Haemorrhagic septicaemia
Also called HS, shipping fever of buffalo
A sudden and often fatal bacterial disease of cattle and especially buffalo, with fever, drooling, swelling under the jaw and difficulty breathing. Animals can die within a day or two.
Cause and spread
- Cause
- Particular types of the bacterium Pasteurella multocida.
- How it spreads
- By eating or breathing in the bacteria in the secretions of sick animals, or from contaminated feed and water. Some animals carry the bacteria without signs and break down with stress. The incubation period is usually 3 to 5 days.
Signs to watch for
- Fever and dullness, with a sudden fall in milk yield
- Heavy drooling and a runny nose
- Swelling under the jaw that spreads to the neck, chest and forelegs
- Difficulty breathing, with froth at the mouth or nose
- Collapse and death, often within hours to a few days
- Buffalo are usually more severely affected than cattle
Many diseases look alike. Only a laboratory test can tell them apart, so please see a veterinarian for any sick animal.
How it is diagnosed
The bacteria can be cultured from blood in the late stages and found in secretions and body fluids, but are not always present. Fresh, uncontaminated samples are needed; PCR on a fresh sample is a fast way to confirm it.
Prevention and control
- Vaccinate before the season when the disease is common; follow your veterinarian's schedule
- Reduce stress, crowding and long transport
- Isolate sick animals and dispose of carcasses safely
- Report outbreaks to the animal husbandry department
Where this information comes from
- Hemorrhagic Septicemia (factsheet) · Center for Food Security and Public Health, Iowa State University
General information for animal owners and veterinarians, last checked October 2026. It does not replace the advice of your veterinarian, who should decide which tests and treatment your animal needs.