Basic Diagnostic Plan

Question 1

What is the first and most important piece of information you should gather regarding a sick dairy cow? What else should you ask?

Answer 1

DIM: days in milk

Others:
- feed intake
- changes in milk production
- previous medical treatment and problems

Question 2

What are the 6 most important systems to examine on a sick dairy cow?

Answer 2

LUMMAR

Lungs
Uterus
Mammary
Metabolic
Abomasum
Rumen

Question 3

What is the most common cause of disease in dairy cows for the first 2 weeks postpartum?

Answer 3

Uterus -> Metritis, systemic and local

Question 4

What is the number one disease of dairy cows?

Answer 4

Mastitis

Question 5

Why should milk production not be used to distinguish systemic vs local mastitis?

Answer 5

Milk production is affected by both systemic and local causes of mastitis

Question 6

In cows, almost all cases of hypocalcemia happen when?

Answer 6

Within the first 24 hours after freshening

Question 7

Nervous ketosis most commonly occurs when in cows?

Answer 7

Near peak lactation (60 days)

Question 8

Systemic toxic mastitis is most commonly caused by what pathogens?

Answer 8

Coliforms (E. Coli and Klebsiella)

Question 9

Clinical signs associated with toxic mastitis

Answer 9

• lethargy
• > 50% reduction in milk production
• 8-10% dehydrated
• hard, swollen quarter
• watery milk (brown or orange)

Question 10

Lack of treatment success for mastitis is a result of what 3 possibilities?

Answer 10

1. Superbug
2. Slow detection of disease
3. Bad treatment protocol

Question 11

Diagnosing a superbug is primarily…

Answer 11

A diagnoses of exclusion (c/s is poorly correlate to treatment success)

Question 12

Treating mastitis

Answer 12

Fluids
- hypertonic saline IV
- oral fluid therapy

Antibiotics
- oxytet
- sulfadimethoxine
- Ceftiofur

NSAIDS
- Flunixin IV

Question 13

Ketosis is most common in sheep..

Answer 13

• Pregnant with twins
• during pregnancy

Question 14

Milk fever is most common in sheep..

Answer 14

Pre partum due to fetal bone development in late pregnancy

Question 15

Treating ketosis

Answer 15

Dexmethasone IV and propylene glycol PO

Question 16

What should you so before getting near a food animal to examine it?

Answer 16

Monitor from a distance for respiratory rate, attitude and cud chewing

Question 17

Why can temperature be a misleading vital parameter?

Answer 17

• not as simple as infection = fever
• cows may be severely systemically ill and have low or normal temperature

Question 18

Normal rumen contractions

Answer 18

• 3 every 2 minutes
• primary rumen contractions should push your hand/stethoscope outward when applying pressure to the paralumbar fossa

Question 19

Normal percussion of the left side of a cows abdomen should have?

Answer 19

NO PINGS (a ping on the L side most commonly indicated an LDA)

Question 20

LDA ping locations

Answer 20

Left side of the abdomen - most commonly cranial to the paralumbar fossa but can be other places

Question 21

Rumen Void Ping Location

Answer 21

Left cranial paralumbar fossa

Question 22

Free abdominal gas ping location and what it indicates

Answer 22

Right or left side, cranial to the paralumbar fossa

• indicates peritonitis (not accurate if abdominal surgery has taken place in the last 48 hours)

Question 23

Normal pings on abdominal auscultation are heard in what location?

Answer 23

Right paralumbar fossa, not extending past the last rib

Question 24

Is an RDA/RTA palpable per rectum?

Answer 24

Sometimes (25-50% of cases)

Question 25

Cecal torsion ping location

Answer 25

Right side, paralumbar fossa and extending cranial over the ribs

Question 26

Where are heart sounds heard best on auscultation?

Answer 26

Left side under the point of the elbow

Question 27

What is the best way to check hydration status of a cow on exam

Answer 27

Skin tent on the neck and upper/lower eyelids