Clinico- Pathological Evaluation of Acute Recumbency in Cattle
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Date
2014
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Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
Abstract
The present study entitled ‘Clinico-pathological evaluation of acute
recumbency in cattle’ was carried in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine,
Ethics and Jurisprudence, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal.
Botulism was the cause of acute recumbency in 50.68 per cent of cattle. About 94.59
per cent of the incidences were directly associated with poultry layer farms. The
significant clinical findings of botulism in cattle were acute recumbency, abdominal
breathing, tripping gait, restlessness, scanty - unformed dung, elevation of tail,
rumen atony and flaccid paralysis progressing to lateral recumbency and death.
Haematology, serum biochemistry and post-mortem findings were non-specific. As
the concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen in fodder and water samples were below the
prescribed toxic level, the possibility of nitrate intoxication was eliminated.
Confirmation of botulism was done by mouse lethality test using suspected samples
of rumen fluid, dung and serum of the affected animals. In the mouse lethality test,
inoculated mice developed ruffling of fur, ‘wasp-waist’ appearance, abdominal
breathing, paralysis of limbs and death in 6 – 96 hours post - inoculation. Clinical
management with oral activated charcoal, vitamin AD3E injections, rumenotorics,
probiotics and mineral supplements with selenium was adopted in 66 cattle during
early stages of botulism. Out of 66 cattle, seventeen animals recovered in 2 – 30
days of treatment. In hydrocyanic acid toxicity, haematological, serum biochemical
and post-mortem findings were non-specific. Response to standard antidotal therapy
constituting sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulphate was highly effective.