Archive Case #60: Caprine Caseous Lymphadenitis

Clinical Clues

1. An adult doe is presented with firm swellings beneath the jaw and in front of the shoulder.
2. The owner reports these lumps have slowly enlarged over time rather than appearing suddenly.
3. The goat is otherwise bright, but the lesions are well circumscribed and persistent.
4. One enlarged node yields thick caseous material when sampled.
5. The herd history suggests a chronic contagious lymph node disease.
6. Caseous lymphadenitis is a bacterial disease of goats that commonly causes chronic abscessation of peripheral lymph nodes.

Diagnosis

Caprine Caseous Lymphadenitis

This case is most consistent with Caprine Caseous Lymphadenitis because the doe has chronic peripheral lymph node enlargement with characteristic caseous exudate. The most important clues are the node distribution, slow progression, and herd-level contagious pattern, which make a simple wound abscess less likely.

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.