained free of clinical signs and the edema of the ear resolved within 3 days after tick removal. No clinical adverse effects of the condition were evident. All three ticks were positive for spotted fever group rickettsia by polymerase chain reaction analysis and showed 100% similarity with the homologous sequence of Rickettsia parkeri. There was no immunohistochemical evidence of spotted fever group rickettsia in the ear samples, supporting the hypothesis that gotch ear is not due to rickettsial infection. This report represents the first apparent case of gotch ear in a goat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21395411/