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→Laboratory Tests
Intestinal contents or pertioneal fluid may be collected post-mortem and submitted for an ELISA test to identify clostridial exotoxins. A positive result supports a diagnosis of enterotoxaemia but does not confirm it: animals with immunity to ''Clostridium perfringens'' may have high concentrations of toxin with suffering from its effects.
Intestinal contents or pertioneal fluid may be collected post-mortem and submitted for an ELISA test to identify clostridial exotoxins. A positive result supports a diagnosis of enterotoxaemia but does not confirm it: animals with immunity to ''Clostridium perfringens'' may have high concentrations of toxin with suffering from its effects.
Intestinal smears and scrapings readily reveal gram-positive rods<sup>sargison, watt</sup>. Culture of intestinal contents can yield almost pure growths of ''C. perfringens''<sup>watt</sup>, but this is again supportive rather than diagnostic<sup>sargison</sup>.
Intestinal smears and scrapings readily reveal gram-positive rods<sup>3, 6</sup>. Culture of intestinal contents can yield almost pure growths of ''C. perfringens''<sup>6</sup>, but this is again supportive rather than diagnostic<sup>3</sup>.
===Pathology===
===Pathology===