Polio in Sheep: A Medical Emergency
Polioencephalomalacia (PEM or Polio) is a common disease in sheep. Unlike the human form of Polio, it is not a viral infection, but a neurological disease characterized by brain swelling that, if left untreated, progresses to degeneration of brain tissue due to pressure necrosis. Early treatment is critical to lamb survival. A deficiency in thiamine (vitamin B1) is the most common cause of Polio and is usually induced by a disruption in normal…