Periarticular tissues in acute cases were often edematous and congested, with extensive fibrosis occurring in chronic cases. As with acute pasteurellosis, diagnosis is based on history, signs, necropsy lesions and isolation of the causative organism. However, the knowledge of which disease usually occurs in a particular area is of practical importance while awaiting laboratory confirmation. The organism will grow on ordinary blood agar but many inexperienced technicians may not keep the plate long enough to notice the tiny areas of hemolysis in which a colony can only be seen under magnification. Ideally a special mycoplasma medium should be used, and if typical colonies are found, sent by the diagnostic laboratory to one of the few mycoplasma reference laboratories.
Prevention is as difficult as preventing the change in the weather.
If outbreaks recur, the use of tylosin before an outbreak occurs may possibly prevent it. In the face of severe outbreaks, massive does of tylosin seem to be necessary to appreciably affect the disease process. It must be stated that tylosin in any dose is not approved for use in goats and inclusion in this section cannot be construed as a recommendation of its use. Indeed, at these high does, there may be a risk of killing the animal. This must be weighed against the possibility of losing the animal without this treatment and needs to be discussed by the owner and the veterinarian.