The Physical Examination Cattle - II

Procedures

Equipment • Halter • Watch • Stethoscope • Large animal thermometer • Black plate • CMT paddle & solution

Equipment cont. • Flashlight • Rectal sleeve • Betadine & lube • Ketone powder/stick • 18-16g 1 inch needle Alcohol

Equipment cont. • Mouth gag • Frick speculum • Stomach tube • Funnel/pump • Rope

Equipment cont. New methylene blue • Slides • Blood collection vials • Balling gun • Nose lead

Basics • Begins before touching animal – Don’t get focused on one abnormality • Consistent routine – Avoid becoming sidetracked – Miss other abnormalities • Done by regions, not systems • Modified if no restraint & fractious animal

Physical Examination (PE) • Proper restraint ! • Tail tone & perineal reflex • Rectal temperature • Pulse (coccygeal artery) • Skin & hair coat • Vulva mucous membranes • Urine sample

Urine sample http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2526123288783033228 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2965268262150259000

Normal Values Rectal Temperature °F °C Beef cow 101 38.3 Dairy cow 101.5 38.6 Young calf 101.8–102.2 38.8–39 Young cattle1yr 101.3 – 104.9 38.5–40.5 Cattle > 1 year 101.3–104 38.5–40

Normal Values Heart rate: 40-80/min Calf: first days of birth 116 – 141 Calf: 8-14 days old 108 Calf: 1 month old 105 Calf: 2 months 101 Calf: 3 months 99 Calf: 6 months 96 Young cattle ~ 1 yr 91 Cow/ Ox: Adult 70-90

Normal Values Respiratory Rate: 10–30/ min Calf: 4 days 56 Calf: 5 weeks 37 Young cattle: 6 months 30 Young cattle: 1 yr 27 Cattle adult 12-16

Left neck • Skin – hydration Edema: bottle jaw/ brisket edema • Left jugular vein/mammary vein: distended? • Trachea & Larynx – Auscult & compress • Thyroid glands – Not normally palpable • Left superficial cervical lymph node

Left thorax Heart (3rd – 6th ICS) – Apex: caudal to the elbow, 6th ICS Base: cranial elbow – auscult – note intensity, location, thrills – rate (40-80/min) – compare heart with pulse rate – cardiac rhythm – valve locations PAM: 3rd, 4th (shoulder), 5th ICS

CVS - Disease Tachycardia: Infectious disease Bradycardia: Vagal indigestion Muffled heart sounds: pericardial and pleural effusion   Fevers: Bacterial endocarditis and some cases of lymphosarcoma Murmurs: most common cause is bacterial endocarditis: primarily in tricuspid valve than mitral valve on the left.  Secondary to GI diseases such as "hardware", traumatic reticulopericarditis: Muffled heart sounds with or without a washing machine-like murmur, distended jugular veins, jugular pulse and brisket edema Atrial fibrillation causes a irregularly, irregular heart beat, and is generally associated with a GI problem such as an LDA.

Left thorax Respiratory system Auscult: smaller area 11th rib Normal lung sounds: louder on inspiration than expiration (loudest in the ventral lung fields).  Hold nostrils for better auscult Pneumonia (consolidated lung): increased sounds in ventral lung field.  Crackles and wheezes are abnormal lung sounds.  Palpate the tracheal to try and induce a cough. 

Left foreleg • Inspection & palpation • Note if any evidence of: – heat – pain – swelling – redness – skin temperature

Left Abdominal area Rumen inspection, palpation auscult – frequency & character Ping (fluid-gas) Abomasum: LDA Rumen: normal unless otherwise (palpate for rumen) 1-3/minute 1º rumen/reticulum 2º rumen only

Pinch and Grunt Tests Withers scootch test (Pinch) Grunt test Normal: flex back ventrally when her withers are pinched as seen above. Abnormal: not flex ventrally – GI pain hardware, abomasal ulcers, or distention of the small intestine with gas Grunt test Plank/ hand and knee on xiphoid Pain: cow grunts (auscult trachea inspiration), kicks, or acts uncomfortable

Back Mammary lymph nodes Shape & symmetry of abdomen/thorax Pear; Abnormal: apple/papple Feces Mammary glands Milk samples Subcutaneous abdominal veins

Black cup CMT results

Subclinical mastitis: contagious organisms:Staphylococcus aureus, Foul smell and necrotic odor Arcanobacterium pyogenes (another)anaerobe Watery milk, swollen udder Coliforms Watery and red, sick cow Staph aureus: poor prognosis Subclinical mastitis: contagious organisms:Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactia, Mycoplasma bovis Clinical mastitis: Environmental organisms: Strep. nonag. Group:50% Coliform organisms (Eschericia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter sp., etc.) 90% of the time

Right Thorax Heart (apex 6th ICS) Respiratory system Triscuspid: 3rd ICS Respiratory system

Right neck Jugular vein Jugular Refill Superficial prescapular lymph node Pre-femoral

Right Abdomen GI Pings Normal: cecum, spiral colon, small intestine, duodenum, uterus (after calving), peritoneum, rectum Abnormal: distended or displaced cecum RDA and RTA (right abomasal torsion) cranial to the 8th to 10th rib Liver Fatty liver

Right Foreleg • Inspection & palpation • Note if any evidence of: – heat – pain – swelling – redness – skin temperature

Head • Posture of head & ears – Neurological dz • Symmetry • Facial expression • Eye movements • Nostrils – Discharge, odor, ulcers

Rectal Examination • Last to avoid pneumorectum • Presence & consistency of manure • Pressure • Pelvic bones Left Rumen – size, position, Left Kidney – size, position, pain

Rectal cont. • Females - cervix, vagina, uterus, ovaries Males – base of penis, accessory sex glands, internal inguinal rings Urolithiasis – size of ureters? Pulsations? • Right - abnormal vicera, distended spiral colon, cecum, small intestines

Vaginal Examination • Pre-calving • Post calving • Before rectal examination • Wash • Note for any evidence of: – Tears – vaginal & cervical – Retained fetal membranes – Metritis

Palpation pregnant cow

Palpation pregnant cow

Palpation pregnant cow

Vaginal Exam Cervix predominantly pelvic and freely movable Normal nonpregnant uterus Pregnancies up to 60 to 70 days Postparturient involution more than 14 days after parturition Pyometra and hydrometra with exudates or secretion <2 liters Chronic metritis without appreciable accumulation of exudates Cervix abdominal and fixed Pregnancies after 70 days Uninvoluted postpartum tract Pyometra and hydrometra with exudates >2 liters Extensive adhesions Tumors (Lymphosarcoma)