Food Animal Respiratory Disease Flashcards
What are ruminants with previous lung damage more susceptible to?
- heat stress
- respiratory infection
What are the normal respiratory rates of adult bovines, goats, sheep, and pigs?
15-35 bpm
15-40 bpm
12-20 bpm
10-20 bpm
What are the normal respiratory rates of neonatal calves, lambs, and kids?
20-40 bpm
30-70 bpm
40-65 bpm
What are 3 especially important parts of the physical exam for cases of respiratory disease?
- rectal temperature
- digestive system - bloat
- thorax - RR and pattern
What are 3 changes in respiration indicative of respiratory disease? What causes each?
- increased inspiratory effort - cranial to the thoracic inlet (upper airway)
- increased expiratory effort - intrathoracic (lower airway, commonly accompanied by a grunt)
- breathing through nose or mouth
What is indicative of respiratory disease in this cow?
extended neck + recumbent
How can breathing be induced in cattle during a respiratory exam?
rectal sleeve over nose
- referred sounds can be heard over trachea and larynx
How can heart sounds and percussion be affected by respiratory disease?
muffled, normal, or louder
simultaneous percussion over ribs and auscultation can identify areas of consolidation
Thoracic exam, left vs. right:
- right = more lung lobes
- left = easier to hear heart sounds
What are alveoli? Surfactant?
moist, thin-walled pockets of the lungs where gas exchange occurs
oily liquid that covers alveolar walls and prevents their collapse and sticking together
Thoracic examination, left:
less lobes
What are the 2 layers of pleura on the lungs?
- parietal - covers inner thoracic wall
- viscera - covers lungs
space between - pleura cavity
What is considered the upper airway? How is it examined?
trachea and larynx
- palpated -may elicit a cough or pain
- auscultation
How is the head examined, especially in cases of suspected respiratory disease?
- symmetry of face, head, and neck
- eyes - discharge, conjunctivitis, ulcers (keratitis)
- sinuses - swelling, percussion
How is the nose examined in cases of suspected respiratory disease?
- discharge- serous (early disease), mucopurulent (advanced), uni/bilateral
- symmetrical air flow
- mucosa - inflammation, vesicles, ulcers, erosions
How is the oral cavity examined in cases of suspected respiratory disease?
- odor of breath - necrotic = late stage foul odor
- inflammation - reddening
- vesicles, ulcers, erosions - viral
- visualization of pharynx, nasopharynx, and larynx (difficult!)
- palate pharynx/larynx
What are some diagnostic aides for respiratory disease?
- CBC
- parasitology - Baerman
- thoracic radiography and U/S
- endoscopy
- transtracheal washing
- nasal or laryngeal swabs
- blood gas analysis
What is the characteristic posture of cattle with severe respiratory disease? Why do they do this?
stand motionless with elbows abducted, neck extended, head lowered and extended with mouth open and tongue protruding
maximizes airway diameter to minimize resistance to air flow
What are some signs of severe respiratory disease?
- purulent nasal discharge
- protruding tongue with mouth opening and froth
- elbows abducted
- abdominal breathing line
- roughened staring coat
- ears drooping
+/- depression, increased RR, mouth breathing, nostril dilation, puffing out cheeks, epiphora, cyanosis, coughing, recunbency
Other than pulmonary disease, what can abnormal breathing be a response to?
- acid/base disorders
- cardiovascular disease
- excitement
- systemic toxemia
- neurological conditions
- changes in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood (anemia)
What are common causes of dyspnea, apnea, tachypnea, oligpnea, and hyperpnea?
hypoxia due to the reduced capacity for pulmonary gaseous exchange
meningitis, severe acidosis –> episodic
excitement, pain, fear, disease
(reduction in RR) - metabolic alkalosis
(increased depth) - pulmonary disease, metabolic acidosis, toxemia
What do thoracic and abdominal breathing indicate?
abdominal pain –> traumatic reticulitis, perforated abomasal ulcer, increased abdominal pressure (bloat)
thoracic pain –> pleuritis, severe pulmonary disease (pneumonia)
What is stridor? Snoring?
inspiratory sound caused by a reduction in the cross-sectional area od the larynx (commonly seen in laryngeal calf diphtheria)
louder noise associated with retropharyngeal abscessation, which causes external pressure on the larynx or upper airway
What is expiratory grunting associated with? Crackling?
thoracic pain caused by severe pneumonia and pleuritis
advanced pneumonia
What are common causes of mycotic nasal granulomas? What are 3 signs?
fungi AND bacteria –> sporadic, not common
- upper respiratory noise (inspiratory)
- mucopurulent discharge
- epistaxis
Mycotic nasal granuloma:
AKA mycetoma
How are mycotic nasal granulomas diagnosed? Treated?
endoscopy + biopsy of lesions and culture
long-term sodium iodine - difficult to treat otherwise, surgical resection, salvage (long-term prognosis is poor)
What cattle are most commonly affected by allergic rhinitis? What causes it? What are the 3 most common signs?
adult cattle (>2 y/o) + sheep
plant pollen or fungal spores
- bilateral serous nasal discharge
- stertorous breathing
- intense pruritis
What 2 treatments are used for allergic rhinitis?
- antihistamines
- corticosteroids - parenteral or topical
NOT PRACTICAL for commercial stock
What is the most common cause of nasal foreign bodies?
- allergic rhinitis causing scratching nose on objects
- aggressive eating habits
What are the 4 most common signs of nasal foreignbodies? What treatment is recommended?
- unilateral nasal discharge +/- blood
- decreased airflow
- licking
- visualization of FB
remove +/- antibiotics, corticosteroids
What are the 2 most common causes of sinusitis?
- FRONTAL - secondary to dehorning
- MAXILLARY - extension from tooth root infection
What are the 3 most common signs of sinusitis?
- anorexia, lethargy
- unilateral nasal discharge
- facial swelling, exophthalmos
How can dehorning cause sinusitis?
- opens up frontal sinus
- can provide a nidus (bone fragments
Staph aureus abscessation common
How do you treat nasal granulomas?
a. Ketoconazole
b. sodium iodine
c. Tetracycline
B –> long-term, 2 weeks
(can use tetracycline for secondary infections)
Hoe is sinusitis treated? What is prognosis like?
- sinusotomy (trephination) and lavage
- parenteral antibiotics and NSAIDs
good if caught early, guarded to poor for chronic cases
What is pharyngeal trauma and abscessation secondary to? What clinical signs are associated with?
iatrogenic injury (balling gun) or rough, stemmy feeds allows opportunistic bacterial infection invasion –> abscessation, cellulitis
respiratory and digestive signs
How are pharyngeal trauma/abscesses diagnosed? What are 3 options for treatment?
endoscopy or radiography
- drainage of discrete abscesses preferably into the pharynx
- antibiotics (broad-spectrum, based on C&S) for cellulitis
- slaughter - remember antibiotic residues
What causes necrotic laryngitis? What cattle are most commonly affected?
F. necrophorum
young cattle - 3-18 months –> calf diphtheria
What is the pathogenesis of necrotic laryngitis?
- upper respiratory disease causes purulent blockage, difficulty breathing and increased coughing
- this causes laryngeal trauma and erosion of mucosa over the vocal processes of the arytenoids
- opportunistic infection of eroded mucosa by F. necorphorum
What are the most common signs of necrotic laryngitis? What is seen in recovered cases?
acute onset
- anorexia, depression, fever
- painful cough
- severe inspiratory dyspnea
- stridor
- death
misshapen larynx = roaring noise when breathing
How is necrotic laryngitis diagnosed? What 3 treatments are recommended?
visualization of lesions on oral exam or endoscopy
- antibiotics - PPG
- anti-inflammatories
- tracheostomy with difficulty breathing
What is tracheal edema disease? What are some possible etiologies?
edematous thickening of the dorsal membranes of the trachea, most common in feedlot cattle
- dust
- heat
- viral infection
- excess fat in thoracic inlet
- trauma from feed bunks
What is the characteristic sign of tracheal edema syndrome? What treatment is preferred?
inspiratory dyspnea and honking due to tracheal stenosis
corticosteroids + cool-down
