Bovine Renal Disease Flashcards
What quick test can be performed on a PE to diagnose renal disease?
vigorously rub the hard palate and smell hand —> ammonia odor indicative of pyelonephritis
Urinary system:
How are the kidneys palpated? When are they commonly enlarged?
rectal palpation
- neoplasia
- hydronephrosis
- acute nephritis
- pyelonephritis
When are kidneys most commonly decreased in size?
- dehydration
- advanced chronic interstitial nephritis
When are kidneys painful on palpation?
acute nephritis
What is the normal structure of bovine kidneys?
lobulated –> loss of lobulation can occur with neoplasia, abscesses, pyelonephritis, or nephritis
How are ureters normally palpated on rectals?
usually not palpated - may be palpated with pyelonephritis or urine retention (calculi)
Where does the bladder lie on rectal exams? What causes distention? Pain?
under the rectum in males and under the vagina in females
urine retention or calculi
cystitis
Where does the urethra end in females?
floor of the vagina, 8-10 cm from the opening
- visualized with vaginal speculum
What is characteristic of the male urethra?
sigmoid flexure (S-shaped curvature of the penis) - predilection site of urolithiaisis
What are 6 special methods of examining the urinary tract in cattle?
- urethral catheterization
- ultrasonography
- radiographs
- urinalysis
- rectal exams
- kidney function test - urea, creatinine
How often do cattle urinate? How much?
8-12 times a day
6-12 L a day
What are some historical presentations with urinary disease in cattle?
- difficulty or discomfort in the passage of urine
- straining or arching the back before, during, or after urination (may look like constipation)
- anorexia, depression
- abdominal pain - kicking at abdomen, frequent changes in position, bellowing
- abdominal distension with rupture of the bladder
- swelling around prepuce extending along the ventral abdominal wall with urethral ruptures
What are some important signs on PE indicative of urinary disease?
- arched back
- straining to urinate with a pump handle tail
- fluid wave
- pulsation/throbbing of urethra
- using a speculum and light to find source of pus/blood
- rectal palpation
What does a pump handle tail in a bull commonly indicate?
urinary calculi (urolithiasis)
What is waterbelly? How is it diagnosed?
urine accumulation in the abdomen, causing a pear-shaped appearance from the back
abdominocentesis - urine vs. acites vs. hemorrhage
What are 3 important factors evaluated with urine samples?
- quantity - 6-12 L/day
- color - usually golden and clear, red indicates presence of RBCs or hemoglobin, yellow indicates presence of bile pigments (liver disease), cloudy if pus is present
- smell - fetid if infected or retained
How can hematuria and hemoglobinuria be differentiated?
centrifuge/leave the sample to sit for 20-25 mins - RBCs will sedimentate, hemoglobinuria will remain pink
- can also use smears
How is specific gravity assessed?
refractometer (quantitative)
- DON’T rely on dip sticks
What is the normal specific gravity and pH of bovine urine? What are causes of changes in pH?
1.020-1.045
7-8 - herbivores have more basic urine
- ALKALINITY - urolithiasis
- ACIDITY - infections
When are dysuria and proteinuria most commonly seen?
painful urination - cystitis, urethritis, vaginitis
glomerulonephritis, nephrosis, amyloidosis
What are 3 types of oliguria?
- PRE-RENAL - dehydration, shock, chronic heart failure
- RENAL - acute nephrosis, glomerulonephritis
- POST-RENAL - ureteral, urethral, or urinary bladder obstruction
What 4 diseases can cause polyuria in cattle?
- pyometra
- acure/chronic kidney failure
- hyperadrenocorticism
- osmotic diuresis - DM (rare)
What causes anuria?
complete urethral obstruction (urolithiasis)
What are some renal and post-renal causes of hematuria?
RENAL - severe glomerulonephritis, sulphonamide poisoning (only use this antibiotic <3 days at a time), renal infarction –> RBCs pass through glomeruli and enter urine
POST-RENAL - pyelonephritis, cystitis, urolithiasis
What causes hemoglobinuria? 4 examples?
intravascular hemolysis
- Babesiosis
- Leptospirosis
- postparturient
- bacillary - Clostridium hemolyticum
What needs to be avoided when collecting urine from a catheter?
suburethral diverticulum ventral to the bladder
Other than urinary disease, what 4 disease processes can Leptospirosis cause?
- abortion
- weak calves
- flaccid udder mastitis - no swelling, bloody milk
- milk-drop syndrome - sudden decrease in milk production
What cattle have the highest mortality in cases of leptospirosis? What serovar is commonly associated? What are 3 signs?
calves - mortality is rare in adults, which are more commonly carriers within their kidneys
Pomona
- hemoglobinuria
- jaundice (prehepatic)
- hemolytic anemia
+/- inappetence, dysuria, decreased milk production
What are 2 techniques used for diagnosing leptospirosis in cattle?
- serologic testing - presumptive, not definitive –> high titer can be consistent with clinical disease or vaccination
- PCR
What are some options for treating Leptospirosis?
- PPG
- OTC* - may be nephrotoxic
- Tilmicosin*
- Ceftiofur*
- = clear carrier status, where there are typically no signs
How is Leptospirosis transmission controlled?
- vaccine - 5-way European strains, American Harjo and combo —> short protection period due to relatively low antibody formation (100-400) that persist for 1-3 months
- rodent and wildlife control
- identify and remove carriers
- drain wet areas
What is the difference in disease with the different strains of Leptospirosis?
Hardjo - host-adapted, most common, none to mild signs
Pomona - calf disease, abortion
How is Leptospirosis transmitted?
via urine + prefers warm and moist areas
What are the 5 most common findings in cases of pyelonephritis?
- sick cow - uremia, smell ammonia
- Dipstick - pus, blood
- straining to urinate
- raised tail
- rectal - abdominal or pelvic masses, grossly enlarged ureters
What are some options for diagnosing pyelonephritis?
- clinical signs, PE, ammonia smell to breath
- enlarged kidney via rectal palpation
- culture - Corynebacterium renale, E.coli
- U/S
- exploratory
What are 3 options for treating pyelonephritis?
- early case - PPG, ceftiofur
- valuable cow - nephrectomy, commonly the other kidney is affected!
- slaughter, condemnation with uremia
Pyelonephritis + hydronephrosis:
What are 3 biochemical signs of acute/chronic renal issues? What are some PE findings?
- high BUN and creatinine
- hypocalcemia
- hyperphosphatemia
anorexia, abnormal Dipstick findings
What is the best option for treating acute/chronic renal issues? What is there is no response?
fluids - solution to pollution is dilution!
indicated uremia –> euthanasia
In what cattle is cystitis especially rare?
females - short and wide urethra = harder to get lodges
- if uroliths are found in females, they tend to self-resolve
