Diarrhoea in adult cattle Flashcards
(143 cards)
Infectious causes of diarrhoea in adult cattle
Salmonellosis
BVD/Mucosal Disease
Liver Fluke
Johne’s Disease
Winter dysentery
Malignant Catarrhal Fever
Babesia (Red Water Fever)
Parasitic Gastroenteritis
Coccidiosis
(Rotavirus)
Nutritional causes of diarrhoea in adult cattle
Ruminal acidosis
Lush Pasture
Poor quality roughage
Excess dietary protein
Copper deficiency
Potato Poisoning
Toxic causes of diarrhoea in adult cattle (chemicals)
Salt poisoning
Copper Poisoning
Lead Poisoning
Nitrate Poisoning
Arsenic Poisoning
Mercury Poisoning
Toxic causes of diarrhoea in adult cattle (plants)
Mycotoxicosis
Alimentary tract carcinoma
Oak/Acorn Poisoning
Ragwort
Hemlock water dropwort
Dog’s Mercury
Rhododendron Poisoning
Miscellaneous causes of diarrhoea in adult cattle
Endotoxaemia
Displaced Abomasum
Peritonitis
Renal Amyloidosis
Haemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome[3]
Fat Necrosis
Cold Cow Syndrome
(Clostridium tertium)
(Yersinia pseudotuberculosis)
(Escherichia fergusonii)
Main serotypes of salmonella causing diarrhoea in adult cattle
S. typhimurium and S. Dublin
S. Typhimurium
ubiquitous and the origin in an outbreak is usually difficult to establish, but outbreaks can sometimes be associated with the purchase of animals.
S. Dublin
host adapted to cattle and outbreaks are associated with chronically infected animals, cattle can be latent carriers for years.
Pathogenesis of salmonellosis in adult cattle
Primarily occurs via the faecal oral route and cows are more susceptible when stressed e.g. around calving time.
Clinical signs of salmonellosis in adult cattle
Pyrexia
Profuse diarrhoea progressing to dysentery
Depressed, dehydrated, milk drop, toxaemia
Sometimes death
Mortality rates low in adults compared to calves
Some additional possible signs of S. Dublin whereas S. Typhimurium most causes GI signs
Additional clinical signs of S. Dublin
Abortion (6-9m)
pneumonia
polyarthritis
meningitis
osteomyelitis
tail and ear tip necrosis
Combination
Diagnosis of salmonellosis in adult cattle
All cases of diarrhoea in adult cattle are Salmonella until proved otherwise
Sample for culture
Slide agglutination
Serology of little value diagnostically
Treatment of salmonellosis in adult cattle
Antibiotics based on C&S
TMPS or pot. amoxicillin
Fluid therapy
Warm isotonic fluids orally
IV essential in severe cases - hypertonic saline
NSAID to counter toxaemia
Control of salmonellosis in adult cattle
Isolation and disinfection
Find source of S. Dublin carrier (not very practical)
Vaccinations (Bovivac S) to provide antibody protection to calves through colostrum
What is the main source of BVD infection?
PI calves
What happens if pregnant cow infected with BVD in first month of pregnancy?
Embryonic death, return to oestrus
What happens if pregnant cow infected with BVD in months 2-4 of pregnancy?
PI calf (antibody negative)
What happens if pregnant cow infected with BVD in months 5-9 of pregnancy?
Normal calf
Possibly malformations or abortions
Clinical signs of acute BVD infection in non-pregnant animals
Usually asymptomatic
Mild, often unnoticed diarrhoea
Transient milk drop and loss of appetite
Oculo-nasal discharge and occasional mouth ulceration
Occasionally more severe disease with profuse diarrhoea
What is mucosal disease?
Occurs in PIs when there is a mutation in the BVD virus to a cytopathic variant, or a PI is super-infected with a cytopathic variant
When do PIs most commonly develop mucosal disease?
6-24mo
Signs of mucosal disease
Profuse watery intractable diarrhoea with blood and tenesmus
Occasional pyrexia and depression
Weight loss
Erosions and uleration of the hard palate, under the surface of the tongue, oesophagus and buccal mucosa
Lesions around coronary band and interdigital space occasionally
Course of mucosal disease
Disease begins suddenly and animals may be affected for 2-3 weeks before they die. So, confirm diagnosis and euthanise.
Diagnosis of mucosal disease in PIs
Difficult to detect BVDv in acutely affected animals unless at the height of viraemia (ELISA, IPX, PCR).
However in PIs (including mucosal disease) the virus titre is much higher so all tests have high sensitivity.
Can use ELISA for paired serology