Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of downer cow syndrome

DIAGNOSIS AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF DOWNER COW SYNDROME

Diagnosis

  • A thorough clinical and laboratory examination is required
  • Arrived at after eliminating all known causes of recumbency in a cow which had milk fever and failed to rise with in 24 hrs following 2 successive course of treatment

Differential diagnosis

Medical cases

  • Diseases of bones – osteoporosis, Osteomalacia
  • Carpal extensor myositis - fore limb stretched internally
  • Diseases of joints - acute arthritis especially hip joint
  • Foot diseases – laminitis, fissured feet
  • Diseases of brain and CNS - sporadic bovine encephalitis.
  • Peripheral nerve paralysis - Obturator, femoral
  • Metabolic - milk fever, hypomagnesaemia, transit fever, ketosis, fatty liver, P deficiency and paralytic myoglobinuria.
  • Nutritional –rickets, mineral deficiency & vitamin A deficiency
  • Poisonings – ergot poisoning
  • Toxemic conditions
  • Infectious diseases - black quarter, tetanus, botulism, rabies
  • Parasitic diseases - tick paralysis, babesiosis
  • Others- weakness, ephemeral fever, acidosis, foreign body, pneumonia, Pyelonephritis and heat stroke

Surgical cases

  • Trauma, dislocation, ruptures of ligaments and muscles

O & G cases

  • Calving injury, metritis, damage to spinal cord, rupture of uterus
Last modified: Friday, 20 January 2012, 4:49 AM