CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS - UPDATE IN 2025

Since Texas Vet Lab's vaccine to prevent CL in goats was permanently withdrawn from the market on June 1, 2021, because sales were not enough to continue vaccine production, how do goat raisers handle CL? The CaseBac vaccine for CL in sheep does not prevent CL in goats and its manufacturer, Colorado Serum, recommends against its usage with goats.

Caseous Lymphadenitis is a contagious bacterial infection that appears at lymph gland sites as abscesses. Not all abscesses are CL, but the contents of all abscesses should be tested to determine their bacterial content. Because the bacteria Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis is resistant to all antibiotics, Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) should be considered neither curable nor completely preventable at this time. However, CL is MANAGEABLE.

CL is primarily a management and nuisance disease. Unlike Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis (CAE) and Johnes Disease, CL does not damage the health of or kill the goat except in very rare instances. CL also does NOT pass in semen, vaginal fluids, saliva, or milk. The bacteria only passes from goat to goat by direct contact with the pus, either through cuts on the body or oral ingestion by the goat. Quality goats do not have to be culled or euthanized. Caseous Lymphaditis is manageable.

Most abscesses, whether CL or another bacteria, appear under the ear, because that is the location of the first set of lymph glands closest to the mouth where the pus was likely ingested.

If you buy and sell goats or have any significant number of them, you are likely to encounter CL. Transmission vectors (ways to spread the disease) can be insects, birds, animals, tires, clothing, footwear, and a host of other ways over which you have little control.

Prepare yourself in advance on how to manage and control CL.

Alternative #1: Have an AUTOGENOUS vaccine made for use with your herd. Texas Vet Lab, now owned by Bimeda, may develop an autogenous vaccine for you. Goat raisers must go through a licensed vet to obtain this vaccine and that VOR (Veterinarian of Record) must make the contact with Bimeda or other vaccine manufacturer. The minimum order is usually 1000 doses. The VOR must collect samples of pus from actively infected goats and ship them to the chosen lab. Make arrangements through your goat vet.

Alternative #2: Formalin, chemically classified as a DISINFECTANT , is a buffered solution of formaldehyde. I recommended its usage before the Texas Vet Lab vaccine was available, and I am again suggesting investigating its usage now that the vaccine is off the market ONCE YOU DETERMINE THAT THE BACTERIA IN THE ABSCESS IS CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS. While Formalin usage will not cure CL (nothing will, at present), it does provide an effective management and control alternative, and IF USED PROPERLY, can be very effective. Use only 10% buffered Formalin.

The FIRST STEP is to make sure that you are dealing with CL. Do NOT automatically assume that an abscess is CL. There are many types of abscesses, and most types need to be lanced, drained, and flushed with iodine; they should NOT be injected with Formalin.

Bob Glass, owner of Pan American Vet Lab near Austin, Texas, can test for CL. He performs both blood and exudate (pus) tests. Blood tests are not nearly as reliable as testing the pus. Call Bob Glass at 512 964 3927 or email him at bglass@pavlab.com for collection instructions, shipping, and pricing.

Alternative #3: Lance the abscess with a #10 scalpel, clean out the pus, and flush with strong iodine or equivalent. Confine the goat to the "sick pen" until the abscess heals over and put the animal back in the herd.

Whether you choose to lance the abscess or inject 10% buffered Formalin into it, the ONLY time to lance or use 10% buffered Formalin is when the hair has begun to come off and the knot is soft. CL abscesses do not appear overnight -- you just didn't notice its development. CL abscesses develop slowly over a period of weeks or months as the lymph gland system filters this bacteria from the body into an encapsulated abscess outside the body. Some abscesses encapsulate into several knots, while others become a single mass. Pregnant does are a special concern, because you don't want newborn kids exposed to the CL bacteria if the abscess ruptures. See my article on how to use 10% buffered Formalin to control CL abscesses on www.tennesseemeatgoats.com or in MeatGoatMania.

Note: I am NOT a veterinarian and the usage of Formalin is NOT "approved" for this specific purpose, but it isn't illegal either, to my knowledge. You may find difficulty in locating and purchasing this product. Like so much of what we have to use with goats, this is an off-label/extra-label usage. Withdrawal time isn't an issue since the Formalin goes into the encapsulated abscess, not the goat's body.

CL abscesses encapsulate; they create a thick wall around the exudate (pus), isolating the infected material from the rest of the goat's body. It is highly unlikely that Formalin would be able to migrate to any other part of the goat's body IF you use it correctly.

When a goat is slaughtered and the hide is removed, subcutaneous (under-the-skin) abscesses peel off with the hide. Internal organs that have abscesses, such as udders and lungs, go into the offals (trash) bucket as parts of the goat that are not eaten. Abscesses are visible in the organs of slaughtered goats, making them easy to recognize, cut out, and discard.

Above all else, find out what bacteria you are dealing with and do NOT use Formalin with abscesses other than CL.

Suzanne W. Gasparotto, ONION CREEK RANCH, Texas 5.1.25

The author, Suzanne Gasparotto, hereby grants to local goat publications and club newsletters, permission to reprint articles published on the Onion Creek Ranch website under these conditions: THE ARTICLE MUST BE REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THE AUTHOR'S NAME, ADDRESS, AND CONTACT INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRINT. We would appreciate notification from any clubs or publications when the articles are used. (A copy of the newsletter or publication would also be a welcome addition to our growing library of goat related information!)

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