Bovine nervous and metabolic Flashcards
Hypocalcemia (“Milk fever”) in cattle is caused by
High producing dairy cattle
Rapid transfer of calcium from blood to milk
Symptoms of milk fever in cattle
Muscle tremors
Ear twitching
Head bobbing
Bloat
Paresis
“S” spine
Death
Cardiac failure, bloat
Milk fever can be accompanied by what in cows
Retained placenta
Displaced abomasum
Uterine prolapse
Muscle myopathy
Diagnosis of milk fever in cattle
Clinical symptoms
Serum Ca++ levels
Treatment of milk fever in cattel
Standing
Oral calcium supplementation
Recumbent
IV calcium gluconate
Slow!
Prevention of milk fever in cattle
Acidic diet 2 weeks prior to calving
Compensated metabolic acidosis
Increased absorption of Ca++ from gut
Oral Ca++ supplement
Ketosis in cattle is
Dairy cattle
Expand large amounts of energy producing milk
Negative energy balance
Off feed
Convert fat into ketones
Rapid energy available
Too high blood ketones = ketosis
Symptoms of ketosis in cattle
Decreased milk production
Decreased feed intake
Muscle wasting
“Ketotic” smell
Acetone
Neurologic symptoms
Licking
Chewing
Pica
Vocalization
Aggression
DDX= rabies
Diagnosis and treatment of ketosis in cattle
Diagnosis
Ketones in milk, serum, urine
Oral propylene glycol 3-5 days
Rapid glucose energy source
Rabies in cattle symptoms
Anorexia
Pruritus
Obtunded/lethargic
Hyperexcitability
Aggression vocalization
Hypersalivation
What to do if you think a cow has rabies
Always wear full PPE!
Diagnosis
Necropsy brain tissue
Prognosis
Grave
Obturator nerve paralysis (“Calving Paralysis”) is caused by
Pressure on onturator nerve as fetus passes through birth canal
Large calf
Pulled calf
Cannot adduct hindlimbs towards body
Splayed out hindlimbs
Treatment and prognosis of calving paralysis
Treatment
Hobbling until nerve function returns
Prognosis is good
Polioencephalomalacia in cattle is caused by
Thiamine deficiency or high sulphur intake
Cattle on high concentrate diets
Feedlot
Dairy
Exposed to high levels of sulphur
Water
Feed
Individual animals or herd outbreak
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency in cattle that causes Polioencephalomalacia
Thiamine normally produced by microbes in rumen
Decreased production caused by
Acidosis
Killed off thiamine producing bacteria
Overgrowth of thiamine destroying bacteria
Thiaminases in plants
Destroy thiamine
High sulphur causing Polioencephalomalacia in cattle
High sulphur intake or reduced rumen microbe ingested sulphur
Hydrogen accumulates in rumen gas cap
Highly toxic
Interferes with cellular energy metabolism
Normal thiamine levels!
Surface and well water sources high in sulphur
Increased concentration s sources evaporate
Forage
Alfalfa, canada thistle, kochia, oil seed, corn byproducts
Polioencephalomalacia symptoms in cattle
Cortical blindness
Recumbency
Coma
Seizures
“Stargazing”
Head pressing
Teeth grinding
Diagnosis of Polioencephalomalacia
Blood and tissue thiamine levels
Post mortem- brain tissue autofluorescence of affected tissue
Treatment and prevention of Polioencephalomalacia in cattle
Treatment
Thiamine injection
Dexamethasone
Decreased brain swelling
Prevention
Appropriate diet
Caution surface water in summer
Analyze feed for sulphur content
