Veterinary Animal Health: Temperature, Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, and Disease Signs

Cattle Temperature

98.0-102.8°F, with fever at 103°F

Sheep Temperature

100.9-103.8°F, with fever at 104°F

Goats Temperature

101.3-103.5°F, with fever at 104°F

Pigs Temperature

101.6-103.6°F, with fever at 104°F

Cattle Heart Rate

50-70 beats/minute

Sheep Heart Rate

60-90 beats/minute

Goats Heart Rate

60-90 beats/minute

Pigs Heart Rate

60-100 beats/minute

Cattle Respiratory Rate

10-30 breaths/minute

Sheep Respiratory Rate

12-25 breaths/minute

Goats Respiratory Rate

15-30 breaths/minute

Pigs Respiratory Rate

8-24 breaths/minute

Tachycardia

Increased heart rate

Bradycardia

Decreased heart rate

What used to take temp? and how?

thermometer through rectum with lubericant

Whats used for heart rate and how?

Stethoscope, inside left front leg, ether right behind or under the elbow,. hear 2 thumps ignore 2nd, count first

How to do respiratory Rate?

Watch/feel around ribs for expansion and relaxation, count how many times it occurs

How long is heart and respiratory rate taken? Tricks?

Per minute take breaths or heart beats for 15 sec then multiply by 4

Clinical signs

Observable/measurable indication of a disease or abnormal condition

General signs of illness

Body and coat condition, weight loss, behavior change (decreased appetite, decreased activity, lethargy, isolation from herd).

Causes of illness

Bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, nutritional deficiency (too little), and toxicity (too much).

Injury or hoof related issue

Localized edema, staggering, limping, stiffness, lameness.

Respiratory issue

Nasal discharge, cough, labored breathing, open mouth breathing, eye discharge.

What is a common symptom of a neurological issue that involves moving in circles?

Circling

What is a symptom of a neurological issue characterized by tilting the head?

Head tilting

What term describes a lack of coordination and balance, often resulting in staggered walking, that is a sign of a neurological issue?

Ataxia

What is the term for the behavior where an animal appears to be looking up at the stars, neurological issue often due to a nutritional deficiency ?

Star gazing

Which vitamin deficiency is associated with star gazing in animals?

Thiamine (vitamin B1)

What is a common symptom of a metabolic issue related to bowl movements?

Diarrhea (scours)

What physical sign might indicate bloating in an animal that's a metabolic issue?

Distended abdomen to the left side of the rumen

What behavior might an animal exhibit due to a painful abdomen that's a metabolic issue?

Grunting or teeth grinding

Nutritional deficiencies are a metabolic issue. How are they presented in animals?

Hair or wool loss, dull coat

What metabolic issue indicates dehydration?

decreased skin elasticity

Polioencephalomalacia (PEM)

Nutritional deficiency in thiamine (vitamin B1).

What is the metabolic/nutritional disease, Milk fever, caused by?

Hypocalcemia, a condition characterized by low blood calcium levels.

What is the metabolic/nutritional disease, Ketosis cause?

pregnancy toxemia, causes energy imbalance.

What is the metabolic/nutritional disease, bloat?

gas accumulation in the rumen

What is the metabolic/nutritional disease, Grass tetany caused by?

caused by magnesium deficiency.

What is the metabolic/nutritional disease, Toxicities?

from the ingestion of poisonous plants, nitrates, or mycotoxins.

Neurological Diseases: Scrapie?

A prion disease causing intense itching and incoordination.

Neurological Diseases: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

A prion disease also known as mad cow disease, characterized by incoordination.

Neurological Diseases: Enterotoxemia

A condition caused by Clostridium perfringens toxin, leading to convulsions.

Prion

An infectious misfolded protein that causes misfolding of normal proteins, leading to fatal brain damage.

What is the name of the respiratory disease in cattle?

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD)

What are some viral causes of Bovine respiratory disease (BRD)?

IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV

What are some bacterial causes of Bovine respiratory disease (BRD)?

Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni, Mycoplasma bovis

Ovine respiratory disease (ORD)

in sheep caused by (Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae bacteria

Caprine respiratory disease (CRD)

in goats caused by (Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida)

Laminitis

A condition characterized by swollen hooves and lameness.

Foot rot

A condition involving swelling between hooves, foul odor, and lameness.

Arthritis

A condition characterized by swollen joints, stiffness, and chronic lameness.

DART system

A system used to detect respiratory disease in cattle, sheep, and goats is commonly used in beef cattle feedlots

Depression (DART)

animal is hunched over, not moving much, and away from the herd.

Appetite (DART)

Loss of appetite, also known as anorexia.

Respiration (DART)

Erratic respiration either slow or fast, shallow or deep.

Temperature (DART)

Abnormal body temperature, which can indicate fever (hyperthermia) or low temperature (hypothermia).

How to treat a bacteria?

antibiotics

How to treat a virus?

most often supportive care

How to treat a fungus?

antifungal (typically topical)

How to treat a parasite?

anthelmintic

How to treat a nutritional issue for deficiencies?

Supplement (e.g. minerals, vitamins, protein)

How to treat a nutritional issue for toxicity?

Charcoal (absorbs), electrolytes, and supportive care

What does early detection do?

Lead to timely treatment

What should you do to be able to treat an issue?

observe and be patient, a good place to start is body temperature