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Symptomatic anthrax
Symptomatic anthrax is a devastating bacterial disease that destroys the muscles of young cattle. It typically affects animals aged six months to two years, in great shape, well fed and growing rapidly: it is often the most beautiful of the...
What is it?
Symptomatic anthrax is a devastating bacterial disease that destroys the muscles of young cattle. It typically affects animals aged six months to two years, in great shape, well fed and growing rapidly: it is often the most beautiful of the lot that are taken away.
The bacteria responsible lives in the form of spores in the soil. Ingested with the herb, it passes into the blood and lodges, without causing anything, in large muscle masses. It can remain dormant there for months.
All it takes is a local drop in oxygen in the muscle – a shock, a blow from the horn, a contusion, a violent effort – for it to wake up, multiply and produce toxins. The muscle becomes necrotic, fills with gas, and the animal often dies in less than twenty-four hours.
Key point
Any sudden death of a bovine must be reported to the veterinarian before any handling of the corpse: anthrax, a notifiable disease and serious zoonosis, must first be ruled out. Never open an animal that has died suddenly on the plot.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Sudden and severe lameness on a hind or fore limb, in a young bovine in excellent condition the day before.
Swelling of a large muscle mass: thigh, rump, shoulder, neck, sometimes the tongue or chest.
The swelling is at first warm and very painful, then becomes cold and insensible within a few hours: this change is characteristic.
By pressing on the swollen area, we hear a crackling sound, like crumpled paper under the skin: these are the gases produced by the bacteria in the muscle.
High fever at the beginning, which can fall into the terminal phase.
Deep depression, cessation of eating and rumination, rapid breathing.
The animal lies down, never gets up again, and generally dies within twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
As with anthrax, it is not uncommon to find the animal dead without having noticed anything.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
The disease is caused by the bacteria Clostridium chauvoei, sometimes associated with other clostridia.
This bacterium forms very resistant spores which persist for years in pasture soil.
Animals ingest them while grazing. The spores cross the digestive wall, enter the blood and are deposited in the muscles, where they remain dormant.
The trigger is a drop in oxygen in the muscle: contusion, blow, jostling, intense effort, sometimes a simple injection into a muscle mass. The bacteria then multiplies without oxygen and produces toxins which destroy the muscle and poison the body.
Unlike many infections, the disease is not transmitted from one sick animal to another: each case comes from the soil.
Young cattle from six months to two years old, growing well and well fed: these are the most affected.
Pastures that have already experienced cases, or recently turned over, flooded or disturbed.
Short grass and tight pasture, which ingest soil.
Periods of jostling and trauma: allocation, transport, putting out to grass, animals playing or fighting.
Lack of vaccination in a region known for the disease.
Corpses poorly disposed of in previous years.
Transmission
By ingestion of spores present in the soil and on grass, particularly when the grass is short and animals dig up soil.
The spores are brought to the surface by tillage, floods, droughts and cleaning of ponds.
An animal that has died of the disease, if it is opened or left on site, heavily seeds the plot with spores and prepares the following cases.
There is no direct contagion from a sick cattle to a healthy cattle: the source is always the environment.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
The veterinarian suspects the disease when he sees a young bovine that is suddenly lame, very dejected, with a muscular swelling that crackles under the skin.
He examines the entire lot, because other animals may be affected in the following days, on the same plot.
Confirmation involves taking a sample of the affected muscle and analyzing it in the laboratory.
Faced with sudden death, do not open the corpse yourself: anthrax, which is a serious zoonosis, must first be ruled out by the veterinarian. The two diseases have similar names and can cause confusion in the field.
The veterinarian indicates the action to be taken for the elimination of the corpse and the protection of the rest of the herd.
Treatment
It is an absolute emergency, and unfortunately the treatment most often fails, because the destruction of the muscle is already advanced when the signs appear.
When it is attempted very early, it is based on antibiotic therapy prescribed by the veterinarian - the penicillin family is classically used - associated with supportive treatment and sometimes surgical intervention to open and ventilate the necrotic areas.
Doses, route of administration and duration are the sole responsibility of the veterinarian.
Animals from the same lot must be monitored very closely and moved to another plot. The veterinarian decides whether there is a need to vaccinate them urgently or treat them preventively.
The corpse must be disposed of according to official instructions, without being opened on the plot: this is the best way to avoid new cases in subsequent years.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Vaccination is the essential preventive measure and it is very effective.
Move animals from a plot where a case has occurred and avoid putting unvaccinated young cattle back there.
Properly dispose of corpses, without opening them or leaving them on site: this is what prevents the accumulation of spores in the soil.
Avoid grazing on very short grass, where animals ingest soil.
Limit trauma: homogeneous batches, reasonable density, calm handling, non-slippery floors.
Be particularly vigilant after earthworks, flooding or severe drought on historic plots.
Vaccination
Inactivated vaccines exist, most often in the form of multivalent vaccines protecting against both symptomatic anthrax and other diseases caused by clostridia, such as enterotoxemia.
In areas where the disease is present, young cattle are vaccinated before the risk period, with a booster according to the product indications, then regular revaccination as long as they are in the susceptible age group.
The vaccine protects the animal, but it does not eliminate the spores from the soil: vaccination must therefore be repeated on the farms concerned.
The protocol, the age of the first injection and the frequency of boosters are set by the veterinarian based on the breeding history and management of the herd.
Possible complications
Death of the animal is the most common outcome; there are few extended forms.
The rare animals that survive retain destroyed muscles, with permanent lameness and loss of function.
Occurrence of new cases in the same batch on the same plot in the days and weeks that follow.
Long-lasting contamination of the plot if the corpse has been opened or improperly disposed of.
When to see a veterinarian
A young bovine suddenly becomes very lame and despondent: call the veterinarian immediately, every hour counts.
A swelling appears on a thigh, shoulder or neck, and crackles under the hand.
An animal in excellent condition the day before is found dead: notify the veterinarian and do not open the corpse.
Several young animals from the same batch show signs within a few days.
Earthworks or flooding have occurred on a plot where you are grazing unvaccinated young cattle.
Prognosis
The prognosis for the affected animal is very poor: death generally occurs within one to two days, and treatment is only likely to help if it is started within the very first hours.
Conversely, the prognosis for breeding is excellent as long as vaccination is in place: it is one of the simplest and least expensive fatal cattle diseases to prevent.
A farm that has experienced a case must consider that the plot will remain at risk for years and systematically vaccinate its young animals.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the disease affect my most beautiful animals?
Because it is young, rapidly growing, well-fed and muscular cattle that provide the muscle masses where the bacteria wakes up. This is not a sign of bad breeding, on the contrary: it is a reason to vaccinate.
Will my other animals catch the disease from the patient?
No, it is not transmitted from one animal to another. The danger comes from the soil of the plot, which contains the spores. Move the lot, dispose of the corpse properly and review vaccination with your veterinarian.
Is it dangerous for humans?
No, this bacteria does not cause illness in humans. On the other hand, sudden death can also be due to anthrax, which is a serious zoonosis: this is why you should never open a corpse without the advice of the veterinarian.
Should you be vaccinated every year?
In the farms and regions concerned, yes, young animals must be protected throughout the sensitive period, with a booster depending on the vaccine used. The vaccine protects the animal but does not eliminate the spores in the soil, which remain present for years.
References
WOAH — Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (ex-OIE)
FAO — Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 09 August 2026
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