Bovine Top 20 Diseases - Part 2

Question 1

what is the classic case presentation of a cow with polioencephalomalacia?

Answer 1

less than 2 year old grain fed cow with sudden onset of segregation from its herd, aimless wandering, recumbent, convulsiong, odontoprisis, star gazing, tetraparesis, hyperesthesia, opisthotonus, & blind with a normal PLR

Question 2

how is polioencephalomalacia diagnosed?

Answer 2

transketolase to measure the activity of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), so high TPP effect is diagnostic & therapeutic response to thiamine within 24 hours

Question 3

why take a whole blood sample on a cow you suspect has polioencephalomalacia?

Answer 3

rule out lead poisoning

Question 4

what is seen on CSF fluid from a cow with polioencephalomalacia?

Answer 4

normal to pleiocytosis & increased protein

Question 5

how is polioencephalomalacia treated? how is it prevented in other members of the herd?

Answer 5

thiamine & anticonvulsants if needed - give other cows thiamine

Question 6

when do we see polioencephalomalacia occur?

Answer 6

high rumen thiaminase activity with high grain diets, raw soybeans in diet, & possibly high dietary sulfur levels (doesn’t affect thiamine levels but causes polioencephalomalacia)

Question 7

what is the prognosis of polioencephalomalacia in a cow?

Answer 7

good - only die if treatment is delayed or with the sulfur toxicity version

Question 8

T/F: most cases of johne’s are subclinical but there are 3 stages

Answer 8

TRUE

Question 9

what is the etiology of johne’s disease?

Answer 9

mycobacterium avium sub species paratuberculosis

Question 10

what is stage 1 of johne’s disease?

Answer 10

young asymptomatic cow that is infected but not yet shedding the disease & not reactive on diagnostic tests

Question 11

what is stage 2 of johne’s disease?

Answer 11

older asymptomatic infected cow that is shedding the disease & positive on culture & ELISA

Question 12

what is stage 3 of johne’s disease?

Answer 12

3-5 year old thin cow with voluminous diarrhea, decreased milk production, brisket edema, & enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes

Question 13

T/F: with johne’s disease, tehre is NO loss of conscious proprioception, facial paralysis, or horner’s syndrome

Answer 13

TRUE

Question 14

what testing is done for individual animals when diagnosing johne’s disease?

Answer 14

fecal culture is the gold standard, PCR, & rectal mucosal histopath

Question 15

what diagnostics are used on a herd level for johne’s disease?

Answer 15

pooled fecal cultures & PCR when positive

Question 16

what diagnostics are used for herd surveillance for johne’s disease?

Answer 16

serum or milk ELISA (serum is more sensitive bith are very specific)

Question 17

T/F: no diagnostics are very sensitive for early johne’s disease

Answer 17

TRUE

Question 18

what treatment is used for johne’s disease?

Answer 18

none - euthanize affected cows & REPORT!!!

Question 19

how can johne’s disease be prevented?

Answer 19

improve herd with managerial changes such as separate manure handling, feeding instruments, not pooling colostrum, annual ELISAS< & maintaining a young herd

Question 20

T/F: for every stage 3 johne’s cow, expect 3-4X more cows in stage 2, & 10-15X more cows in stage 1

Answer 20

TRUE

Question 21

why is making a definitive diagnosis for abortion in a cow difficult?

Answer 21

fetal autolysis, disappearance of toxins, self-correction of physical causes, & abortion usually occurs long after infection

Question 22

what specific etiologies can cause early abortions in cows?

Answer 22

trichomoniasis & heat

Question 23

what specific etiology can cause a midterm abortion?

Answer 23

neosporosis

Question 24

what specific etiologies can cause late term abortions in cows?

Answer 24

foothill abortion, brucellosis, lepto, listeriosis, sarcocystis, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, nitrates, anaplasmosis, ponderosa pine, & chlamydia

Question 25

what etiologies can cause variable timed abortions in cows?

Answer 25

BVD, IBR, campylobacter, trueperella, & prostaglandin shots

Question 26

what diagnostics can be run on fetal or placental tissues from cows that aborted?

Answer 26

culture, PCR, immunofluorescence

Question 27

what diagnostics can be performed on a dam that aborted?

Answer 27

serology, PCR

Question 28

what prevention is done for bovine abortions?

Answer 28

vaccinate dams against lepto, IBR, BVD, brucellosis, campylobacter fetus, test bulls to prevent tritrichomoniasis, check feed for nitrates, wait until 3rd trimester to put dams on foothill agent-infected pastures, & keep dogs off of pastures to prevent neosporosis

Question 29

what is a normal abortion rate in cattle? when do you investigate?

Answer 29

1% - investigate if 3-5%

Question 30

what etiologies causing abortions in cattle are reportable?

Answer 30

brucellosis & tritrichomoniasis

Question 31

how do you develop a differential list for bovine abortions?

Answer 31

based on timing of abortion, early/mid/late

Question 32

what is the classic case presentation of calf diarrhea?

Answer 32

2-10 day old calf with diarrhea, lethargy, depression, hypothermia, & sepsis

Question 33

what diagnostics should be performed on a calf with diarrhea?

Answer 33

ensure adequate colostrum intake, refractometer total protein should be greater than 5.5 gm/dL, look at chemistry lab values for severely dehydrated calves, salmonella stool cultures atleast 5 times, for giardia & crypto: fecal float with direct smear & acid fast for crypto, BVD: PCR on ear tissue, rotavirus: fecal rotazyme test, & for coronavirus: fluorescent antibody tests on duodenal jejunal samples

Question 34

if a calf with diarrhea is over 5-7% dehydrated, how do you treat it?

Answer 34

iv fluids!!! determine type based on pH status/base deficit (usually sodium bicarb with dextrose)

Question 35

if a calf with diarrhea is under 5-7% dehydration, how do you treat it?

Answer 35

use enteral fluids, electrolyte replacer, & milk +/- antibiotics & anti-inflammatories

Question 36

how is calf diarrhea prevented?

Answer 36

good calf management, clean calving areas & hutches, provide good quality colostrum (1 gallon colostrum per 100lb calf in first feed)

Question 37

T/F: most diarrhea outbreaks in calves are caused by a combination of pathogens

Answer 37

TRUE

Question 38

what is the classic case presentation of a cow with lumpy jaw?

Answer 38

gradual onset of hard, non-movable masses on facial bones (rarely draining) with weight loss & quidding

Question 39

what is the classic case presentation of a cow with wooden tongue?

Answer 39

lethargy, ptyalism, protruding tongue, swollen throat latch, stridor, dysphagia, hard/irregular/firm soft tissues in mouth & pharynx

Question 40

what is the etiology of lumpy jaw?

Answer 40

actinomyces bovis

Question 41

what is the etiology of wooden tongue?

Answer 41

actinobacillus lignieresii

Question 42

T/F: any breed, age, or use of cow can get lumpy jaw or wooden tongue

Answer 42

TRUE

Question 43

what kind of bacteria is the agent that causes wooden tongue?

Answer 43

gram negative bacteria

Question 44

what kind of bacteria is the agent that causes lumpy jaw?

Answer 44

gram positive rod bacteria

Question 45

how is lumpy jaw diagnosed?

Answer 45

FNA/gram stain (gram positive rods), radiographs of the jaw, manual pharyngeal exploration except if there are neuro signs

Question 46

how is wooden tongue diagnosed?

Answer 46

FNA/gram stain (gram negative), rads of jaw

Question 47

how is lumpy jaw treated?

Answer 47

IV sodium iodide or cull due to poor prognosis

Question 48

how is wooden tongue treated?

Answer 48

IV sodium iodide & sometimes penicillin

Question 49

what is the prognosis for lumpy jaw?

Answer 49

hard tissues get softer, so fair prognosis but bony deformation is likely to remain

Question 50

what is the prognosis for wooden tongue?

Answer 50

soft tissues get harder, so excellent prognosis

Question 51

T/F: both lumpy jaw & wooden tongue can be herd problems

Answer 51

TRUE