Interesting Cases

The syndrome of small pieces of metal causing problems in Cattle has been recognised for many years particularly when hay was baled with wire.

Nowadays the source of metal being eaten is most often from disintegrating tyres on the silage clamp so it pays to be very careful with this aspect of feeding.

The pictures show a spectacular case of wire penetrating the gut wall (reticulum) and then perforating the diaphragm into the sac surrounding the heart.The pathology is then one of rapid infection of the fluid surrounding the heart, build up of massive amounts of pus in the pericardial sac (1st picture) and deposits of thickened pus on the surface of the heart...shown in the 2nd picture.

The heart quickly fails and death is inevitable for this unfortunate heifer.

Thankfully, most times immediate euthanasia is carried out after Veterinary diagnosis to prevent further suffering.

This is a relatively common condition for the Vet to encounter...(pyometra.. which translates as pus in the womb)

The condition is usually found in elderly entire and maiden bitches classically a few weeks after they have been in season (heat).

Owners often notice that the bitch is very thirsty,has variable apetite,occasionally vomits and often, but not always, a discharge which the bitch licks a lot to keep herself clean.

Some cases are very sick indeed as the poison builds up and absorbs into the bloodstream.Death is possible.

However as the picture shows, surgery to remove the whole of the womb is very successful in the vast majority number of cases.

The womb becomes massively engorged with pus and in this picture is ten times its normal size.

The best way to prevent this scenario is to spey bitches when they are young.

This unusual growth on a dairy cow ear presented as rapidly enlarging after the farmer had initially thought it was a scab over a wound.

Closer examination by the Vet necessitated its removal from a tricky position on the ear.Luckily most of the ear could be preserved and the cow has made a full recovery within a couple of months.

Click on the photo to enlarge.

This type of hernia is common in calves and it is a regular surgical procedure for ourselves to repair them.

Please ensure that you contact us early for an opinion before the calf is weaned.

We will discuss the cost : benefit of surgery with you but is very much easier surgery and success rate is much higher if the calf is less than 4 weeks.

The bigger the calf the greater the force on the sutures after the operation and some very large hernias can break down even when mesh is used to aid the repair.

We like them brought to Hollin Rigg to operate under general anaesthetic when sterile technique is able to be achieved thereby improving outcomes greatly.

This strange phenomenon occurs in cattle and sheep.

It is a result of aberrant and peculiar behaviour of the embryo in early pregnancy when the embryo cleaves so that an incomplete abdominal closure occurs.

In laymans terms it is an "inside-out" calf.

This presents a very difficult situation at calving which almost always necessitates a Caesarean operation.Quite often the calf or lamb is alive but obviously is put to sleep as soon as delivered.

Most farms will never see such a case but we encounter one or two most years.

Those old enough to remember the 'Michelin man' adverts can empathise with the Lurcher in the picture.

Whilst working out of sight of the owner the dog must have collided with a firm object which had damaged the windpipe without any obvious external signs.

Over the next 24 hours free air had escaped into the tissues beneath the skin and began to accumulate in vast quantity resulting in an extreme stretching of the skin across all parts of the body, including the face which resembled a chipmunk!  (click the first picture.)

Such air under the skin (emphysema) is not uncommon across the species in small quantities associated with various conditions but this was so excessive that when incisions were made over the ribs to relieve the distress and pressure the dog deflated like a burst tyre!

All very unusual...but happily the dog is recovering nicely a few days later.(click the second picture.)

After hunting in undergrowth 'Yuri' the spaniel returned to sit at his owners feet, and was reluctant to move.On presentation at Hollin Rigg a small wound was present in his armpit with a distinct bulge palpable just behind the wound.

The subsequent findings were quite surprising!

After Surgery to remove the 9 inch stick from the chest cavity a steady recovery has taken place and the dog is eager to return to work!

All in all, a quite memorable case.

Over the last decade or so we have seen 5 working sheepdogs suffer a very similar fracture of the hind leg 'shinbone' (tibia).This has occurred as a result of the leg becoming trapped in the rack of an ATV or the steps of a modern large tractor as the dogs have attempted to leap from them.

Please be aware of these risks..prevention is far better than cure...the good working dog is badly missed as the necessary surgery is quite involved and a prolonged layoff is costly in every way!

The photos show a couple of recent cases whereby an external fixator apparatus is used to fix the fracture.They are remarkably well tolerated by the dog.

A sarcoid is is a type of skin tumour seen only in horses.

They occur in any part of the skin but very often in sites around the sheath and groin area.

The modern treatment is to burn the growth back with powerful cell destroying creams rather than cut the growth out as it may stimulate new and more aggressive regrowth.

The picture shows a sarcoid after 2 treatments.By the 3rd treatment the growth had disappeared.

This unfortunate accident to the bulls undercarriage occurred when he was trying to jump a gate to get to the heifers in a neighbouring field.

It resulted in the penis being badly damaged and suffering a corkscrew shaped prolapse.

This gave a hopeless prognosis for future breeding activity so the bull was sent for slaughter under the Casualty Slaughter Scheme regulations.

This is a disease primarily affecting adult cattle but youngstock can also be affected.It is nearly always just seen as single cases but outbreaks potentially could occur.

Caused by a herpes virus that can result in carrier status of symptomless cows.Sheep can be carriers and co grazing with sheep can increase the risk.In our area this scenario is very common.

The symptoms are severe with mouth erosions, snotty noses,eyes going opaque and blind and severe physical depression.

Death is likely but we have seen 3 cases survive (over recent memory.)

We will see about 2 or 3 cases per year.

This phenomenon occurs in Cattle and Sheep.The position of the bodies being joined together can vary as the lower picture shows conjoinment at the head with seperate bodies.

It is a rare presentation but treatment involves a Caesarean operation on the ewe.

We have only seen 1 set of Siamese twins in Cattle over the last 30 years.

This disease is now better understood and many of our clients use vaccination to control it as part of their Herd Health Plan.

It has a complex method of transmission but one of the manifestations is the production of cattle that are born persistently infected with the virus (PI's) and subsequently they can pass on the virus to other pregnant cattle and reinfect the next developing foetus.

The picture shows twin calves which are unthrifty and stunted.Both are BVD virus carriers (PI's) and so are very unlikely to thrive and are a danger to susceptible stock.They were culled for these reasons,with the ensuing financial loss.

Please have a word with one of us if you wish to discuss control measures or wish to institute a Herd Health Plan.

This is sometimes referred to as "sunburn" but is caused by a reaction in the skin (nearly always white or light coloured coat colour) with ultra-violet light and chemicals in the blood produced from the digestion of certain types of plants.e.g St Johns Wort.

Black skin reflects UV light so is unaffected.The skin blisters and becomes inflamed.Some dead skin eventually sloughs off leaving scarred patches of cowhide in which the hair does not regrow.

Cattle should be brought indoors whilst healing takes place.

We see several cases every Summer.

Referred to Liverpool Vet School and then treated by ourselves at home after consultation with the University staff