Neuro - bovine

Question 1

How do you do a neuro exam on a cow?

Answer 1

General first - TPR, hydration status, rumen function
Cranial nerve deficits
Peripheral nerve deficits
Biochem/haem

Question 2

What tests do you do to determine cranial nerve function?

Answer 2

Facial asymmetry/loss of sensation
Menace response
Pupillary light reflex
Palpebral reflex
Nystagmus
Strabosmus
Lingual paralysis
Head tilt

Question 3

What tests do you do to determine peripheral nerve function?

Answer 3

Sensation - pinch digits
Motor control - weight bearing

Question 4

What are the 4 infectious diseases that cause neurological disorders in cows?

Answer 4

Listeriosis
BSE
Abscesses
Tetanus, botulism - Clostridial diseases

Question 5

What traumatic disease can cause neurological disorders in cows?

Answer 5

Vertebral trauma

Question 6

What metabolic diseases can cause neurological disorders in cows?

Answer 6

Ketosis
Hypomagnesaemia
Hypocalcaemia

Question 7

What toxins can cause neurological disorders in cows?

Answer 7

Ragwort
Lead
Urea
Ryegrass staggers

Question 8

What type of pathogen is listeria?

Answer 8

Gram positive facultative anaerobe

Question 9

What causes listeriosis?

Answer 9

Spoiled feed - bad silage or soil in feed
Soil exposure

Question 10

How does listeria cause neurological disease?

Answer 10

Listeria enters via oral mucosa, goes up trigeminal nerve to brain stem and causes meningoencephalitis

Question 11

What are the signs of listeriosis?

Answer 11

Dull
Cranial nerve deficits -
Blindness
Head tilt/ear droop
Ptosis
Ptyalism
Normal prehension/mastication
Not circling/ataxic

Question 12

How do you treat listeriosis?

Answer 12

NSAIDs
Systemic antibiotics - high dose penicillin essential
Nursing

Question 13

What notifiable disease causes neuro signs in cows?

Answer 13

BSE

Question 14

What are the signs of BSE?

Answer 14

Apprehension
Hyperaesthesia - kicking when milked
Hind limb motor deficits - ataxia
Change in temperament
Aggression
Compulsive licking

Question 15

How do you diagnose/manage BSE?

Answer 15

Clinical signs/exclusion of other differentials
Contact APHA
Post mortem for definitive diagnosis

Question 16

What can cause brain abscesses in cows?

Answer 16

Typically gram positive anaerobes
Dehorning sinusitis
Haematogenous spread

Question 17

How do you treat brain abscesses?

Answer 17

Antibiotics - long duration
NSAIDs

Question 18

What tend to cause spinal abscesses?

Answer 18

T. pyogenes
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Haematogenous spread

Question 19

What can cause vertebral trauma?

Answer 19

Accident eg. stuck in feeder
Bulling injury

Question 20

What is the treatment for vertebral trauma?

Answer 20

Nursing - lifting, deep straw bed
NSAIDs

Question 21

What congenital conditions can calves get causing neurological disease?

Answer 21

Viral associated:
BVD virus
Schmallenburg virus
Bluetongue virus

Question 22

What acquired neurological condition can calves get that is evident from birth?

Answer 22

Cerebral anoxia

Question 23

What congenital abnormalities does BVD cause?

Answer 23

Internal hydrocephalus
Cerebellar hypoplasia
Poor prognosis

Question 24

What spreads Schmallenburg virus?

Answer 24

Vector - midge

Question 25

What does schmallenburg virus cause?

Answer 25

Bite during pregnancy - neuro disease in calf Bilateral blindness Ataxia Recumbency Inability to suck Stillborn Bite before pregnancy - dam immunity

Question 26

What causes cerebral anoxia?

Answer 26

Prolonged birth/dystocia

Question 27

What are some neuro conditions of neonatal calves/growing calves?

Answer 27

CCN/thiamine deficiency Meningitis Middle ear disease Hypoglycaemia Lead poisoning

Question 28

What neuro disease does bracken cause in cows?

Answer 28

Thiamine deficiency - cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN)

Question 29

What pathological changes does CCN lead to in cows?

Answer 29

Cerebral oedema Pressure necrosis due to oedema Necrosis of cerebral cortex Fluorescence under UV light

Question 30

What clinical signs does CCN cause in cows?

Answer 30

Depression Bilateral central blindness Ataxia Muscle tremors Collapse

Question 31

What are some differentials for CCN in cows?

Answer 31

Lead posioning Hypovitaminosis A Meningitis Listeriosis

Question 32

What most commonly causes meningitis in cows/calves?

Answer 32

E coli - from naval/joint ill Failure of passive transfer

Question 33

How do you treat meningitis in calves?

Answer 33

Systemic antibiotics - must cross BBB Amoxycillin Trimethoprim NSAIDS Fluids

Question 34

What causes middle ear disease in calves?

Answer 34

Ascending infection from respiratory tract - pneumonia Otitis externa Mycoplasma bovis

Question 35

What are the clinical signs of middle ear disease?

Answer 35

Head tilt to affected side No cranial nerve deficits

Question 36

What signs do lead poisoning cause? What does it depend on?

Answer 36

Dose Acute, high exposure - neuro signs Chronic, low exposure - GI signs

Question 37

What are the neuro signs of lead poisoning?

Answer 37

Bilateral central blindness Jaw grinding (bruxism), champing Head pressing Seizures

Question 38

How do you diagnose and treat lead poisoning?

Answer 38

Inform APHA - stop going into food chain Blood/kidney lead levels Supportive Oral salts - precipitate soluble lead Lead chelating agents