Anaemia and transfusion in Cattle (Incl. Tick borne disease)

Question 1

What is acceptable haematocrit level in a cow?

Answer 1

> 24%

Question 2

How to calculate blood volume of cow?

Answer 2

55ml/kg

Question 3

How to diagnose anaemia in cattle?

Answer 3

Pale Ocular conjunctival or vulval mucous membranes

Question 4

Therapy for anaemia in cattle?

Answer 4

Deal with the cause of the problem
Isotonic or hypertonic saline, but where blood loss is very severe, transfusion can be indicated.

Question 5

Why is blood transfusion in cattle “simpler” than companion animals

Answer 5

No need for cross-matching before transfusions.
It is generally easy to find a donor
It is possible to take 8-10 L blood per donor with no ill effect and each 1 L of blood will restore PCV by just under 1%
No expensive equipment is required.

Question 6

Name of parasite In Australia and New Zealand that cause anaemia in cattle

Answer 6

Theileria orientalis

Question 7

Name of parasite In West and Central Africa that cause anaemia in cattle

Answer 7

Babesia bovis, transmitted by Rhipicephalus microplus ticks.

Question 8

Where to draw blood from a cow to test for babesia and reasoning

Answer 8

Capillary blood samples from tail
Erythrocytes containing Babesia merozoites and trophozoites express surface antigens that make them adhere to capillary endothelial cells, where they accumulate.

Question 9

What is the name of the most economically significant ectoparasite in the world.

Answer 9

Rhipicephalus microplus/ Asian Blue Tick

Question 10

Name of drug to treat Babesia spp in cattle

Answer 10

Imidocarb dipropionate

Question 11

Trypanosomosis is caused by?

Answer 11

Parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genus Trypanosoma.

Question 12

What are clinical signs of Trypanosomosis

Answer 12

Anaemia
Pyrexia
Lymphadenopathy
Haemorrhagic syndrome
Death

Question 13

Management techniques for trypanosoma

Answer 13

Habitat destruction
Game reduction
Aerial spraying
Insecticide treatment of cattle
Drug treatment of cattle

Question 14

What is Enzootic haematuria

Answer 14

Bovine disease characterized by the intermittent presence of blood in the urine and is caused by malignant lesions in the urinary bladder caused by consumption of bracken ferns

Question 15

Pathogenesis of Enzootic haematuria

Answer 15

Ptaquiloside (Bracken ferns) results in bladder wall thickening, metaplasia, formation of carcinomas which bleed into the lumen

Question 16

How does a cow contract Enzootic haematuria

Answer 16

Poisoning most often occurs during late summer when other feed is scarce, or when animals are fed hay containing bracken fern.