Clinical Examination of Cattle
Dr Vinodh Kumar, O.RDivision of Epidemiology
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research InstituteIzatnagar, Uttar Pradesh
Need for clinical and physical examination
• Allows you to find signs of sickness that are not obvious
• Helps you to determine the extent of the injury or illness
Physical examination
• Signalment / HistoryComplete description of the animal, Species, Breed, Age, Sex, Reproductive status, other distinguishing characteristics, double-check client reported information (sex, age, etc), Keep this information in mind for clinical judgments.Environment, diet, medical history, reproductive history, vaccination status and medications, history of presenting complaint
• General Appearance / Initial Observations• Vital Signs ( Body weight, temperature, Heart rate , RR,CRT)• Physical Exam (Systems Approach or Head to Toe)
System wise examination• Cardiovascular System• Respiratory System• Gastrointestinal System• Uro - Genital System• Lymphatic system• Musculoskeltal system• Nervous system
–Skin–Head and Neck
Basic Intruments
Things a Veterinarian will need
– Thermometer– Stethoscope/Phoendoscope– Otoscope– Pen light/ pen torch – Hammer– Plexor and pleximeter
General AppearanceLook around the around,
inspect all the sides of the animal
• Symmetrymuscles/skeleton• Shape• Size - appropriate forage/breed• Compare abdomen &thorax– deviations from normal?– physiological vs.
pathological
Conformation- breed variations• Abnormalities:– Head: “parrot mouth”– Limbs: “ base wide”,“winged” elbows, “postlegged”, cow hocks, sicklehocks
Behavior
• Level of consciousness – attentiveness / reaction to environment:
• Alert and responsive – Depressed – Uncontrolled hyper-excitability – Stupor – Coma e.g: Normal healthy animal's mentation is often bright, alert and responsive or "
Body Condition • In general, the animal is
too thin of his ribs are easily seen, normal if they are readily felt without a layer of fat lying over them and obese if it is difficult to feel them at all
Posture and gait
• Watch the animal walking
• Look for limping, incoordination or unsteadiness and abnormal limb placement
Head and neck
• Check symmetry of the head• Check the eyes, ears, muzzle
and nostrils• Examine the mouth, palpate
the tongue and lymph nodes of the head
• Check the jugular vein, brisket and prescapular lymph nodes
Ears & Eyes • Ears are a quick indicator of the cow’s physical well-
being.– If her ears are cold, there is a problem. If her ears
are warm, there might still be a problem. • Eyes are a quick indicator of both hydration and of her
emotional status.– Are her eyes normal or are
they sunken? • If they are sunken, the
animal is dehydrated. – Do her eyes indicate if the
animal is scared or in pain? • Emotion can be read most
easily from the eyes.
Left side of the animal
• Palpate and auscultate the heart – check for abnormalities
• Auscultate and percuss the lung field – check for abnormalities
• Check the abdominal shape and contour
• Palpate and auscultate the rumen
• Percuss and auscultate the body wall
• Ballott the lower flank
Right side• Palpate and auscultate the heart
– check for abnormalities• Auscultate and percuss the lung
field – check for abnormalities• Check the abdominal shape and
contour• Check the position and size of the
liver• Percuss and auscultate the body
wall• Palpate and auscultate the
sublumbar fossa• Ballott the lower flank
Respiratory Movements
Rate– Temperature, excitement, exercise• Rhythm• Depth– Shallow, deep• Type• Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical movements
Udder
• Palpate left quarters of the mammary gland– Heat– Hardness (swelling)– Edema– Teat lesions
Normal
Mastitis
Rectal Examination• Female
– Vaginal wall, Cervix, Uterine Body, Uterine Horns, Oviducts, Ovaries
– Internal iliac lymph nodes, Sublumbar lymph nodes
• Male– Intrapelvic
penis,Prostate,Seminal vessicles,Ampullae,Internal inguinal rings,
– Internal iliac lymph nodes, Sublumbar lymph nodes
Digestive SystemRight Cranial side :
AbomasumCentral position:
Small intestinesLeft side:
Rumen dorsal sac