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Heart Lung Ileum Skin
• In my opinion,
opinion does not cause significant disease in feedlot cattle
except for some chronic bronchiolitis obliterans lesions which can
then play a role in cranial-ventral collapse and perhaps then
predispose
di tto AIP/i
AIP/interstitial
t titi l pneumonia,i Mycoplasma
M l bovis
b i
infection or bronchiectasis.
• More important in some cases of enzootic pneumonia of dairy
calves.
• Similar syncytial cells of airways as in BRSV but smaller and do
not last
l more than h a few
f days
d
• Most feedlot cattle IHC cases seen in BVDV / PI animals where
antigen amounts in the lung can be high, presumably due to
immunosuppression
Bovine Herpesvirus 2
• In
I North
N hA America
i causes two di diseases, ulcerative
l i
mammillitis and pseudolumpy skin disease
•The latter results in skin edema, necrotic lesions in multiple
p
animals on all parts of the body, usually in adult cows
•Histologically epidermal and follicular epithelial necrosis
with syncytial cells and numerous distinct intranuclear
inclusion bodies
•Virus easy to culture in tissue cultures
Malignant catarrhal fever
•The lung lesions vary tremendously in extent and severity, starting as growth of M. bovis in bronchioles and bronchi
then coalescing into large areas of yellow caseous like necrosis with invasion and spread via interlobular lymphatics.
Concurrent fibrinous pleuritis also common. Lung lesions can be mixed with other bacterial or viral infections,
especially
i ll Mannheimia
M h i i hemolytica
h l ti pneumonia,i especially
i ll if recentt antibiotic
tibi ti therapy
th was nott carried
i d out.
t
•M. bovis is best confirmed in the suspect lesions by IHC on formalin-fixed tissue. M. bovis can be isolated from most
feedlot lungs, so cultures alone do not confirm the diagnosis, nor does PCR.
•If looked for histologically and immunohistochemically, transient BVD infection is commonly found concurrently and
likely makes the M. bovis lesions more extensive via immunosuppression. Extensive antibiotic therapy may also
promote M. bovis growth and make the lesions more extensive.
•The BVDV lesions may include vasculitis or chronic proliferative arterial lesions in arteries in heart and sometimes
lung, severe atrophy of Peyer’s patches of ileum and occasionally focal areas of lymphocytic myocarditis.
• ITME form of H. somni infections seems to be on the increase again in western Canada
and multiple acute deaths over a week or ten days time in a pen not uncommon
• Do not always see tiny hemorrhagic or necrotic foci grossly and can be seen only in
leptomeninges by histopathology. In these acute septicemic cases, lesions of
thrombophlebitis can also be seen in most other tissues submitted for histopathology
• In the above situations however, there will always be a few joints with mild fibrin
chunks or strands seen, and joint fluid is mildly increased and sanguinous or cloudy
• Most cases of HH. somni pleuritis do not have ITME lesions but a few cases of acute
myocarditis cases do. Myocarditis cases will not have ITME lesions
• Whenever a case of ITME occurs, not uncommonly see bilateral laryngeal
necrosis/ulcers/erosions and the typical thrombophlebitis can be seen in these lesions on
histo
• We use IHC to confirm H. somni in formalin fixed tissue, especially in treated cases
where cultures are usually negative
Histophilus somni myocarditis
• Most consistently results in areas of acute to chronic necrosis of the left cranial and caudal papillary muscles
but multifocal pale foci of necrosis may occur throughout especially the left myocardium as well.
• If chronic, the areas of necrosis may show a zone of purulent material between the necrotic zones and viable
myocardium, and this process is called sequestration and the central free necrotic mass is then known as a
sequestrum.
• Sometimes the sequestrum will be pulled off into the ventricle lumen by the chordae tendinae of the A-V valves
while
hil the
th animal
i l is
i alive
li andd death
d th occurs suddenly.
dd l
• Histologically, the pathogenesis appears to be embolism, but the source is not always apparent, i.e., there are no
pleuritis or ITME lesions.
• Often coexists with a chronic suppurative bronchopneumonia and H. somni can be cultured from the lung and
heart lesions if antibiotic therapy has not recently been extensive.
extensive IHC can be used to confirm the diagnosis and
is done on formalin fixed tissue.
• Occasionally co-exists with Histophilus somni pleuritis but this is not at all common.
• The lung may or may not show passive congestion, depending on whether or not the animal showed congestive
heart failure. Sometimes the animal is found dead with no history of treatment or congestive heart failure signs.
• Acute lesions are hemorrhagic, as in blackleg, and careful examination of the papillary muscles are needed to
make this diagnosis.
• Acute fibrinous pericarditis can also be present, but never without myocardial lesions also being present.
• Sometimes there is vegetative mural or valvular endocarditis lesions as well as myocardial lesions.
• Debatable whether or not vaccination reduces the incidence of.
Histophilus somni pleuritis
•In feedlot cattle this is seen as often or more often
• than ITME or Histophilus somni myocarditis
•Strains causing pleuritis often do not cause concurrent
bronchopneumonia, septicemia, myocarditis or ITME.
•Death usually occurs very rapidly with animals not seen
sick so are seldom treated.
•The diagnosis
g is q
quite simple
p and differential diagnoses
g
principally include mannheimiosis and Mycoplasma bovis
pleuropneumonia.
•Usually are pure infections with no pneumonia seen on the
cut surfaces of the lung
•Interlobular lymphatic involvement but without pneumonia,
often gives the cut surface a marbled appearance.
Histophilus somni myonecrosis/myositis
• Occasionally and often along with ITME lesions, large areas of pale necrotic
muscle tissue seen, most often in thigh muscles
• The lesions are quite will defined and vary a lot in size
• May or may not have any hyperemia zones around them, often do not
• C fi by
Confirm b histo
hi t only
l andd cultures
lt nott necessary unless
l no histo
hi t service
i
available
• Important differential is a site of antibiotic injections
• Similar lesions in other tissues such as intestinal serosa and kidneys not rare
Salmonellosis
•In feedlots, organ involvement usually confined to the intestinal tract, with varying degrees of necrotizing
enterocolitis.
•Outbreaks often occur with several animals involved in one or more pens.
•Lesions are not at all specific and altered in most cases by antibiotic therapy.
•Lesions can be severe with necrotic casts of mucosa and fibrin, especially in the ileum, or may be confined to the
cecum and
cecu a d colon
co o with
w necrosis
ec os s of
o thee mucosal
ucosa surface.
su ace.
•Gross lesions can be similar to coccidiosis, BVDV, and nonspecific necrosis by normal intestinal flora of a mucosa
damaged by some other disease process such as enterotoxemia or sudden alterations in feed.
•Isolation of salmonella sp can be difficult with antibiotic therapy but including mesenteric lymph nodes and gall
bladder as well as tied off intestine can increase the chances. Make sure the lab knows about the antibiotic therapy.
•When outbreaks of salmonellosis occur, make sure you keep in mind that transient BVDV infection may be making
a group of calves susceptible to this organism, so heart, ileum, and a variety of other tissues should be examined
histologically and by IHC to see if this virus may be present. We have run into this situation several times and
remember no gross lesions of BVDV will be seen. “if you don’t look, you won’t find”
•Because of transient BVDV infection, other concurrent lesions may also be present, such as pneumonia.
•Rarely are septicemic forms seen in feedlot situations unless in calves that have just arrived.
•We often use IHC to identify Salmonella sp in formalin fixed tissues and this works well where antibiotic therapy
has been extensive or only fixed tissues submitted
Arcanobacterium pyogenes
• Originally
O i i ll namedd Corynebacterium,
C b i in
i 1982 renamedd Actinomyces
A i andd in
i
recent years Arcanobacterium pyogenes
• Gram positive pleomorphic rods and histologically always in massive numbers
i suppurative
in i lesions
l i
• Usually a secondary invader via breaks in skin or mucosal integrity then enters
the bloodstream
• Has a protease toxin and factors that prevent local inflammatory responses
• Yellow-green purulent material of variable consistency is typical
• Often a foul odour to the lesions
• Normal inhabitant of respiratory and genital tracts
• Any tissues and organs can be infected
Fusobacterium necrophorum
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decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Clostridium novyi
• In ruminants
i type A causes myonecrosis,
i type B causes
Black disease, type C is nonpathogenic and type D
causes bacillaryy hemoglobinuria
g
• We occasionally demonstrate in cases of calf abomasitis
and myonecrosis and/or cellulitis secondary to
d h i or castration
dehorning t ti
• We do not have IHC for this organism
Clostridium septicum
p
• The
h organism
i is i also
l known
k as Cl.
l novyii type D
• Bacillary hemoglobinuria is the cattle disease
• Recent years commonly seen in adult cattle and feedlot
calves in Alberta
• A soil borne organism
g and often identified in the intestinal
tract of cattle
• Varying degrees of icterus and anemia with
hemoglobinuria characteristic
• Grossly a large area of hepatic necrosis is characteristic
alongg with ggun-metal colored kidneysy
Streptococcus spp.
• Organism
i is i in
i the
h Rickettsiaceae
i k i family
f il
• The cause of Q Fever in humans
• We have excellent IHC specific for and differentiates it
nicely from Chlamydophila sp.
• An important zoonosis and nonclinical carriers common
in domestic ruminants
• We most often see cases of bovine abortion, with
primarily an intercotyledonary placentitis and mild
vasculitis in the placenta
g
• Cattle shed the organism at pparturition and the agent
g is
resistant to drying so spread by wind and dust
Chlamydophila psittaci
• Causedd in
i most if not all
ll cases by
b sarcocystis
i spp.
• Multifocal areas of yellow-green discoloration in heart and or
skeletal muscles,
muscles often an incidental finding at slaughter or during
necropsy examination
• Sarcocystosis cannot always be proven, even by histopathology
• Presence of large numbers of eosinophils result in the green
discoloration of the lesions
• Appear not to interfere in skeletal or heart muscle function
• We have excellent IHC for, in all species
Cryptosporidiosis
• Certainly often found in dead neonatal diarrhea calves, but other
infectious agents probably the primary cause
• To see in histologic intestinal sections, it is important to have the
ggut sections fixed veryy fresh, or carefully
y search the sloughed
g
luminal content for the organisms
• The organisms are seen lined up within the brush border of the
tips and sides of villus enterocytes
• Heavily contaminated bedding materials in calving areas often
g
results in higher losses due to this organism
g
• No good treatment for is a problem in outbreaks so sanitation is
crucial
MYCOTIC DISEASES
Zygomycosis
•Phycomycosis is another older name
•Species of fungus can be Adsidia, Rhizopus, Mucor
and Mortierella
•Common inhabitants of soil, manure and rotting
vegetation, therefore are ubiquitous
•Opportunistic pathogens and antibiotic therapy may
promote their growth
•Most often seen in immunsuppressed cattle in our
experience
•Tropism for vessel walls with necrosis and thrombosis
•Commonly seen in mycotic rumenitis
•Broad, branching, aseptate and irregular hyphae
c
characteristic
ce s c
Aspergillosis
• Trichophyton
h h verrucosum andd T. mentagrophytes
h most
common species in cattle involved in ringworm
• Especially in younger calves with damp conditions
• Periocular most common site in cattle
• Used oil used to be a common treatment for but lead
poisoning sometimes resulted
• The organism are much easier to find in hairshafts on
skin biopsy sections than in most other species
PARASITIC DISEASES
Parasitic pneumonia
p
• Not seen commonly in western Canada, due to our drier climate and is caused
by Dictyocaulus viviparus
• When opening lungs, should always be looked for by thoroughly opening the
right dorsal bronchus which extends to the caudal aspect of the caudal lung
lobe
• Can cause AIP in feedlot calves
• Grossly is suspect when a lung shows discoloration of especially the caudal
aspect
p of both caudal lungg lobes. Lungworms
g can result in an AIP type
yp lungg as
well and the mechanism of this interstitial pneumonia remains undetermined
• Sometimes diagnosed histologically by seeing peri-airway eosinophils or even
sections of Dictyocaulus
y larvae in histo sections from caudal lungg sections
• We see it more often now in game farm ruminants such as fallow deer, elk and
roe deer
• Only seen in the fall when the summers have seen abundant rainfall
Pediculosis
• Veryy common in beef cow-calf herds but onlyy when ppour-on
insecticides have not been regularly or properly used
• Biting lice / Bovicola bovis a much bigger problem than
sucking
ki lice
li / Linognathus
Li h vituli
i li
• Patchy hairloss and visible pruritis should make the producer
susp c ous
suspicious
• Tailhead, inguinal and axillary regions common sites
• Do not rely on to make the diagnosis histologically on skin
biopsies - the chances of seeing lice in histo sections are not
good
Stephanofilariasis
•In the last several years, we have seen a few herds with a calfhood
neonatal fatal diarrhea with a high morbidity and mortality in which
we have
h bbeen totally
ll unable
bl to establish
bli h a cause despite
d i thousands
h d
of dollars spent on diagnostic testing
•The lesions throughout the intestinal tract look viral but all
attempts at isolation,
isolation IHC and clinical workup have totally failed to
identify a cause.
•The initial herd lost 150 out of 200 calves by three weeks of age
•The
The month of March and April is when these outbreaks occurred
•Some unknown virus is strongly suspected
•We have seen this disease in four herds in Alberta so far
Fat necrosis-adult
necrosis adult cows
• Mostly involving the abdominal fat stores, such as in the
mesentery, perirenal,
i l etc
• Hardening of the fat causes ureteral or intestinal obstruction or
other organ dysfunctions
• Possibly a number of causes but the pathogenesis is not clear
• Also called lipogranulomatosis
• Acute to chronic inflammatory changes with giant cells and
fibrosis in chronic stages on histopathology
• The
Th necrotic i fat
f has
h a deep
d yellow
ll colorl
• Persistent pyrexia suggested as a common cause
Middle uterine artery rupture
• Adult cows found dead with bleeding out into the abdomen from
a ruptured aneurysm of a uterine artery
• Copper deficiency one possible cause due to its role in elastic
fibers development but idiopathic cases seen as well
• Possiblyy more commonlyy seen in horses
• Other causes of uterine artery rupture in cattle include uterine
torsions or prolapses
Acute post-vaccination deaths
•Pen-riders
id in i feedlots
f dl sometimesi ride
id through
h h the
h pens
on horseback and will take the temperatures of cattle by
simply
p y leaningg over and shovingg digital
g thermometers
into the rectum of cattle
•Occasionally this results in perforation of the wall of
the rectum and a diffuse
diffuse, severe fibrinous peritonitis and
death occurs
•Unless the terminal rectum is carefully examined, the
cause off the
h severe peritonitis
i i i can beb easilyil missed
i d
Plant awn glossitis
•Especially
p y in dairyy cattle on silage
g rations,, embedded
barley, foxtail or bearded wheat awns become
embedded into the dorsal transverse groove (sulcus
lingualis) of the tongue not uncommonly
•These predispose to woody tongue and cause drooling,
partial anorexia and loss of milk production
•They must be removed manually and a dry towel works
well to grasp the awns and pull them out
•The tongue
g has to be ggrasped p and ppulled out
extensively to see these embedded plant structures
•Intravenous sodium iodide used to work well for me in
practice after the awns were removed
Photosensitivity dermatitis
•This
This is skin damage by photodynamic or photoreactive
agents/pigments in the skin
•UV light is converted into thermal energy that causes
th skin
the ki damage
d
•The three types are classified according to the source of
the photoreactive pigment:
•1. Type I or primary
•2. Type II or aberrant endogenous synthesis 3.
•Type
Type III or secondary,
secondary also known as hepatogenous
•The hepatogenous form is due to phylloerythrins from
chlorophyll which cause damage when the liver has
extensive
t i chronic
h i damage
d due
d tot something
thi else
l
Spinal cord malacia due to
dystocia
•By far the most common site in cattle is the eye in so-
called
ll d cancer eye
•Other sites in cattle include branding sites and rarely
dehorningg sites
Ph h
Pheochromocytoma
t