Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex

The ovine respiratory complex significantly affects lamb welfare and production efficiency, necessitating accurate diagnostic methods for pulmonary lesions. This study explores the relationship between clinical scoring, auscultation, ultrasonography, and macroscopic post-mortem evaluation to assess...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alejandro Sánchez-Fernández, Juan Carlos Gardón, Carla Ibáñez, Joel Bueso-Ródenas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1153
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850144640040173568
author Alejandro Sánchez-Fernández
Juan Carlos Gardón
Carla Ibáñez
Joel Bueso-Ródenas
author_facet Alejandro Sánchez-Fernández
Juan Carlos Gardón
Carla Ibáñez
Joel Bueso-Ródenas
author_sort Alejandro Sánchez-Fernández
collection DOAJ
description The ovine respiratory complex significantly affects lamb welfare and production efficiency, necessitating accurate diagnostic methods for pulmonary lesions. This study explores the relationship between clinical scoring, auscultation, ultrasonography, and macroscopic post-mortem evaluation to assess respiratory disease in 111 lambs. A standardized clinical scoring system, adapted from bovine models, evaluated ocular and nasal discharge, head tilt, cough, and rectal temperature. Auscultation categorized pulmonary sounds, while ultrasonography identified lung abnormalities, including B-lines, consolidations, pleural effusion, and abscesses. Macroscopic post-mortem examinations confirmed lesion extent. Kendall–Tau-B correlation coefficient analysis revealed significant associations between the methods (<i>p</i> < 0.01), with a high correlation between auscultation and clinical scoring <i>τ</i> of 0.634 (95% CI: 0.489 to 0.765), auscultation and ultrasonography <i>τ</i> of 0.611 (95% CI: 0.500 to 0.710), and ultrasonography and post-mortem findings <i>τ</i> 0.608 (95% CI: 0.460 to 0.731). While auscultation and clinical scoring provided useful insights, ultrasonography exhibited superior sensitivity in detecting subclinical and early-stage lesions, aligning closely with post-mortem evaluations. These findings emphasize ultrasonography as an effective tool for diagnosing respiratory disease in lambs, improving diagnostic accuracy and enabling timely interventions to mitigate disease impact and reduce antimicrobial use.
format Article
id doaj-art-6891c3c4f6544d739bd91f49fc023dbb
institution OA Journals
issn 2076-2615
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Animals
spelling doaj-art-6891c3c4f6544d739bd91f49fc023dbb2025-08-20T02:28:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-04-01158115310.3390/ani15081153Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory ComplexAlejandro Sánchez-Fernández0Juan Carlos Gardón1Carla Ibáñez2Joel Bueso-Ródenas3Doctoral School, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Experimental Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Animal Production and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Experimental Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Animal Production and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Experimental Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, SpainThe ovine respiratory complex significantly affects lamb welfare and production efficiency, necessitating accurate diagnostic methods for pulmonary lesions. This study explores the relationship between clinical scoring, auscultation, ultrasonography, and macroscopic post-mortem evaluation to assess respiratory disease in 111 lambs. A standardized clinical scoring system, adapted from bovine models, evaluated ocular and nasal discharge, head tilt, cough, and rectal temperature. Auscultation categorized pulmonary sounds, while ultrasonography identified lung abnormalities, including B-lines, consolidations, pleural effusion, and abscesses. Macroscopic post-mortem examinations confirmed lesion extent. Kendall–Tau-B correlation coefficient analysis revealed significant associations between the methods (<i>p</i> < 0.01), with a high correlation between auscultation and clinical scoring <i>τ</i> of 0.634 (95% CI: 0.489 to 0.765), auscultation and ultrasonography <i>τ</i> of 0.611 (95% CI: 0.500 to 0.710), and ultrasonography and post-mortem findings <i>τ</i> 0.608 (95% CI: 0.460 to 0.731). While auscultation and clinical scoring provided useful insights, ultrasonography exhibited superior sensitivity in detecting subclinical and early-stage lesions, aligning closely with post-mortem evaluations. These findings emphasize ultrasonography as an effective tool for diagnosing respiratory disease in lambs, improving diagnostic accuracy and enabling timely interventions to mitigate disease impact and reduce antimicrobial use.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1153ovine respiratory complexORCthoracic ultrasoundmacroscopic lung lesions
spellingShingle Alejandro Sánchez-Fernández
Juan Carlos Gardón
Carla Ibáñez
Joel Bueso-Ródenas
Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex
Animals
ovine respiratory complex
ORC
thoracic ultrasound
macroscopic lung lesions
title Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex
title_full Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex
title_fullStr Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex
title_full_unstemmed Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex
title_short Use of Ultrasonography for the Evaluation of Lung Lesions in Lambs with Respiratory Complex
title_sort use of ultrasonography for the evaluation of lung lesions in lambs with respiratory complex
topic ovine respiratory complex
ORC
thoracic ultrasound
macroscopic lung lesions
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1153
work_keys_str_mv AT alejandrosanchezfernandez useofultrasonographyfortheevaluationoflunglesionsinlambswithrespiratorycomplex
AT juancarlosgardon useofultrasonographyfortheevaluationoflunglesionsinlambswithrespiratorycomplex
AT carlaibanez useofultrasonographyfortheevaluationoflunglesionsinlambswithrespiratorycomplex
AT joelbuesorodenas useofultrasonographyfortheevaluationoflunglesionsinlambswithrespiratorycomplex