RDC 1 was mainly associated with nasal discharge while the major clinical signs of RDC 2 were coughing and emaciation. Almost all other clinical signs of RDC 1 and RDC 2 are shared but at varying degrees. RDC 2 is said to confer permanent immunity to animals that recover while RDC 1 does not. RDC 1 affects all age groups, but is more severe in young animals and kills mainly older calves (0.5–2 years) while RDC 2 is mostly associated with adults and does not cause mortality in calves younger than 6 months. In fact, according to a number of herders especially among the Somali, calves younger than 6 months do not contract RDC 2. RDC 2 also runs a longer clinical course compared to RDC 1. If left untreated, animals suffering from RDC 2 can become extremely emaciated and rest in sternal recumbence for prolonged periods during daytime. However, RDC 2 does not cause the same mortality as RDC 1 but predators often attack and kill these weak animals. Because of this the Somali herders have a proverb that says “Dhuguta does not kill, so do not let the hyena kill”. RDC 2 is less frequent than RDC 1; most of the Somali and Garri herders said that they had not seen RDC 2
for a long time until an outbreak occurred in 2011 while RDC 1 is said to occur every year. RDC 2 is said to respond to antibiotic treatments quite well while the response of RDC 1 to the same is fairly low. Both RDC 1 and RDC 2 are associated with the cold dry period between June and August (Fig. 2). RDC 1 with 27% occurs more frequently than RDC 2 with 10% (Fig. 3). RDC 2 responds relatively well to antibiotics treatment, particularly amoxicillin compared to RDC 1 (Fig. 4)