Clinical examination of Cattle

1. Clinical Examination of Cattle
Dr Vinodh Kumar, O.R
Division of Epidemiology
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute
Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh

2. 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

3. Physical examination
• Signalment / History
Complete 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)

4. System wise examination
• Cardiovascular System
• Respiratory System
• Gastrointestinal System
• Uro - Genital System
• Lymphatic system
• Musculoskeltal system
• Nervous system
–Skin
–Head and Neck

5. Basic Intruments
Things a Veterinarian will
need
– Thermometer
– Stethoscope/Phoendoscope
– Otoscope
– Pen light/ pen torch
– Hammer
– Plexor and pleximeter

6. General Appearance
Look around the around,
inspect all the sides of the
animal
• Symmetry
muscles/skeleton
• Shape
• Size - appropriate for
age/breed
• Compare abdomen &
thorax
– deviations from normal?
– physiological vs.
pathological
Conformation
- breed variations
• Abnormalities:
– Head: “parrot mouth”
– Limbs: “ base wide”,
“winged” elbows, “post
legged”, cow hocks, sickle
hocks

7. 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 "

8. 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

9. Posture and gait
• Watch the animal
walking
• Look for limping,
incoordination or
unsteadiness and
abnormal limb
placement

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. Respiratory Movements
Rate
– Temperature, excitement, exercise
• Rhythm
• Depth
– Shallow, deep
• Type
• Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical movements

15. Abdominal pings
Location
• Size
• Intensity
• Persistency

16. Udder
• Palpate left quarters of the
mammary gland
– Heat
– Hardness (swelling)
– Edema
– Teat lesions
Normal
Mastitis

17. 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 System
Right Cranial side :
Abomasum
Central position:
Small intestines
Left side:
Rumen dorsal sac

18. Milk clots on a strip plate

20. Goal
• Differential Diagnosis
• Lab tests
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Information to the owner

21. References
• Clinical Examination of Cattle (1995) by G. Rosenberger.
Wiley-Blackwell.
• Clinical Examination of Farm Animals(2002) Peter G.G.
Jackson and Peter D. Cockcroft. Blackwell Science.