DISEASES CAUSED BY TRACE ELEMENTS DEFICIENCIES Iodine deficiency

Goiter; Weak foals, Lambs and calves Hairless piglets

By : Dr. Hassan Omran

(4) Iodine deficiency

Goiter; Weak foals, Lambs and calves Hairless piglets

*Hypothyroidism: It is a disease characterized by

enlargement of the thyroid gland in newly born calves, foals and lambs. Hairless condition of the skin in new born pigs.

All species including dogs, cats and human are susceptible. Increase neonatal mortality and alopecia.

Thyroid gland:
It consists of two lobes one on each side of the trachea close to its junction with the larynx. In most animals the lobes are connected by an isthmus crossing the ventral surface of the trachea. However: dogs and cats, the isthmus usually disappears in embryonic life.

Structure: The microscopic appearance is similar in all animals from fish to man.

Thyroid is made up of numerous closed follicles usually spherical; they are lined with a single layer of low cuboidal epithelium cells and are filled with a viscid substance which has been known colloid.

The colloid combined with protein formed the specific thyroid hormones (thyroxin).

The blood supply of thyroid gland is very rich; the anterior pituitary also has an affect through thyrotrophic hormones which

stimulate the thyroid.

Just how thyroxin produces this effect on metabolism is not known it may act as catalyzers.

Function: *Secretion thyroid hormone (T3 and T4). *Target organs: all tissue and organs.

Action: (1) Maintain the normal basal metabolic rate of the cells (the rate at which cells use glucose). (2) Maintain growth and protein synthesis of cells.

(3) Regulation of body heat. (4) Maintain normal activity of nervous system. (5) Maintain normal gonadal development

Thyroid hormone synthesis: Iodide

By
Peroxidase enzyme

iodine
Monoiodityrosine
Iodoinase enzyme

Iodine + tyrosine

Diidotyrosine

Monoiodotyrosine + diiodotyrosine = triiodotyrosin T3 Diiodotyrosine + Diiodotyrosine = tetraiodotyrosine T4

(Thyroxine)

T4 is more common and less potent 80%. T3 is less common and more potent 20%

The thyroid has a special affinity for iodine, the gland serves as store house for iodine and as a production against its circulation in excessive amounts.

Release the thyroid hormones is controlled by TSH which depends on feed back mechanism. Thyroid hormones is the

circulation are bound to plasma protein mainly thyroxine binding globulin. T.B.G 75%, prealbumin 15% and albumin 10%.

Etiology:
(1) Primary causes due to deficiency of iodine intake in food and drinking water. (2) Secondary to high intake of Ca. which decrease the intestinal absorption of iodine.

(3) In some area the heavy application of lime to pasture is followed by the development of goiter in lamb, also drinking of mineral water for long time may result in goiter or gross bacterial pollution of feed stuff or drinking water.

(4) A continued intake of a low level of cynogenetic glucosides is commonly

associated with high incidence of goiter spring Lina Marin. A glucoside in linseed meal is thought to be agent producing goiter in newborn lambs from ewes feed the meal during pregnancy have rich diet in this meal.

(5) Giving continued doses of commercial phenothiazine have been suggested as possible cause of goiter continued dose of brassica e.g. cabbage. All these plant contain thio-amide to prevent the contact of iodine with tyrosine in thyroid gland.

(6) Contamination of water with sewage water and cause outbreak of goiter. (7) Feeding on product of soybean.

(8) Genetic p notice the disease may be transport genetic especially in Marina sheep and Frisian cattle.

N.B.: Iodine present in the mature body is very minute amount (0.04 PPM) about 70-80% of iodine content is found in the thyroid gland. The remainder parts are found in different tissues and organs with higher concentration liver, mammary gland, placenta, ovary, salivary gland and intestine.

Occurrence:
(1) Areas of iodine deficiency is most occur when rainfall heavy and soil iodine is continually depleted by leaching. (2) Soil formation rich in Ca. and lime stone soils are general low in organic matter and also be important in areas where drinking water a heavily mineralized.

(3) A diet rich in plants brasisic spp. may cause simple goiter and hypothyroidism in rabbits which is prevents by administered iodine (thio- amide) (4) A diet high in lin seed meal 20% of ration to pregnant ewes may also results in high incidence of goitrous lambs, iodine and thyroxine prevent the condition.

(5) Soybean by products is also considered to be goitergenic. (6) Gross bacterial contamination of

drinking water by swage is a cause of goiter prophylactic dosing of the cows with Pot iodide prevented the cause.

Pathogenesis:
Iodine deficiency results in a decrease production of thyroxin and stimulating of the secretion of thyrotrophic hormones by the pituitary glands.

This commonly results in hyperplasia of thyroid tissue and a considerable

enlargement of gland. Most cases of goiter of newborn are of this type. The primary deficiency of thyroxin is responsible for sever weakness and alopecia of affected animals.

Other factor particularly the ingestion of low levels of cyanide probably exerts their effect by inhibitory uptake of iodine. Metabolic activity of the thyroid

epithelium and restricting the uptake of iodine.

Thiocyanates and sulphocyanates are found during the process of detoxication of cyanide in the liver and these substances have a pronounced depressing affect on iodine uptake by the thyroid.

Clinical findings:
*General symptom
(1) General weakness and decrease milk production.

(2) Decrease sexual function. In male animals sterility and disappear estrus cycle in females. In some cases of pregnancy abortion occurred. Some prolonged gestation period and when complete the period of gestation and parturition occur the newborn weakness (weak foals, lambs and calves).

(3) Partial or complete alopecia in addition to enlargement of thyroid gland which either visible or not according to species of animals.

*Foals
(1) Normal hair coat and little thyroid enlargement but are very weak at birth. (2) In most cases they are unable to stand without support and many are too weak to suck (they can not suckle the mothers).

(3) Excessive flexion of the lower fore legs and extension of lower hind legs have also been observed in affected foal. (4) Enlargement of thyroid also occurs commonly in adult horses in affected areas.

*Cattle
(1) Incidence of thyroid enlargement in adult is much lower than in horse and the cardinal manifestations are gross enlargement of the thyroid gland and weakness in newborn calves. If they are help to suck for a few days recovery is usual but if they are born on the range during inclement weather may will die.

(2) In some inistence the thyroid gland enlargement respiration. (3) Partial alopecia is rarely occurs. causes obstruction to

(4) Failure to express oestrus in the cow and high incidence of abortion. (5) Loss of libido in bulls.

*Sheep
(1) In adult sheep, iodine deficiency may show a high incidence of thyroid enlargement but are clinically normal in other respects.

(2)

Newborn

lambs extensive,

manifested alopecia

by and

weakness,

palpable if not visible enlargement of the thyroid gland, goat present a similar clinical picture except that all

abnormalities are more severe than in lambs.

*Pigs
(1) The major finding in the birth of hairless still born or weak pig often myxoedema of the skin of the neck. (2) Most affected piglets die within a few hours of birth.

(3) Thyroid enlargement may be present but a never sufficiently great cause visible swelling in live pig.

Species Foal Calve Lamb Piglet

Type alopecia
+ ++ +++

Thyroid glad * ** ** * *

(-) No alopecia (+) Partial alopecia (++) Wide alopecia (+++) Complete alopecia (*) Enlargement thyroid glad but not visible with eye. (**) Enlargement of thyroid glad but visible with eye.

N.B: Animals which survive the initial dangerous period after birth may recover except for partial persistence of the goiter. The glands may pulsate with the normal arterial pulse and may extend down a greater part of the neck and cause some local oedema.

Auscultation and palpation of the jugular ferrow may reveal the presence of a murmur and thrill, the thyroid thrill due to increase arterial blood supply of the gland.

Clinical pathology:
(1) Estimation of iodine levels in the blood and milk are of considerable value in determining the thyroxine status of the animals.

(2) Organic or protein bound iodine is estimated in serum or plasma and used as an index of circulating thyroid hormones. Provided to access of exogenous iodine in the diet or as treatment in adequately controlled. Levels in plasma 2.4 to 4 Qg of protein pound iodine per 100 ml of plasma appear to be normal range.

(3) Blood cholesterol level have been used as an indicator of thyroid function in humans but are not used in the

investigation of goiter in animals.

(4) In determining the iodine status of an areas iodine levels in soils and posture should be obtained but relationship between these levels and between them and the status of the grazing animal may be complicated by condition factors.

Diagnosis:
Iodine deficiency is easily diagnosed if goiter is present but the occurrence of still birth without obvious goiter may be confusing. Abortion due to infectious agents in cattle and sheep must be considered in these circumstances.

In still birth due to iodine deficiency gestation is usually prolonged beyond the normal period although this may be difficult to determined in animal breed at pasture.

Inhirted defects of the thyroid hormones synthesis have already been noted. *History and clinical symptom. *Blood estimation of organic or protein iodine. *Histological examination of thyroid tissue in case of deficiency a most of iodine is less than 0.01%. *Histological examination of bone of newborn lambs or calves delayed osseous maturation.

*D.D

from:

Brucellosis

(abortion

in

female). Deficiency of Vit. A (decrease pregnancy, weakness) Deficiency cobalt and copper (decrease growth of hair or wool).

Treatment:
Give the mother small amount of iodine during the last three months of pregnancy prevent the condition.

Some

investigation

reported

normal

parturition following the application of tincture iodine to the skin once every two weeks as early as possible in pregnant cows or mare received one tea spoonful (half this amount for swine and sheep) and applied to skin on the inside of the flank.

Also can add Pot. iodide to the salt mixture in ration (1:3500). Pot iodide 6-10 gm dissolve in amount of water give daily for one week.

Give Vit. A 440I.U/kg B.W daily for one week for regeneration epithelial tissue of thyroid gland for newborn calves or lambs. Thyroxin tablets 3mg daily for one week.

Control:
(1) Potassium iodide satisfies there requirement and provided as 5 oz of pot. iodide per ton of salt. Pot. iodate alone unsuitable but when mixed with Ca. stearate 8% of stearate in potassium iodide, it is suitable for addition of salt 1 oz to 300 lb of salt.

(2) Individual dosing of pregnant ewes on two occasions during 4 or 5 months of pregnancy with 280mg potassium iodide or 370mg of potassium iodide has been found to be effective in the prevention of goiter in lambs.

(3)

For

individual

animal

weakly

application of tincture iodine (4ml cattle and 2ml pig and sheep) to the inside of the flank is also effective prevention before parturition one month or one and half months.

(4) The iodine can also be injected in poppy seed oil containing (40% bound iodine) one ml give I/M 7 to 9 weekly before lambing is sufficient to prevent severe goiter and neonatal mortality in the lambs. The gestation period is also reduced to normal a similar injection 3 to 5 weeks before lambing in less efficient.

Goiter newborn lamb