Cases Flashcards
A feedlot steer presents with acute blindness. An ophthalmologic exam reveals that the steer has bilateral loss of vision with dilated, non-responsive pupils and retinal degeneration. Which is the most likely diagnosis?
a. Polioencephalomalacia
b. Lead poisoning
c. Vitamin A deficiency
d. Sulfur toxicity
c. Vitamin A deficiency
PLR is absent and retinal lesions are present. Typically seen in animals with limited access to fresh forage.
A cattle producer has several cows develop acute respiratory signs soon after being moved to a new lush pasture. You suspect the signs are related to the actions of the pneumotoxic compound 3-methylindole. You attribute the respiratory distress to which of the following:
a. Fibrinous pleuropneumonia
b. Hyaline membrane formation and interstitial pneumonia
c. Pulmonary abscesses and bronchiectasis
d. Bronchopneumonia
b. Hyaline membrane formation and interstitial pneumonia
Classically known as “fog fever”, a.k.a. acute bovine pulmonary edema and emphysema, one of the bovine interstitial pneumonias. L-tryptophan in lush pastures converted to 3-methylindole, a pneumotoxin. Results in congestion and edema, hyaline membrane formation, proliferation of type 2 pneumoctyes, etc…
A 15-year-old Quarter Horse has been unusually quiet for the last couple of weeks. You notice that the horse spends a lot of time walking around the perimeter of the stall, usually in a counter-clockwise direction. The horse also seems “spooky” and reluctant to follow when you try to lead him. The menace response, although present on the left side, is absent on the right. All other aspects of the neurologic examination (including pupillary light reflexes and other cranial nerve tests) are normal.
On the basis of clinical signs, what is the MOST likely location of the causative lesion?
A. Left cerebral cortex
B. Midbrain on the left side
C. Nuclei of cranial nerve VIII on the left side
D. Right cerebral cortex
A. Left cerebral cortex
Ref: DeLahunta, Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology 3rd ed 2008, p 319-47.
Which of the following CSF analyses would be most consistent with a diagnosis of equine herpesvirus-1 myoencephalopathy?
A. 29 120 95
B. 250 15 65
C. 7 340 230
D. 3,200 210 180
C. 7 340 230
Ref: Bayly, Reed and Sellon. Equine Internal Medicine. ed 2 2004 pp 617-624.
You are presented with a 5-year-old Quarter Horse halter mare that has bruxism and has eaten only
hay in past 4 days. You suggest that the client haul the horse to the nearest referral facility with a 3
meter endoscope 200 miles south of your clinic.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate alternative test to gastroscopy for this horse?
A. D –xylose absorption
B. Glucose absorption
C. Glutamine absorption
D. Sucrose absorption
D. Sucrose absorption
Ref: JVIM 2006 20; 388- 394; AJVR 65(1); 31-39.
A local veterinarian calls you for advice. She has just measured T3 and T4 concentrations in a 6-day-old foal and its mare. The horses look healthy and have no history of medical problems, the mare’s T3 and T4 values are within reference range, but the foal’s T3-T4 levels are 10 times higher. The owner is
concerned and the local veterinarian is not sure how to treat the foal.
What would you recommend?
A. No action is required, T3-T4 values in foals are normally higher than adults.
B. Perform a thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test on the foal.
C. Question the owner about the diet of the mare- especially the feeding of any iodide supplements
such as seaweed meal.
D. Ultrasound and biopsy the foal’s thyroid gland.
A. No action is required, T3-T4 values in foals are normally higher than adults.
Ref: Reed, Bayly & Sellon: Equine Internal Medicine. 3rd Ed 2010 p 1255.
You have diagnosed left displacement of the abomasum in a 4-year-old Guernsey cow. No other
abnormalities are apparent on physical examination. The cow’s body condition score is 3 on a 5 point
scale. The cow calved 6 days ago. Milk production and appetite were normal until 24 hours ago. In the
process of performing a right paralumbar omentopexy you notice that the omentum and intra abdominal
fat are a deep yellow color.
What is the MOST likely cause of the yellow color?
A. Beta-carotene
B. Beta-hydroxybutyrate
C. Conjugated bilirubin
D. Unconjugated bilirubin
A. Beta-carotene
You are presented with a non-lactating 5-year-old Anglo-Nubian female goat. The goat has been
dewormed 3 times at 1 month intervals with ivermectin, fenbendazole, and pyrantel pamoate. The last
deworming was 8 days ago. The goat is emaciated (body condition score 1/5). Mucous membranes are
pink and submandibular edema is absent. The stool is pelleted. Hematocrit is normal and serum protein
is marginally low. Fecal floatation reveals 50 eggs per gram of feces.
Which of the following diseases is MOST consistent with this history, physical examination and
laboratory database?
A. Cobalt deficiency
B. Haemonchosis
C. Johne’s disease
D. Molybdenum deficiency
C. Johne’s disease
Ref: Radostits, Gay, Blood, Hinchcliff, 10th ed. p. 1026.
You are examining a 2-week-old whiteface ewe lamb that has developed progressive pelvic limb ataxia
over the last several days.
*Lamb looks hunched, is paraparetic with hind limb muscle atrophy
Which of the following is the MOST likely cause for this animal’s clinical signs?
A. Bluetongue virus
B. Copper deficiency
C. Degenerative myeloencephalopathy
D. Polioencephalomalacia
B. Copper deficiency
Ref: TJ Divers VCNA: Food Animal Practice 2004 231-242.
Smith LAIM 4th, p. 1170-1171.
A flock of ewes in Idaho has been experiencing an outbreak of “abnormal” lambs over the past few
weeks. Most lambs appear normal at birth, however approximately 15% have been born with varying
degrees of facial deformity including cyclopia and twisted mandibles.
Other lambs have been born live but have very short legs.
What is the MOST likely cause of these congential deformitites?
A. Conium maculatum (poison hemlock)
B. Lupinus leucophylus (lupine or blue bonnet)
C. Oxytropis sericea (locoweed)
D. Veratrum californicum (false hellebore or skunk cabbage)
D. Veratrum californicum (false hellebore or skunk cabbage)
Ref: Smith, 4th, pp. 1696.
A 2-week old Galloway calf presents with a history of ataxia, base-wide stance and intention tremor of the head. Clinical signs have been present since birth and have progressed with time. Which of the following diseases is most likely?
a. Trauma
b. Copper deficiency
c. Alpha-mannosidosis
d. Beta-mannosidosis
c. Alpha-mannosidosis
A recently-calved six-year old Angus cow presents with an acute history of lethargy and inappetance. The cow has a PCV of 13%, TP of 6.5mg/dl. She has a HR of 80bpm, RR of 60 breaths/minute, and is icteric. A urine dipstick indicates a SG of 1.0205, moderate ketonuria, and hemoglobinuria. What is the most likely differential?
a. Abomasal ulcers
b. Postparturient hemoglobinuria
c. Anaplasmosis
d. Babesiosis
d. Babesiosis
A 5-year old Belgian Draft gelding presents with acute signs of stiffness of the limbs, reluctance to move and muscle tremors. The gelding is kept on poor quality hay and scant pasture and has a low BCS. Serum chemistry and urinalysis reveal elevated CK and AST values and myoglobinuria. Which differential is most likely?
a. Exertional rhabdomyolysis
b. Polysaccharide storage myopathy
c. Atypical myopathy
d. Streptococcus equi myositis
c. Atypical myopathy
Which of the following is not one of the “4R’s” of radiation therapy?
a. Repair
b. Redistribution
c. Reoxygenation
d. Revision
d. Revision
You look at a 4-month old beef calf that has petechial hemorrhages, excessive bleeding after a minor injury and a hematoma on its shoulder. A complete blood count (CBC) shows a normal red blood cell concentration, but a marked lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia are present. Which of the following would be the most likely diagnosis?
a) Chediak Higashi syndrome
b) Anaplasmosis
c) Type II BVD infection
d) Chronic brackenfern toxicosis
c) Type II BVD infection
