CLINICAL AND HEMATOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN AFFECTED DAIRY COWS WITH COMBINED TRICUSPID AND MURAL ENDOCARDITIS

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Abstract

Endocarditis of cattle can develop as valvular, mural or concurrent involvement of the valvular and mural endocardium. Given the importance of endocarditis among the diseases of the cardiovascular system in cattle, 568 dairy cows were studied through complete clinical examination, looking particularly for special signs of heart involvement. The cows suspected of having a heart problem were labeled following the identification. Additional measures including blood sampling, carcass examination, and lesion sampling for histopathology were carried out in the abattoir, and endocarditis was diagnosed in 2.81% of the cases. The mean age of the cows with endocarditis was 5.4 years. The body temperature was higher than 39°C in 56.2% of the cases. Almost 70% of the cows had more than 84 heart beats per minute. A cardiac systolic murmur was found in 56.2% of the cows. Fewer than 5,500 white blood cells per microliter and neutrophilia with more than 40% neutrophils was diagnosed in 75% and 50% of the cases, respectively. Given these results, it was concluded that despite the absence of audible systolic murmur using a stethoscope, it is probable to see valvular endocarditis, particularly in industrial mid-aged dairy cows with a focal active infective involvement showing mild fever, persistent high or at least relatively high heart beat rate and intensity, marginal leucopenia, and relatively increased neutrophils and monocytes. Therefore it may be suitable to conduct echocardiography due to its very applicable findings

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Journal of Veterinary Research
Volume 66, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
September 2011
Pages 187-192

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