Diseases of the circulatory system Flashcards
Major clinical signs of Problems in circulatory system in cattle: (8+)
Edema
Cardiac arrhythmias
Cardiac murmurs
Muffled heart sounds
Weakness
Venous distention
Peripheral swelling
Enlarged lymph nodes
Abnormal peripheral pulses
Describe edema in cattle.
Abnormal accumulation of extracellular fluid in the interstitial spaces of the tissues or in body cavities.
Generalized or local
Causes:
- Chronic heart failure
- Mitral/tricuspid regurgitation
- Endocarditis
- Brisket disease
- Congenital heart defects
- Cor pulmonale
- Pericarditis
- Pleuritis
- Vitamin E/ selenium deficiency = white
muscle disease - Johne’s disease
- Thrombophlebitis
- Lymphosarcoma
Vitamin E/ selenium deficiency = white
muscle disease
also called nutritional muscular dystrophy, primarily causes degeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscles, leading to muscle weakness, stiffness, difficulty standing, and sometimes sudden death, particularly in young calves.
Supplementing diets with adequate vitamin E and selenium is key to prevention and management.
Brisket disease
also called high-mountain disease, is a condition in cattle caused by low oxygen levels at high altitudes, leading to pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure.
Affected animals develop fluid accumulation in the chest and brisket area, causing swelling, difficulty breathing, and reduced exercise tolerance.
The condition is most common in cattle raised above 5,000 feet, and management includes genetic selection for resistance and moving affected animals to lower altitudes.
Cor pulmonale
Cor pulmonale in cattle is a form of right-sided heart failure caused by chronic high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, often due to hypoxia at high altitudes, similar to brisket disease.
This condition strains the right side of the heart, leading to fluid buildup, especially around the brisket, and symptoms like swelling, labored breathing, and lethargy.
Prevention focuses on breeding altitude-adapted cattle and managing herd altitude exposure.
Normal heart rate in adult cattle =
49-84 beats/min
Arrhythmia are normal in cattle that have been…
held off feed for 12-48h – sinus bradycardia and arrhythmia.
Possible Causes of cardiac arrhythmia in cattle. (9)
Gastrointestinal disease
Lymphosarcoma
Pericarditis
Valvular heart disease
Myocardial disease
Excitement
Fever
Sepsis
Metabolic/electrolyte imbalance
Murmur causes in cattle. (8)
Turbulent blood flow in heart and aorta.
Causes:
Anemia
Excitement
Fever
Valvular disease
Lymphosarcoma
Pericarditis
”Washing machine” murmur in traumatic pericarditis due to accumulation of fluid, gas and fibrin within the pericardium.
Muffled heart sounds in cattle are caused by what in general
In general, caused by displacement of heart from the thoracic wall by fluid, soft tissue mass or air.
Causes:
Obesity
Large/thick chest wall
Pericarditis
Lymphosarcoma
Abscess
Chronic heart failure
”Exercise” intolerance in cattle includes what types of signs (5) and due to what causes? (4)
Respiratory distress, cough on exertion, sweating, recumbency, collapse.
Causes:
Myocardial disease
Cardiac arrhythmia
Congenital heart defects
Chronic heart failure
Venous distention in cattle, its causes? (6)
Pulsation of the vessels, normally the jugular veins.
Or Edema
Causes:
Right-sided heart failure
Cardiomyopathy
Pericarditis
Jugular venous phlebitis/thrombosis
Lymphosarcoma
Abscess
Causes of peripheral swelling in cattle? (8)
Necrosis, ulceration, exudation.
Causes:
thrombophlebitis,
abscess,
clostridial myositis,
malignant edema,
muscle trauma/hematoma,
cellulitis (wound or injection site),
fracture,
insect/snake bite
Circulatory related Reasons/causes (3+3) for enlarged lymph nodes in cattle?
Obstructions in lymphatic drainage – peripheral edema, pleural effusion, ascites.
Causes:
Caseous lymphadenitis
(Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis)
Lymphosarcoma (bovine leukosis virus)
Abscess/cellulitis
Abnormal peripheral pulses in cattle could be due to: (8)
Causes:
Dehydration
Shock
Toxemia
Congestive heart failure
Electrolyte imbalances
Acid-base disorders
Fever
Arrhythmias
Heart disease is…?
Diagnosis of heart disease includes? (3)
Heart disease is any functional, structural or electrical abnormality of the heart.
Diagnosis:
Signalment and history
Physical examination
Ultrasonography
Physical examination for the Diagnosis of heart disease in cattle should include: (7)
Examination of jugular veins for distention and pulsation.
Auscultation of the heart – heart rate, murmurs, arrhythmia.
Auscultation of the thorax – pulmonary auscultation.
Palpation of pulse – pulse deficits.
Mucous membrane color and refill time.
Examination of limbs – edema
Ballottement of abdomen – ascites
Describe Infective endocarditis.
Infection of the endocardium.
Blood borne bacteria like Trueperella pyogenes
Endothelium damage leads to collagen exposure, platelet adhesion, microthrombosis formation.
Bacteria enmesh to thrombus and cause local infection.
Typically tricuspid valve is affected leading to valvular insufficiency (detectable with echocardiography)
Poor prognosis in general.
Clinical signs of infective endocarditis in cattle? (8)
Continuous fever
Weight loss
Lethargy
Shifting leg lameness
Left heart failure – tachypnea, dyspnea, cough
Ascites, jugular pulsation
Hematuria, pyuria
Cardiac murmur
CBC changes in cattle with infective endocarditis?
Neutrophilic leukocytosis
Anemia
(of course with bacteremia)
Clinical findings in Pericardial effusion secondary to traumatic reticuloperitonitis? (9)
Fever
Depression
Tachycardia
Muffled heart sounds
Tachypnoe
Washing machine murmur
Jugular vein distention
Submandibular and brisket edema
Sudden death (myocarditis)
How would you treat Infectious endocarditis in cattle?
Guarded long-term prognosis
Palliative treatment
AB based on blood culture and sensitivity
(Against Gram + bacteria, Penicillin)
Aspirin 100mg/kg PO once a day to prevent platelet adhesion
NSAIDS
Furosemide (registered also to cattle) 1 mg/kg IV q 12-14 h
How would you treat Traumatic pericarditis in cattle?
Usually unrewarding
Pericardial drainage, thoracotomy but obv not in field practice
Broad-spectrum antibiotics against Gram + and Gram -, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria
NSAIDs
Corticosteroids if no growth in bacterial cultivation and evidence of sepsis.
Diuretics? Eliminate peripheral edema, but reduce venous return and preload leading to decreased cardiac output and worse heart failure so not recommended.
Describe various cases of Thrombosis/thrombophlebitis in cattle. (5)
Aggregation of platelets and fibrin in heart or in vessels.
Thrombosis of caudal vena cava due to liver abscesses.
Embolic pneumonia due to infectious endocarditis.
Thrombosis of cranial vena cava
Thrombophlebitis of jugular vein due to catheterization
