Clinical Examination of Farm Animals - CYF MEDICAL DISTRIBUTION

The General Clinical Examination of Cattle
ature, pulse, respiratory rate, colour of the mucous
membranes and CRT are recorded and assessed. The
clinician then moves on to examine every body system
and region to identify any abnormality of form
or function.
As mentioned in Chapter 1, the clinician can start
the examination anywhere in the body. Many clinicians
start at the head or the tail of the patient and
then target their examination systematically over the
whole body so that nothing is missed.
CHECKLIST FOR THE GENERAL CLINICAL EXAMINATION
Tail end 1
Record respiratory rate, temperature and pulse
Check colour of the mucous membranes
Examine the skin and coat
Assess condition score
Head and neck
Check symmetry of the head
Check the eyes, ears, muzzle and nostrils
Examine the mouth, palpate the tongue and lymph nodes of
the head
Check the jugular vein, brisket and prescapular lymph
nodes
Left side
Palpate and auscultate the heart – check for abnormalities
Auscultate and percuss the lung field – check for abnormalities
Check the abdominal shape and contour
Palpate and auscultate the rumen
Percuss and auscultate the body wall
Ballott the lower flank
Right side
Palpate and auscultate the heart – check for abnormalities
Auscultate and percuss the lung field – check for abnormalities
Check the abdominal shape and contour
Check the position and size of the liver
Percuss and auscultate the body wall
Palpate and auscultate the sublumbar fossa
Ballott the lower flank
Tail end 2
Examine the udder, teats and milk or the penis, prepuce, testes
and epididymes
Vaginal examination
Rectal examination
Limbs
Observe for signs of lameness
Palpate the limbs
Raise and examine the feet
Samples
Collect samples as required
Dealing with the animal found dead
The clinician may encounter this problem when a patient
has died before it has been examined and the
cause of death is unknown. In such cases it is important
to be sure that it has not died from anthrax. A
blood smear should be made using blood collected
by incising an ear vein (the lower ear in an animal in
lateral recumbency). Pressure should be applied
after collection to ensure that blood does not escape
from the vein. Smears should be heat-fixed and
then stained with polychromatic methylene blue.
Anthrax bacilli are often found in chains. The rectangular
bacilli have truncated ends and a pink staining
capsule.
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