Clinical signs may include lethargy and anorexia, progressing to dyspnea, convulsions, and the expulsion of a sanguineous nasal exudate just prior to death. The autopsy findings reveal consolidated lungs and generalized hyperemia and hemorrhage. The losses are very high in mink affected with Aleutian disease or mink fed poor diets. Successful prophylactic vaccination requires protection against all pathogenic serotypes. Maternal antibodies may interfere with successful vaccination.
Protection occurs in about one week after vaccination.
Revaccinate adults yearly at the time the kits are vaccinated. The most common cause is Clostridium botulinum type C toxin. Large quantities of toxin are produced when the temperature of feed products is over 15 C and anaerobic growth can occur. Subsequent refrigeration of stored feed will not affect the toxin. During an outbreak, many mink will die within 24-72 hours of exposure to the toxin, while others show varying degrees of paralysis and dyspnea.