Approach to Urinary Tract Problems and Liver Disease in Cows

Question 1

Urinary Disease Clinical Signs in cattle

Answer 1

Non-specific – weight loss, D+, (abdominal pain – arch back, paddling feet, rolling, grunting)

Specific – enlarged kidney on rectal, abnormal urine (pus, blood), stranguria (straining), dysuria (painful), pollakuria (increased), crystals on prepuce (can be normal), urine scalding

PUPD hard to assess

Question 2

Which kidney to you palpate when during a cattle rectal palpation

Answer 2

palpate LEFT kidney sub-lumbar/midline and bladder in ventral abd (if full)
Feel for enlargement, pain, change in texture

Question 3

Suggest ways to get urine sample in cattle

Answer 3

Free catch (esp when get up)
Stimulation ventral to vulva (DON’T HOLD TAIL!)
Urethral Catheterisation

Question 4

pH of urine of normal cow

Answer 4

7-8 more alkaline than most species

Question 5

Causes of Pyelonephritis in cattle

Answer 5

Sporadic pyelonephritis in animals is often caused by bacteria like Corynebacterium renale (aerobe) or Escherichia coli, transmitted through carriers, contaminated environments, or ascending routes from the uterus or neonatal infections.

Question 6

Clinical signs of pyelonephritis in cattle

Answer 6

ill thrift, intermittent pyrexia, abdominal pain, enlarged kidney on rectal, pus/blood visible in urine

Question 7

Diagnosis of pyelonephritis in cattle

Answer 7

Urinalysis – leukocytes, haematuria, protein
Ultrasound scan - abnormal

Question 8

Treatment of pyelonephritis in cattle

Answer 8

3-week course broad spec abs that is excreted via urine and not nephrotoxic (amoxy clav or TMPS)

Question 9

What antibiotic is toxic to the kidney

Answer 9

Not aminoglycosides i.e. Pen Strep

Question 10

Clinical signs of amyloidosis in cattle

Answer 10

ill thrift, frothy urine, enlarged kidney, d+, oedema (low albumin)

Question 11

Diagnosis of amyloidosis in cattle

Answer 11

Urinalysis - protein ++, low SG (no blood or WBC)
Biochem - hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia

Question 12

Treatment of amyloidosis

Answer 12

None

Question 13

Urolithiasis - site of infection in cattle

Answer 13

Sigmoid flexure, diverticulum

Question 14

Urolithiasis is most common in what kind of cattle

Answer 14

Mainly castrated young bulls/tups (and goats)
Associated with
high Ca or concentrate diet (show animals)
restricted water
nidus of inflammatory cells

Question 15

Treatment of urolithiasis

Answer 15

Surgical treatment
NSAID and local via pudendal nerve block to straighten sigmoid flexure
Smooth muscle relaxant- Clenbuterol
Sedation - ACP, Xylazine
Broad spectrum antibiotic for secondary cystitis and NSAID for pain

Question 16

How to prevent urolithiasis from forming in cattle

Answer 16

Balancing Ca:P = 1.5-2:1
Feeding ammonium chloride to increase acidity (for struvite or calcium carbonate)
Free access to water or salt licks to encourage water intake

Question 17

Clinical signs of cystisis in cattle

Answer 17

Similar to pyelonephritis

Question 18

Treatment of cytisis in cattle

Answer 18

Use 1st principles for FI/Tx
7 days antibiotics

Question 19

Name the parasite that infects cattle that causes it to have discoloured urine (red)

Answer 19

Babesia divergens

Question 20

Treatment for babesia divergens

Answer 20

Imidocarb (‘Imizol’) Double dose for prev
Blood transfusion
Notify DVM
Vax

Question 21

Name 4 reasons for cattle to have discoloured urine(Red)

Answer 21

1. Babesia
2. Post parturient haemoglobinuria
3. Brassicas poisoning
4. Bacillary haemoglobinuria
5. Copper poisoning

Question 22

Cause of post parturient haemoglobinuria

Answer 22

Low phosphorus
Recently calved, diet change

Question 23

Cause of Brassicas poisoning

Answer 23

Feeding only brassicas for 3 weeks, haemolysis

Question 24

Treatment for post parturient haemoglobinuria

Answer 24

Phosphorus

Question 25

Treatment for Brassicas (rape/kale) poisoning

Answer 25

Blood transfusion, supportive

Question 26

Cause of Bacillary Haemoglobinuria

Answer 26

Clostridium novyi type D (soil)
Found in liver of healthy animals (latency)
Migrating fluke/liver disease damage liver and allow bacteria to proliferate

Question 27

Treatment of Bacillary haemoglobinuria

Answer 27

Penicillin

Question 28

Cause of copper poisoning

Answer 28

Over supplementation, wrong feeding

Question 29

Haemoglobinuria vs Haematuria

Answer 29

Haemoglobinuria is the presence of free hemoglobin in urine, typically resulting from intravascular hemolysis, while haematuria involves intact red blood cells in the urine, indicating bleeding along the urinary tract.

Question 30

Does Bracken poisoning cause haemoglobinuria or Haematuria

Answer 30

Haematuria. Rhizome or young shoots (frond) if no grass contains carcinogen and cyanogenic glycoside that destroys BM and induces cancer

Question 31

Abnormal levels of Glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) suggest?

Answer 31

HepotoceLLular i.e. hepatocyte damage

Question 32

Abnormal levels of Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) suggest?

Answer 32

Bile duct dysfunction, choleostasis

Question 33

Abnormal levels of Alkaline phosphatase (AP) suggest?

Answer 33

Liver and bone
choleostasis

Question 34

Where to palpate liver in cattle?

Answer 34

Behind last rib

Question 35

Where to ultrasound liver in cattle

Answer 35

9th – 11th IC space on RIGHT side

Question 36

Cause of liver abscess in cattle

Answer 36

Bacteraemia from either
Navel ill
Acidosis (which leads to ruminitis and bacteria get into portal circulation
F Necrophorum (-, anaerobe, present in rumen) and T pyogenes (+, facultative anaerobe),

Question 37

Pathophysiology of Vena Cava Thrombosis in cattle from acidosis

Answer 37

Acidosis in the rumen of cattle initiates a cascade of events, leading to ruminitis, bacterial leakage into the portal circulation, liver abscess formation, release of emboli into circulation, pulmonary complications like suppurative bronchopneumonia, vascular issues resulting in aneurysm, and ultimately contributing to epistaxis (nosebleeds)

Question 38

How many types of photo sensitisation in cattle are there

Answer 38

4

Question 39

Type 1 (Primary) photosensitisation

Answer 39

Cause: Direct ingestion or exposure to photosensitizing substances, often in certain plants, results in primary photosensitization.

Substances: Plants such as St. John’s Wort, buckwheat, and certain clovers contain photodynamic compounds that, when ingested, lead to skin sensitivity upon exposure to sunlight.

Liver Involvement: The liver is typically not directly affected, but the ingested compounds are metabolized in the liver and excreted in bile, leading to skin reactions when exposed to sunlight.

Question 40

Type 2- Congenital disease where photodynamic agent not processed

Answer 40

Can present with neurological signs
Young animal

Question 41

Type 3-Liver damage from disease or poison so photodynamic agents not processed

Answer 41

Many liver diseases to consider. Biochem for liver enzymes key here

Question 42

Pathophysiology of prehepatic jaundice

Answer 42

Cause: toxins (copper), blood born parasites (babesia)
Effect: Haemolysis (increased production of bilirubin)

Question 43

Pathophysiology of hepatic jaundice

Answer 43

Cause: Fatty liver, liver fluke (acute), liver abscess, hepatitis, neoplasia
Effect: Unable to process bilirubin

Question 44

Pathophysiology of post hepatic jaundice

Answer 44

Cause: Bile duct tumour, liver fluke (chronic
Effect: Unable to excrete bilirubin