Clinical Examination of Farm Animals - CYF MEDICAL DISTRIBUTION

Clinical Examination of the Urinary System
with the progress of the problem and the tissue
damage.
Urethral obstruction – animal often uncomfortable
and restless; grinds teeth; kicks at abdomen.
Farmer often thinks the animal is constipated. May
strain to urinate. Preputial hairs dry and impregnated
with numerous small uroliths. Box floor
dry – no urination. Pulsation of urethra on rectal
examination. This also occurs during urination or
on palpation, and may cease after rupture of the
bladder has occurred.
Urethral rupture (‘water belly’) – subcutaneous
swelling above and around prepuce as trapped
urine accumulates. Initial decrease in prerupture
pain. Skin becomes necrotic and discoloured
(Fig. 9.4).
Rupture of bladder – animal is initially brighter as pain
decreases. Urine builds up in abdomen causing
distension. Gradual development of uraemia
causes the patient’s health to deteriorate. Death
may follow in 7 days.
Urethral dilatation – occasionally seen in bulls.
Affected animals have a perineal swelling;
aspiration may reveal urine, blood and debris.
An ultrasonographic scan of the abdomen and preputial
area may be helpful diagnostic aids. The scan may
show free fluid in the ventral abdomen and no evidence
of a distended bladder. Abdominal paracentesis
– aspirated fluid smells of urine and has very high
levels of urea and creatinine (several times higher
than in the patient’s plasma).
Diseases causing haematuria in cattle
Enzootic haematuria
A chronic non-infectious disease of cattle aged over
1 year characterised by the formation of haemangiomata
in the bladder which may lead to severe
bleeding and possibly death. Seen in certain areas
where animals are exposed to bracken fern.
Clinical signs Haematuria and large clots of blood
may be seen in the urine (and occasionally coming
from the nostrils). This may lead to severe anaemia,
recumbency and death in severe cases. In milder
cases there may be gradual development of anaemia,
thickening of bladder wall (and occasionally masses
in the bladder) palpable per rectum, and the establishment
of infection in the compromised bladder.
Diseases causing haemoglobinuria
in cattle
Bacillary haemoglobinuria
An uncommon condition seen in animals over 1 year
of age. The disease is caused by exposure to spores of
Clostridium haemolyticum and liver fluke.
Clinical signs The animal may be found dead.
There may be sudden acute illness with pyrexia (39.5
to 42°C), pain, abdominal stasis and brisket oedema.
The urine is red, the faeces dark and watery. Later
if the patient survives, jaundice and anaemia may
be seen. Abortion may occur in pregnant animals.
Dyspnoea is seen in severely ill cases.
Babesiosis
Seen in tick infested areas and chiefly in the spring,
summer and autumn months in non-immune
animals.
Clinical signs Acute form – pyrexia (to 43°C), depression,
anorexia, red urine, pipe-stem diarrhoea,
abortion in pregnant animals, anaemia, death in untreated
cases. Occasionally see CNS signs as Babesia
infested erythrocytes accumulate in the brain. Subacute
form – transient dullness may be seen in immune
animals. Babesia divergens or Babesia major are
found in red blood cells.
Postparturient haemoglobinuria
An uncommon condition seen chiefly in Scotland in
harsh weather conditions. High yielding dairy cows
are affected, especially during lactations 3 to 5. Sporadic
cases are seen in the first 4 weeks after calving.
Animals are on a low phosphorus diet and often
feeding on rape, cabbage, turnips and kale.
Clinical signs Sudden onset, reddish brown urine,
weak, staggering, dyspnoeic, milk yield and appetite
fall. Pallor of membranes, jaundice, collapse and
death.
123