Medical

National Report - Pain. Numbness. Weakness. Palpitations. These symptoms can be indicative of a variety of conditions, but sometimes the accurate diagnosis is bartonellosis.

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National Report - Her medical battle with bartonellosis lasted for years. Ironically, it took a horse throwing her, fracturing her shoulder, for physicians to make an accurate diagnosis.

A variety of parasites affect the gastrointestinal tract of New World camelids. Some of these are unique to camelids, but many also infest or infect ruminants, other domestic animals, cervids, or other wildlife as well. As a rule, parasitic infections are more associated with ill thrift than more specific and overt signs of GI disease, such as diarrhea or colic, but as such, they are among the most common causes of poor-doing in domestic camelids.

Maybe this doesn't really fit "common" but it is always interesting to hear about cases. The main thing about rabies in cattle (and other species) is that signs are quite variable and inconsistent. Certain signs should be "red flags" for bovine rabies. Oftentimes cattle with rabies will have some history of hindlimb ataxia, weakness, or paralysis (this in itself is typical of many bovine diseases but for cattle exhibiting these signs, rabies should be considered).

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important infectious agents of cattle. The annual economic loss caused by BVDV is difficult to quantify but certainly is significant. The insidious nature of BVDV combined with the biology of the virus and complex disease pathogenesis has made control and prevention of this virus challenging.

The most common reason for anemia in the small ruminant is internal parasitism. Hemonchus contortus (the barber pole worm) is a voracious bloodsucker that typically resides in the abomasum. The condition may occur in both young stock and adults alike. With the ever increasing issue of parasite resistance, practitioners will be faced with the severely anemic small ruminant. Providing that there are no other serious disease conditions, these cases can have successful outcomes.

The development and effectiveness of the standard milking time hygiene practices and dry cow therapy were established in the 1960's. Because of the effectiveness of these practices, mastitis has evolved on many farms to primarily environmental rather than contagious pathogens. The purpose of this article is to perform a literature review (especially trying to find studies published after the year 2000) as to the effectiveness of the various mastitis control practices in today's progressive dairy farm.

The advantage of contrast studies is that they highlight and allow assessment of the tissue-contrast interface, and allow assessment of the size, shape, location and patency of various viscera. Contrast can be used to locate structures not apparent on survey films, such as masses, obstructions, and foreign object.

The goals of fluid therapy in camelids are similar to those in other species. The mechanics and details are somewhat different. Of the possible routes, oral and intravenous are the major routes used to correct problems of hydration. Subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and intraosseus administration all have specialty applications, but are not useful or necessary in most situations.

The majority of food animal veterinarians do their best to make the most appropriate decisions for their clients' livestock. But there are times when we simply don't know what the best decision is. Likewise, there are times when a "new" procedure or "new" product is suggested by the client or one of our colleagues that we are unaware of or have not tried. Problem solving requires the use of multiple sources to educate oneself about the particular problem.

Dealing with a sick cria and an anxious client can be quite daunting at times. This task becomes less daunting when one understands the main problems and how to manage them. Neonatal crias are typically admitted to the UT College of veterinary medicine due to prematurity/weakness/inability to stand, suspected or real failure of passive transfer (FPT), and septicemia.