Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats: Fever, Diarrhea, and Tick-Borne Risk
- See your vet immediately if your goat has sudden high fever, severe diarrhea, weakness, or bloody stool after tick exposure.
- Nairobi sheep disease is a tick-borne viral disease of sheep and goats that can cause hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, abortion, dehydration, and high death loss.
- Goats often show signs similar to sheep, though illness may be less severe in some cases. Mortality can still be very high in affected herds.
- There is no specific antiviral treatment. Care focuses on fluids, nursing support, tick control for unaffected herd mates, and testing to confirm the cause.
- Typical U.S. diagnostic and supportive care cost range: about $250-$900 for farm-call exam, labwork, and outpatient supportive care; $1,000-$3,500+ if intensive hospitalization, IV fluids, repeated monitoring, or herd-level response is needed.
What Is Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats?
Nairobi sheep disease is a tick-borne viral disease that affects sheep and goats. It is caused by Nairobi sheep disease virus, an orthonairovirus, and is known for causing high fever, severe diarrhea, depression, abortion, and sometimes sudden death. In goats, signs are often similar to those seen in sheep, although some outbreaks appear less severe in goats than in sheep. Even so, reported mortality in goats can still be very high. (merckvetmanual.com)
The disease is most closely associated with regions of eastern Africa and parts of Asia, including India where a related strain is called Ganjam virus. It is considered a WOAH-listed disease, which matters because suspected cases can trigger animal health reporting and movement concerns. For U.S. pet parents and producers, this is mainly a foreign animal disease concern, not a routine domestic diagnosis. (woah.org)
Illness usually develops quickly after exposure. The incubation period is typically 2 to 6 days, and affected goats may decline fast once fever and diarrhea begin. Death often results from dehydration, weakness, and gastrointestinal damage, especially when supportive care is delayed. (merckvetmanual.com)
Symptoms of Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats
- Sudden high fever
- Depression and weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea or fetid dysentery
- Painful straining
- Nasal discharge
- Conjunctivitis
- Dehydration
- Abortion in pregnant goats
- Sudden death
See your vet immediately if your goat has high fever, severe diarrhea, weakness, dehydration, bloody stool, or abortion, especially after recent tick exposure or movement into a new grazing area. Nairobi sheep disease can worsen fast, and goats may die within 2 to 7 days after clinical signs begin. (merckvetmanual.com)
These signs are not specific to Nairobi sheep disease. Other serious problems, including salmonellosis, coccidiosis, plant toxicity, parasitism, or other foreign animal diseases, can look similar. That is why rapid veterinary evaluation and testing matter.
What Causes Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats?
Nairobi sheep disease is caused by Nairobi sheep disease virus (NSDV), a virus spread mainly by hard ticks in the genus Haemaphysalis. Infection usually happens when an infected tick feeds on a susceptible goat. The disease is not usually thought of as spreading directly from goat to goat the way many respiratory or diarrheal infections do. Instead, tick exposure is the key risk. (merckvetmanual.com)
Risk rises when goats are moved into endemic areas, when tick populations expand, or when susceptible animals are introduced into places where local animals may already have some immunity. Merck notes that colostral immunity can help protect young lambs and kids early in life in endemic regions, which may partly explain why disease patterns differ between herds and locations. (merckvetmanual.com)
For U.S. readers, this disease is important mostly as an import, travel, and foreign animal disease issue rather than a common backyard-goat diagnosis. If your goat has compatible signs and any unusual travel, import, or exposure history, your vet may need to involve state or federal animal health officials promptly. (aphis.usda.gov)
How Is Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats Diagnosed?
Your vet will start with a history, physical exam, temperature check, hydration assessment, and exposure review. A goat with sudden fever, severe diarrhea, and tick exposure raises concern, but those signs alone do not confirm Nairobi sheep disease. Your vet will also consider other causes of acute diarrhea, abortion, hemorrhagic disease, and sudden death. (merckvetmanual.com)
According to Merck, confirmation can be made by virus isolation, detection of viral antigens or nucleic acids, and serologic testing. Preferred samples include plasma from febrile animals, plus tissues such as mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen for direct detection, and serum for antibody testing. Virus may be hard to isolate after the fever phase ends, though RT-PCR may still detect viral nucleic acid. (merckvetmanual.com)
Because Nairobi sheep disease is a WOAH-listed disease and a foreign animal disease concern, suspected cases may require special handling, reporting, and laboratory routing. Your vet may recommend herd-level precautions while results are pending, including limiting animal movement and tightening tick control. (woah.org)
Treatment Options for Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats
Spectrum of Care means you have options. Here are treatment tiers at different price points.
Budget-Conscious Care
- Farm-call or clinic exam
- Temperature, hydration, and fecal/diarrhea assessment
- Basic supportive care plan from your vet
- Oral fluids if the goat can still swallow safely
- Shelter, warmth, reduced stress, and easy access to quality feed
- Short-term tick control plan for unaffected herd mates if advised
- Isolation and movement restriction while your vet evaluates the herd
Recommended Standard Treatment
- Veterinary exam and herd risk review
- CBC/chemistry or field labwork as available
- Sample collection for confirmatory testing through appropriate labs
- Subcutaneous or intravenous fluids depending on severity
- Anti-inflammatory or symptom-guided medications if your vet feels they are appropriate
- Nursing care, feed support, and close recheck monitoring
- Targeted acaricide plan for unaffected exposed animals and premises management guidance
Advanced / Critical Care
- Hospitalization or intensive on-farm critical care
- Repeated IV fluid therapy and electrolyte support
- Serial monitoring of hydration, temperature, and bloodwork
- More extensive diagnostic workup and official reporting support if indicated
- Pregnancy-loss management and intensive nursing
- Herd outbreak response planning with your vet and animal health authorities if needed
Cost estimates as of 2026-03. Actual costs vary by location, clinic, and individual case.
Questions to Ask Your Vet About Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats
Bring these questions to your vet appointment to get the most out of your visit.
- Based on my goat's signs and travel or tick history, how concerned are you about Nairobi sheep disease versus other causes of severe diarrhea?
- What samples do you want to collect today, and do they need to go to a state, federal, or reference laboratory?
- Does this situation need to be reported as a possible foreign animal disease?
- Is my goat dehydrated enough to need IV fluids, or is outpatient supportive care still reasonable?
- What short-term tick control steps should I use for the rest of the herd right now?
- Should I isolate this goat, stop animal movement, or change how I handle manure, bedding, and equipment?
- If my goat is pregnant, what complications should I watch for over the next few days?
- What warning signs mean I should call you again the same day or seek emergency care?
How to Prevent Nairobi Sheep Disease in Goats
Prevention centers on tick risk reduction and biosecurity. Because Nairobi sheep disease is transmitted by ticks, your vet may recommend a herd-specific acaricide plan, pasture management changes where practical, and careful inspection of goats after transport or grazing in high-risk areas. Merck notes that long-term tick control alone is not considered fully feasible for prevention, so prevention usually relies on layered risk reduction rather than one perfect step. (merckvetmanual.com)
If goats are being moved into or through endemic regions, quarantine, tick checks, and veterinary review before mixing animals are important. In endemic areas, experimental vaccines have been described, including modified-live and inactivated products, but Merck states these vaccines are not produced commercially. That means many herds must rely mainly on management, movement control, and rapid response to suspected illness. (merckvetmanual.com)
For U.S. herds, prevention also means import and movement awareness. Any goat with compatible signs plus unusual travel, import, or exposure history should be evaluated quickly. Early reporting protects your herd and helps animal health officials respond if a foreign animal disease is suspected. (aphis.usda.gov)