Farm urinary Flashcards
Normal cow urinalysis?
SG 1.020-1.045
pH normally alkaline
Protein - usually trace only
Glucose - usually trace
Clinical signs of urinary disease?
Abdominal pain - pyelonephritis, calculi
Dysuria - pyelonephritis, calculi, cystitis, (vaginitis)
Haematuria +/- pus +/- calculi
Polyuria - DM (post FMD), diabetes inspires, idiopathic (calves)
Anuria - construction by calculi
Oliguria - prerenal, renal or post renal
Proteinuria - renal amyloidosis - breed
Causes of haematuria?
Pyelonephritis (+pus) Cystitis Urolithiasis Enzootic haematuria Acute bracken poisoning Toxic nephrosis (acorn) Glomerulonephritis, renal infarction etc
Causes of haemoglobinuria?
Babesiosis (red water)
Post parturient haemoglobinuria
Bacillary haemoglobinuria (Clostridium haemoliticum)
What is hypospadia?
Failure of closure of male urethra
Usually fatten fine
Scalding - welfare issue, daily hosing
Pyelonephritis - Most common cause in cows? Which cows? Sings? Treatment?
Corynebacterium renale and E.coli
Usually sporadic
More common in suckler cows - venereal spread by natural service?
Secondary to trauma e.g. dystocia
Signs:
- chronic weight loss
- +/- mild pyrexia
- appetite usually ok
- dysuria
- blood and pus in urine (pus on vulval hairs)
- per rectum exam: swollen painful kidney, bladder and ureteral involvement and thickening
Treatment:
- long course antibiotics
- C renal sensitive to most (penicillins, oxytetracycline)
- E.coli isn’t (amoxicillin/clavulonic acid)
1/3 get better, 1/3 recur, 1/3 never get better
Cystitis - When seen? Signs? Treatment?
Often associated with pyelonephritis
Secondary to dystocia - ascending infection
Similar signs to pyelonephritis:
- chronic weight loss
- +/- mild pyrexia
- appetite usually ok
- dysuria
- blood and pus in urine (pus on vulval hairs)
- per rectum exam: swollen painful kidney, bladder and ureteral involvement and thickening
- straining more pronounced
Treatment:
- long course antibiotics
- organism and sensitivity less predictable than pyelonephritis
What is amyloidosis? Signs?
Deposition of amyloid and Ab/Ag complexes Secondary to other chronic infections (can be primary) Signs: - off food and ill - profuse diarrhoea - generalised s/c oedema - PUPD - proteinuria - low plasma albumin - pale swollen kidneys
What is enzootic haematuria? Causes? Signs?
Haemangiomata in bladder
Associated with long term ingestion of bracken
Older cows
Other causes - “tear pastures”, high molybdenum
Blood clots in urine
Tumours in guts - SCC
What specific conditions does bracken cause in cattle, horses and sheep?
Contains a thiamine - toxic in horses (and pigs - heart enlargement?) but no effect in ruminants
Bright blindness - sheep retinal atrophy
Enzootic haematuria - long term ingestion
Gut tumours - sheep and cattle, long term ingestion
Bladder wall tumours
Haemorrhagic syndrome (blood in faeces, urine and haemorrhages on mucous membranes)
General clinical signs of bracken poisoning?
Bone marrow toxicity Pancytopenia and thrombocytopenia Petechiae in mouth, conjunctiva, vulva etc S/C bruising Blood clots - nose, faeces Pyrexia Depression Weakness Anorexia Diarrhoea (bloody) Death
What causes toxic nephrosis in cattle? Clinical signs? Diagnosis? Treatment?
Oak (acorn) poisoning (phenols and tannins) on pastures 3-5d after autumn storms
Tannins in acorns cause kidney damage
Sudden death
Anorexia, depression, bloat due to luminal stasis
Colic
Anorexia
Weight loss
Ascites
Oedema
Haematuria
Constipation and straining, progressing to fetid black tarry diarrhoea
Bloods - raised urea and creatinine, raised liver enzymes
PME - GIT ulceration and haemorrhage, nephritis, liver degeneration
Death in 4-7d despite supportive treatment?
Pigs more resistant
What causes Bacillary haemoglobinuria? Signs? Prevention?
Uncommon - wet, high pH pastures in SW Clostridium haemolyticum - toxins In soil and dormant in liver Migrating fluke - trigger spores Pyrexia, jaundice, anaemia, oedema, Hburia Fatal Vaccinate (Black disease), fluke control
What causes red water? Spread? Signs? Which animals? When? Clinical signs?
Babesia divergens in UK
Tick borne - Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphyllis punctata
Also trans ovarian transmission
Clinical signs in older non immune animals
Premunity results from infection when young - inverse age immunity
Spring and autumn rise
Rented grazing = novel exposure
Signs:
- pyrexia
- anaemia and Hburia “port wine urine”
- diarrhoea
- later constipation, low temperature, anaemia, jaundice
Diagnosis and treatment of babesiosis/red water? Immunity?
Blood smear - capillary blood from ear, parasites in RBC, evidence of anaemia
ELISA to assess herd exposure
Treatment:
- imidocarb licensed (213d meat, 21d milk withhold)
- 1ml/100kg curative
- 2.5ml/100kg
- toxic at 1.75 x dose, death at 5 x dose
- preventative immunity depends on adequate challenge by infected ticks during treatment period
- supportive therapy: blood transfusion, fluids
Post parturient haemoglobinuria - seen in which animals? When? Cause? Clinical signs? Treatment?
Uncommon - older high yielding dairy cows Sporadic cases 1-4 weeks after calving? Cause: - low phosphorous diet - kale, rape, turnips etc Signs: - sudden onset - hamoglobinuria - pallor, jaundice - collapse, dyspnoea - death Treatment: - guarded prognosis - phosphorous (Boston injection) - blood transfusion
How to do a blood transfusion for a cow?
One transfusion is safe without cross matching
Sodium nitrate (anti-coagulant) - 10ml of 3.85% solution per 100ml blood
Choke-Rope around neck to raise jugular
Jugular trochar or 10-12G catheter to collect
5L blood
Collect in Winchester bottle or empty wormer bottle
Aetiology and diagnosis of bracken poisoning in farm animals?
Cyanogenic glycoside, thiaminases
History, clinical signs, blood results
Urolithiasis - Which animals? What are the calculi usually?
2-4mo ram lambs
Mature goats castrated in first few days of life
Bull beef calves
Usually sporadic but can have “outbreaks”
Usually Calcium/magnesium ammonium phosphate
What is urolithiasis associated with in farm animals?
Ca:P imbalance in diet
High concentrate diet
Water deprivation
Interactions like forage quality changing concentrate intake
History of diet change in mature animals
Inappropriate material used in feeds - e.g. pig nuts as source of mineral in goat mix
Signs of urolithiasis?
Restlessness
Abdominal pain (kicking) and straining (hiccups)
Dysuria or anuria - dry floor
Preputial crystals/sand
Progressive til urethra and/or bladder ruptures
Bladder rupture - initially brighter, high urea and creatinine in abdominal fluid, S/C oedema - water belly
Diagnosis of urolithiasis/urethral/bladder rupture?
Abdominal palpation: - distended bladder - free fluid wave - s/c fluid: pitting, colour of skin (location indicates site of rupture) Hair of ventral abdomen - "sand around preputial orifice Examine penis (exteriorise): - if cannot exteriorise then cut down into middle of prepuce Radiography US better: - s/c tissue - free fluid in abdomen - bladder - kidney: cortex/medulla reatio Abdominocentesis - s/c guided, sample s/c fluid too Palpate urethra per rectum - if calculi palpable, no point doing anything more distal Blood sample: - urea, creatinine - potassium - PCV - TP
Treatment of urolithiasis?
Relaxants (buscopan or xylazine) always used but of little use - xylazine will either make better if flushes blockage or will make worse as diuresis
Casualty slaughter - unlikely to pass inspection as uraemic
Surgery:
- start by exteriorising end of penis (in castrated goat: sedate, LA, forceps into prepuce, cut down midway to exteriorise)
- palpate to feel if calculi
- maybe catheterise urethra (carved catheter and guide)
- percutaneous bladder cathetarisation: care with entrapping viscera
- if bladder ruptured and cannot be cathetarised: GA, laparotomy, repair bladder, or tube cystotomy
- flush with 10% Walpole’s solution in saline
How to do a urethrostomy?
Standing and epidural anaesthesia
Mid line incision from 4” below anus in cattle
Identify penis & blunt dissect
Transect penis distally to leave a 4” proximal stump
Suture stump to skin - not through urethra
Leave indwelling catheter for a few days
Do NOT allow to scab over!
What to do if water belly?
Incise skin in multiple sites to produce drainage
Necrosis, slough off and re-epithelialise
Worse if a lot of S/C fat
Bath/spray with salt water regularly
Antibiotic cover? House? Fly treatment?
Welfare
Prevention of recurrence of urolithiasis?
Urinary acidification - ammonium chloride, acid sodium phosphate
Check diet:
- check correct mixing
- investigate sources of minerals in course mixes
- no added Mg
- Calcium chloride or ammonium chloride in lamb creep
- Ca:P 1.2-2:1
- 1% NaCl in diet, salt blocks? to increase drinking
- check/improve access to water
1 week old calf with 40C temp, blind, extended neck?
Meningitis - e.g. E.coli, Salmonella Check for infected umbilicus, joints Check colostrum - TP Check farm hygiene Treat with antibiotics (tetracycline), NSAIDs/steroids
6 month old calf head pressing, blind, temp 39.1C, one in group, recently weaned and then housed after being out at pasture?
Normal temp
CCN
Give vitamin B1
Recently calved dairy cow, obsessively licking wall, unsteady walking, BCS 3.5?
Nervous ketosis
Test BHOB
Treat with propylene glycol, steroids, glucose
4yo suckler, calved 2 months out at pasture in May, down unable to stand, convulsing, muscle fasciculations?
Hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers)
MgSO4
Prevent with Mg licks, boluses, MgO dressing on pasture, MgCl in water
Bulling heifer, tongue out, facial paralysis with drooling and ear down on one side, 41C temp, housed with 30 others and fed big bale silage?
Brainstem Listeriosis Treat with penicillin NSAIDs Remove silage Silage analysis
2 weeks after difficult calving, beef cow, reluctant to move, slightly bloated, tail raised, third eyelid prolapsed, unusual gait with stiff legs
Tetanus
Antitoxin and toxoid
Antibiotics
How to differentiate between a neurological and orthopaedic limb problem?
Limbs carried = orthopaedic
Limbs dragged = neurological
Shortened step = orthopaedic
Increased step length = neurological
Which cortical neuromuscular suspicions must you notify the APHA about?
Lead poisoning
Pseudorabies (Aujesky’s)
Rabies
BSE
Meningitis
Calves around 1wo that have not had enough colostrum
Extension of local infection (sinusitis) or haematogenous - look for another lesion
Diarrhoea
Fever
Anorexia
Stiff neck
Hyperaesthesia
What are the names for castrated bulls and rams?
Castrated bull = steer
Castrated ram = wether
When do bulls and rams become fertile?
Bulls: 7 months
Rams: 4-6 months
Reasons for and against castration of rams/bulls?
For:
- safer to handle and manage
- prevent unwanted pregnancies
- poss better carcass quality: increased fat deposition, taint avoided, reduced chance of dark cutting meat
- consumer pressure and tradition
Against:
- welfare: pain, stress, haemorrhage
- reduced growth rates
- growth setback at time of castration (earlier the better?)
- leaner carcass if entire (better killing out %)
When are bull beef slaughtered?
12-15 months old (fattened intensively)
What are the legal ages and methods for castration of calves and lambs?
First 7 days for both: rubber rings without local by a competent stock keeper
0-2 months in calves, 0-3 months in lambs: trained lay person aged 16+, no analgesia required
Older than 2 months in calves, older than 3 months in lambs: veterinary surgeon, local anaesthetic required
Comparison of castration at a younger or older age?
Younger:
- less tress?
- easier and safer
- less risk to animal
- less growth setback
- easier in some management systems e.g. indoor lambing
Older:
- more stressful?/
- increased danger to operator
- increased risk to animal
- better carcass quality?
- longer period of high growth rate
- easier in some management systems e.g. suckler calves
Methods of castration?
Rubber rings (<1wo)
Bloodless castration “Burdizzo”
Open castration “knife”
Immuno-castration against LH - future?
Methods of local anaesthesia for castration? Which drug?
Infiltration: spermatic cord +/- subcutaneously into scrotum +/- into testes
Procaine 5% + adrenaline:
- licensed in cattle (not sheep)
- cheap
- takes 10-15 min onset and lasts 45-90 mins
Other option is epidural anaesthesia:
- suitable for bulls or very large calves
- 20 min time delay
- risk of recumbency
- sedation - optional extra for big beasts
Use of NSAIDs - should be advocated by vet for analgesia
Rubber ring castration: which animals? Anaesthesia? Risks?
Common in lambs, sometimes calves
Only if <1wo
Usually no anaesthesia so painful
Stress of castration - interference with colostrum intake, risk of watery mouth etc
Ensure both testicles included
New rings and clean equipment - tetanus risk otherwise
Usually done by farmer
Burdizzo (bloodless castration): which animals? Risks? Benefits? Anaesthesia? What to make sure to do?
Ideally young calves and lambs only
Increased risk of failure in older animals
Can be difficult in very small testicules
Preferential to surgical in dirtier conditions
No chance of haemorrhage
Local analgesia - risk of introducing infection but law if >2/3 months
Clamp both sides - do not clamp across scrotum
Do not include urethra
Check in 4-6 weeks for failures
Open castration (knife): Which animals? Benefits? Risks? Method?
Suitable for any age
Benefits:
- No uncertainty
- Less setback?
- Less pain in larger beasts?
Risks:
- hameorrhage (ensure haemostasis, if happens pack with cotton wool if not too severe, identify spermatic cord and ligate)
- herniation (check hernia not present)
- infection/abscess at wound site (ensure adequate drainage, clean area to go after)
- tetanus (vaccinate)
- gut tie (associated with recoil of spermatic cord into abdomen, need laparotomy or slaughter if happens)
Method:
- restrain well in crush
- anaesthesia - wait 10 mins
- slit the scrotum and for smaller calves twist and pull to break spermatic cord, in larger calves use emasculators to crush and cut the cord
- U shaped incision ensures drainage
- antibiotics? LA penicillin or oxytetracycline
Equipment needed for open castration?
Scalpel and No 22 blade
Emasculators - serra pattern
Newberry knife - slits scrotum with adequate U shaped incision = safer, quicker and better than scalpel
Bucket of antiseptic, gloves and cotton wool
Why disbud/dehorn? When?
Safety to farmer and other animals
Younger the better:
- less stress for animal and operator (easier to handle)
- only do healthy animals
- higher chance of 100% success
Avoid time of year with flies if possible
Restraint options for disbudding/dehorning?
Baby calves: hold calf in corner, dehorning crate
Older calves: harder to hold, dehorning crate
Adults: cattle crush
Dehorning paste: When can be used? What is it? What must be done? Welfare
First day of life (licensed <7do, illegal if >7do)
Caustic - 42.7% w/w odium hydroxide
Ensure not licked off
Separate from cow for 1-2h
1.5h of dry weather
Protect site? gaffer tape
Code of welfare recommends against use of chemical disbudding
What anaesthesia is used for disbudding/dehorning?
ILLEGAL TO DISBUD OR DEHORN WITHOUT ANAESTHETIC UNLESS USING CHEMICAL DISBUDDER
Cornual branch of lachrymal nerve
3-10ml local anaesthetic (age and size)
Check not in artery or vein
Older cattle may also need to block cornual branch of cervical nerve
How to disbud baby calves? What if slightly older?
Restrain Inject local Clip hair and identify horn bud Burn hair/horn junction Rotating action Aim for a clear copper ring
If slightly older:
- consider xylazine to sedate (vet only)
- cut bud first with foot clippers
How to dehorn older animals/adults?
Stressful! Ensure good restraint Ensure good local analgesia: 10ml per side, may need extra block Consider xylazine to sedate Shears/wire/saw Cut at hair/horn junction Control haemorrhage: - grasp vessel with artery forceps, twist and pull, vessel on craniotomy-ventral aspect - cauterise with hot iron - if use wire will cauterise as you cut
Aftercare for all disbudding/dehorning?
NSAIDs - meloxicam approved
Check for haemorrhage and induction (sinusitis if enter sinuses) in older animals
Treatment of sinusitis following dehorning?
Til head to drain
Hosepipe in hole to flush out
Antibiotic? penicillin, pen/strep
Risks of disbudding/dehorning?
Fractured skulls - shears, too much pressure with disbudder, sharp disbudder
Brain trauma/damage - sharp disbudder, too hot disbudder
Goat disbudding?
<7do Very large horn buds/germinal area Ideally need larger diameter disbudding iron Thin skulls Require sedation/GA by law in UK No licensed drugs!
Nerve blocks for adult goat dehorning?
Horns supplied by cornual branches of both lacrimal and infratrochlear nerves
Block cornual branch of lacrimal: midway between lateral canthus and lateral horn base (2-3ml)
Block cornual branch of infratrochlear: midway between medial canthus and medial horn base
