education

1. Diseases of the heart
Karima Al-Salihi

2. [1] Acute myocarditis
Causes
•
•It is usually secondary in origin. It frequently follows
severe systemic infections:
(1) Toxin from the circulation.
(2) In the course of: foot and mouth disease, TB, Strangles
and glanders.
(3) Septic emboli of myocardium which causes suppurative
myocarditis.
(4) Acute poisoning, septicemia, toxemia.
(5) Sharp foreign body penetrating the heart
(6) Parasites as cyst Cercus bovis, Trichenella Spirals,
Piroplasmosis.

3. Clinical findingsAre related to the
functional disturbances: -
(1) Increased heart rate.
(2) Accelerated weak pulse.
(3) Pulse becomes thread, irregular or intermittent.
(4) Venous engorgement.
(5) Venous pulsation develops.
(6) Cyanosed mucous membrane.
(7) Trembling.
(8) If tide heart is quite dilated, functional murmurs
may be heard.
(9) Death from cardiac paralysis.

4. •Diagnosis
•
The late stage of myocarditis is distinguished from pericarditis
or endocarditis by the absence of pericardial or endocardial
sounds.
•
•Treatment
•
(1) Rest, hygienic stables and nutritional diet. Treat the primary
cause.
(2) Avoid unnecessary movement. Patient’s activity should be
limited.
(3) Moderate doses of alcohol or caffeine (6-8 gm for large
animals and 0.5-0.1 gm. for small animals).
(4) Large doses of an appropriate antibiotic after antibiotic
sensitivity test from blood culture in bacteremia or septicemia.
(5)Cardiac tonics as digitalis.

5. [2] Pericarditis
Definition
It is the inflammation of parietal and
or visceral layers of the
pericardium. The serous fluid
increased & becomes exudates.
•It may be traumatic or non-
traumatic.
•
(1) Non traumatic Pericaridits
It is the inflammation of pericardium
which may be serous, fibrinous
hemorrhagic or septic.

6. Causes
•
(1) Microbial infection by extension from
pleura and peritonitis.
(2) Secondary complication in the course
of some infectious diseases such as
CBPP, TB, strangles, glanders,
pasteurellosis & encephalomyelitis in
cattle.
(3) Common due to infection after
exposure to cold, even exertion or fatigue

7. Pathogenesis
The microbial causes of fibrinous pericarditis
are quite variable. In the ox, fibrinous
pericarditis, with or without some hemorrhage
is commonly part of sporadic bovine
encephalomyelitis, contagious bovine pleuro-
pneumonia, pasterurellosis, black leg, clostridia
hemoglobinuria and some of the new-natal
coliform infections, which enter via the navel.
In fibrinous pericarditis, there is seldom a significant
exudation of fluid so that distension of the pericardial sac
isn’t to be expected.

8. •NB: The
supportive
pericardial fluid
may appear as a
cloudy exudate,
as creamy pus or
as a mixture of
pus and masses
of fibrin-foul
smelling.

9. Symptoms
(1) Atony of digestive system (anorexia,
rumen stasis & constipation).
(2) Fever (41°C).
(3) Cyanosis of mucous membrane.
(4) Rapid weak pulse & cardiac beats.
(5) Percussion over cardiac area reveals
painful reflexes.
(6) Auscultation over heart reveals frictional
sound, later on muffled sound occurs.
(7) Subcutaneous edema.

10. •Clinical pathology
Leucocytosis accompanied by neutrophilia.
•
•Treatment
(1) Treat the real cause.
(2) Cold fomentation over the cardiac area.
(3) Antibiotic & sulphonamides
(4) Oral salisylate (antipyretic drugs).
(5) Cardiac stimulant as caffeine or cardiac tonic as
digitalis.
(6) Vitamins and calcium therapy.

11. (2)Traumatic pericarditis
•
It means septic inflammation of
pericardium arising from penetration of
the pericardium by a sharp foreign body
migrating from the reticulum. It is the
disease of cattle due to the habit of
eating.

12. •Causes
•Pointed or sharp foreign body penetrating from reticulum
or rumen to the diaphragm & heart.
•Predisposing causes
•Include pregnancy, parturition, transportation, matting,
running & sudden falling.

14. Pathogenesis
•In the early stages, inflammation of the pericardium is accompanied by
hyperemia and deposition of fibrinous exudate, which produces a friction rub
when the pericardium and epicardium rub together during cardiac movement
so that a friction sound heard by auscultation of lung as a “to and fro” friction
sound which is not quite synchronous with systole and diastole.
•
(1) When exudation takes place the inflamed surfaces are separated due to
accumulation of exudate & in this cases faint heart sound or muffling sound
heard by auscultation.
(2) The accumulated fluid compresses the atria and right ventricle preventing
their complete filling; CHF follows.
(3) Invasion of the pericardial sac with gas forming organisms will result in the
pericardial sac containing both fluid & gas producing tinkling or splashing
sounds which heard on auscultation of heart.
(4) A severe toxemia is usually present in suppurative pericarditis due to
toxins produced by the bacteria in the pericardial sac. In the recovery stage of
non-suppurative and suppurative pericarditis, restriction of cardiac movement
will probably be followed by the appearance of CHF due to adhesion.

16. Clinical findings
(1) In the early stages there is pain & animal avoid movement & lie
down carefully.
(2) Anorexia, rumen stasis, constipation, depression, history of
recurrent tympany and decrease of milk yield at the beginning (l/3)
but stop milk completely latter on.
(3) Abduction of the elbows and forelimb.
(4) Arching of the back.
(5) Pain is evidenced on percussion or firm palpation over the cardiac
area.
(6) Trembling of the anconeus muscles of the left side.
(7) Shallow abdominal respiration.
(8) Heart & pulse rates are increased.
(9) Fever is present.
(10) In early stage there is friction rub on heart whicl disappears as
soon as fluids separate the walls of the pericardial sacs. Also, severe
pain with grunting occurs on heart percussion or moving of animal or
by pain tests.

18. (11) The second stage of effusion is manifested by muffling
(disappearance) of the heart sounds as a result of accumulation of
excess fibrin, an increase in the area of cardiac dullness but the
quality of the dullness is changed to resemble the dullness of fluid
(similar to the percussion over intestine) rather than the dullness of
solid tissue.
(12) Third stage if gas & excess exudates are present in the
pericardial sac, the cardiac cycle is accompanied by splashing or
tinkling sound as if come from an open tape.
(13) Toxemia is severe.
(14) Signs of pleurisy, pneumonia and peritonitis may be present.
(15) Congested mucosa, engorged eye capillaries & engorged
jugular vein with clear pulsation.
(16) Edema of the brisket region which may extend upward to the
mandible or backward below the thorax & dewlab.
(17) At the last stage the animal becomes restless, very excitable,
subnormal temperature, lies down in convulsion, coma then death
occurs.

20. •Clinical Pathology
(1) Leukocytosis & shift of WBCs to the left.
(2) At first three days elevated from 8,000 to 12,000 c mm,
then up to 30,000 or more.
(3) Neutrophils from 30 - 35 to 50-70%
(4) Monocytes elevated from 2 to 5-9%
•Diagnosis
(1) History & symptoms, edema of breast, jugular pulsation,
recurrent tympany, etc.
(2) Percussion & auscultation of heart.
(3) Pain tests and tests for foreign bodies on heart with
severe pain & grunting.
(4) Metal detector.
(5) Radiology

21. •Treatment
In pregnant cows give fresh green food, complete rest & proper
use of broad-spectrum antibiotics & sulphonamides together with
diuretics and mild laxatives to promote absorption, till parturition.
•Prognosis
Is unfavorable. Slaughter the animal.
•Prophylaxis
(1) Drenching of special magnetic tube.
(2) Special care during feeding & grazing to avoid any sharp
foreign bodies.
(3) Use nylon thread instead of wire to roll rice straw.
(4) Balanced ration contains all necessary minerals, trace
elements & vitamins.