Bovine dermatology

Question 1

What is a macule? Is it a primary or secondary lesion?

Answer 1

Flattened area of colour change, <1cm

Primary

Question 2

Vesicles are fluid filled blisters up to 1cm. What are larger vesicles called?

Answer 2

Bullae

Question 3

What caused ‘hide damage’ on carcasses? However, it has not been present in the UK since 1990

Answer 3

Hypoderma bovis

Warble fly

Question 4

Rub mark injuries are part of accreditiation schemes and buyer contracts. What do they usually indicate?

Answer 4

Environmental/housing issues

Bad cubicle design, feed barrier

Question 5

What can rub marks lead to?

Answer 5

Hygroma

Question 6

Name a sucking louse of cows

Answer 6

Lignonathus vituli

Haematopinus eurysterus

Question 7

Name a biting louse of cows

Answer 7

Bovicola bovis

Question 8

Apart from demodex, name 3 other types of mite, from mildest to worst

Answer 8

Chorioptes bovis
Sarcoptes scabiei
Psoroptes bovis

Question 9

Which mite in cattle is zoonotic?

Answer 9

Sarcoptes scabiei

Question 10

Sarcoptes mites predilection site is…

Answer 10

Face, neck

Question 11

Chorioptes and Psoroptes predilection sites are…

Answer 11

Legs, feet
Tail base
Caudal udder

Question 12

How can you differentiate between Chorioptes and Psoroptes under a microscope?

Answer 12

Chorioptes - rounded head with cup shaped suckers

Psoroptes - pointed head, trumpet shaped suckrs

Question 13

Give an example of a synthetic pyrethroid used to treat lice, mites and possibly ticks

Answer 13

Permethrin

Question 14

What pathogen is the cause of ringworm in cattle?

Answer 14

Trichophyton verrucosum

Question 15

How is ringworm in cattle (Trichophyton verrucosum) diagnosed?

Answer 15

Hair plack sample - culture, microscopy

T. verrucosum NOT Wood’s lamp +ve

Question 16

How is ringworm treated/controlled?

Answer 16

Clean and disinfect housing
Turn animals out - UV sensitive
Vaccine to reduce severity
Manual bathing/crust removal with chlorhexidine, iodine
Topical enilconazole

Question 17

Wounds can sometimes be affected with pustular impetigo. What bacteria causes pustular impetigo?

Answer 17

Staphylococcus

Question 18

Pustular impetigo often affects wounds around the udder, perineum and ear tags. How should an infected ear tag be treated?

Answer 18

Remove tag
Replace in a different site
+/- antimicrobials if appropriate

Question 19

Abscesses in cattle are common in the lower jaw (due to trauma) and the popliteal LNs. What is the most common bacteria found in these abscesses?

Answer 19

Trueperella pyogenes

Question 20

How are abscesses in cattle treated?

Answer 20

Open and drain - flush with copious amounts of clean water

Appropriate parenteral antibiotics against gram +ve anaerobes

Question 21

What pathogen causes wooden tongue?

Answer 21

Actinobacillus ligneresii

Question 22

What pathogen causes lumpy jaw? (associated with underlying osteomyelitis)

Answer 22

Actinomyces bovis

Question 23

What pathogen causes Rain scald (Streptothricosis/Dermatophilosis)?

Answer 23

Dermatophilus congolensis

Question 24

Rain scald (D. congolensi) is associated with warm weather and skin trauma, leading to soft, scabby pustular lesions. Where is the predilection site? What is the treatment?

Answer 24

Over back
Topical disinfectant
Systemic oxytetracycline/penicillin
Move to dry environment

Question 25

Cellulitis is usually peracute onset with high mortality. It is caused by opportunistic bacteria entering through a wound. What bacteria usually cause this? What is the treatment?

Answer 25

Opportunistic Staph or Clostridium | Systemic antibiotics

Question 26

Udder cleft dermatitis can be due to poor udder conformation. What pathogens and parasites are implicated in its onset?

Answer 26

Treponemes | Mites

Question 27

What is the treatment for udder cleft dermatitis?

Answer 27

Topical Ab spray | +/- systemic NSAIDs

Question 28

What causes 'warts' in cattle and how is it spread?

Answer 28

Bovine papilloma virus | Flies

Question 29

Bovine papilloma virus may persist in immunocompromised animals. How are they treated/controlled?

Answer 29

Surgical removal - if on penis, teats | Autogenous vaccine

Question 30

Bovine papular stomatitis usually affects the muzzle and lips. Bovine herpes mammalitis usually affects the teats and udder. What is the treatment for these conditions?

Answer 30

Generally self-limiting | No Tx required

Question 31

What deficiency causes poor growth rates, with a brown-tinged coat and spectacles?

Answer 31

Copper/molybdenum deficiency

Question 32

Photosensitisation usually affects unpigmented skin and can lead to secondary infections. Name a primary and secondary cause

Answer 32

Primary - St John's Wort | Secondary - hepatogenous damage, accumulation of phylloerythrin from Ragwort

Question 33

Haematomas are common in dairy cattle. What is their treatment?

Answer 33

Most self-resolve | Do not open - distinguish from abscess with sterile centesis or ultrasound

Question 34

What is 'blood sweating disease' in calfs? What age is affected?

Answer 34

Bovine neonatal pancytopenia | Altered bone marrow function in calves <4 weeks

Question 35

What vaccine was thought to be associated with 'blood sweating disease' in calves, so was taken off the market?

Answer 35

BVD

Question 36

Urticaria or 'blane' usually has a sudden onset and affects which part of cattle?

Answer 36

Vulva | Causes oedema

Question 37

What is the treatment for urticaria/blane

Answer 37

Antihistamines Corticosteroids or NSAIDs Or resolves spontaneously

Question 38

What notifiable disease causes extreme pruritis and self-injury in cattle? It is known as pseudorabies

Answer 38

Aujeszky's disease

Question 39

Besnoitiosis is a parasite called Besnoita besnoiti that is currently present in the Mediterranan. Cows are the intermediate hosts. What species are the definitive host? What acts as the vectors?

Answer 39

Cats definitive host | Biting flies act as vectors

Question 40

What causes 'Lumpy skin disease' that is currently present in Africa and the middle east, causing nodules, emaciation, lymphadenitis, mastitis and nasal discharge?

Answer 40

DNA poxvirus