1. The Physical Examination Cattle

2. The Clinical Examination
• Patient Data
• History
• Environment – verify information
• General Inspection
• Systematic Physical Examination
• Detailed Physical Examination

3. Single Animal VS. Herd

4. Environment

5. Nutrition/Diet

6. Facilities/Management

7. Neighbors

8. Clinical Examination cont.
• Differential Diagnosis
• Appropriate Lab tests
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Client Education

9. General Inspection • Need light & space
• STAND BACK - LOOK - DON”T TOUCH
• Observe at rest and critically access

10. Inspection cont. • General appearance & conformation • Behavior
• Facial expression
• Eye appearance
• Body condition
• Skin & hair coat
• Respiratory movements
• Abdomen
• Stance & Posture
• Gait

11. General Appearance • VIEW ALL SIDES • Symmetry muscles/skeleton
• Shape
• Size - appropriate for
age/breed
• Compare abdomen &
thorax
– deviations from normal?
– physiological vs. pathological

12. General cont. • Conformation - breed variations • Abnormalities:
– Head: “parrot mouth”
– Limbs: “ base wide”,
“winged” elbows, “post
legged”, cow hocks, sickle
hocks

13. Behaviour • Temperament • Voice • Vices (bad habit)
• Facial expression

14. Ingestive behaviour • Prehension • Mastication • Swallowing
• Regurgitation

15. Eliminative behaviour

16. Appearance of The Eye Appearance of eye
• Bright & shinny vs. dull & cloudy
• Position
• Discharge
• 3rd eyelid

17. Body Condition • Body condition Indicates past health, diet,
management & production
• Relative to breed, age,
stage of pregnancy,
Lactation.
• Be careful with wooly or
hairy animals – need to
palpate!
• Compare to neighbors

18. Skin & Hair Coat • Indicative of systemic vs. local dz.
• Indicates previous health status

19. Respiratory Movements
• Rate
– Temperature, excitement, exercise
• Rhythm
• Depth
– Shallow, deep
• Type
• Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical movements

20. Abdomen
Size
– Increased
– Decreased
• Shape
– Unilateral
– Bilateral

21. Abdominal pings
• Location
• Size
• Intensity
• Persistency

22. Stance & Posture • Arched back • Saw-horse • Sternal • Star gazing
• Shifting weight
• Head & neck extended
• Leaning back
• Forelimbs wide apart

23. Gait • Any abnormalities • Musculoskeletal system
• Neurological system