Sudden Death in Ruminants Flashcards
What needs to be ruled out before investigating in a cow that has died suddenly?
Anthrax
If there are no other clinical signs and a cow is found having died suddenly then who needs to be contacted?
APHA - government veterinary service
What is the first question we should ask when presented with a “sudden death”?
Was it really a sudden death?
What does sudden death usually mean?
Found dead
Died since last inspection
What are some examples of true sudden deaths?
Accidents
Trauma
Lightning strike
Overwhelming septicaemia
What is one of the first things that should be done when an animal is found dead?
Move animals off the pasture immediately
What should be looked at first before assessing the animal in sudden death?
Environment - Walk perimeter and look in ditches Poisonous plants Ask about changes Look for hedge/plant cuttings Burnt out cars Feed
What four things should be asked about when taking a history of farm animals with sudden death?
Number/groups/fields/ages
Progression of signs
Vaccination and worming history
Management
What should be done on a distant examination when presented with sudden death?
Assess rest of herd
Remove clearly sick or affected individuals
Do a closer examination of these animals
What is absolutely important with sudden death animals?
Post mortem examination
What is a good idea to do with post mortems instead of carrying them out yourself?
Send them off to the VLA
What do post-mortems allow?
On the spot diagnosis
What do you need to ensure you’ve done before leaving the farm with sudden cases?
Discuss actions
What do you need to ensure you do later on in sudden death cases?
Report lab results
Follow-up
What are the six main causes of sudden death?
Infectious Toxicity Metabolic disease Nutritional Other Ditching
