L77b: pericardial disease large animals

what can cause pericardial disease in farm animals?

1. hardware disease

2. tumor

3. pleurisy

4. bacterial disease

5. heartwater

what can cause pericardial disease in horses?

1. idiopathic

2. immune-mediated

3. tumor

4. pleurisy

5. eastern tent catapillar

what causes septic pericardial effusions in farm animals?

1. foreign body penetration

2. septic intra-thoracic disease (pleurisy)

what causes aseptic pericardial effusions in farm animals?

1. cardiac neoplasia

2. idiopathic (very rare)

what virus would be worth testing for if you suspected a cardiac tumor in a cow?

BLV

what are the non-specific signs of percarditis in farm animals?

1. reduced mentation

2. milk drop

3. anorexia

4. weight loss

5. reluctance to move

what are the specific cardiac signs of pericarditis in farm animals?

1. tachycardia and/or muffled heart sounds

2. MIGHT auscultate a washing machine murmur

what are the specific respiratory signs of pericarditis in farm animals?

1. tachypnea or dyspnea

2. absent lung sounds ventrally

what is the withers pinch test used to detect?

cranial abdominal pain in cattle, often caused by hardware disease (traumatic reticuloperitonitis)

You are performing a withers pinch test on a cow. When you pinch, the cow ventroflexes their spine. What does this tell you?

this is a normal response indicating the cow is not in pain

You are performing a withers pinch test on a cow. When you pinch, the cow resists and grunts in response. What does this tell you?

the cow is in pain likely in the cranial abdomen indicating potential hardware disease

what is fibrinogen a marker of?

inflammation

what is bovine fibrinogen?

a soluble plasma glycoprotein produced by the liver that is crucial for blood clotting

what are high fibrinogen concentrations in cattle linked to?

1. chronic diseases

2. acute inflammation

3. dehydration

where do we perform a pericardiocentesis in a large animal?

left 6th intercostal space

what is the main treatment option for hardware disease in cattle?

administer a magnet

where do we enter for a pericardectomy?

5th rib resection

what is the prognosis for a pericardectomy?

grave if not acute

what does eastern tent catapillar cause in horses?

septic fibrinous pericarditis by allowing bacteria from gut to enter bloodstream and infect heart’s lining

A group of grower pigs present as ill-thrift with poor weight gain. The pigs have varied clinical signs, with some appearing to be lame and others tachypnoeic and coughing. You elect to post mortem and and the images are below. What is the primary differential?

hemophilus parasuis (glassers disease)

what are the symptoms of glasser’s disease in pigs?

1. high fever

2. rapid depression

3. reluctance to move

4. labored breathing

5. potential neurological signs like trembling or paddling

what are the risk factors for glassers disease in pigs?

1. stress

2. in combination with other infections like PRRS or influenza

what is used to diagnose glassers disease in pigs?

1. clinical signs

2. PCR

3. bacterial isolation

what is the treatment for glassers disease in pigs?

Early intervention with antibiotics such as penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, or ceftiofur is critical

what is used for prevention for glassers disease in pigs?

1. vaccination

2. improving husbandry

What antibiotic is most appropriate antibiotic to treat heartwater (Ehrlichia ruminantium) with?

oxytetracyclineis the most effective antibiotic for treating heartwater, as it targets the bacterial organism responsible for the disease.

You are called onto the farm to examine a cow. The farmer says that the cow has been walking in circles and headpressing. You perform your physical exam and note she has a high fever and is in respiratory distress. After careful consideration, the farmer decides to euthanize the cow and perform a post-mortem autopsy. You see the following (image). What disease are you thinking the cow had?

Heartwater disease