Case notes on veterinary investigations in sheep, cattle and other species

2015 Autumn edition of case studies

Sheep

Secondary photosensitisation in lambs due to crystal associated cholangiohepatopathy while grazing common heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum) probably caused by Panicum sp. toxicity
Written by: Scott Ison, Murray Local Land Services, Albury and Helen Peam, Veterinary Pathologist, Elizabeth McArthur Agricultural Institute
Secondary photosensitisation occurs when the photodynamic compound phytoporphyrin, a microbially produced metabolite of chlorophyll, is not cleared by the diseased liver of a herbivore and accumulates in the circulatory system and then in the skin ... Read More

Cattle

An investigation into the serological evidence of Coxiella burnetii infection in beef cattle in the Lachlan Livestock Health and Pest Authority in NSW
Written by: Nik Cronin, District Veterinarian Central West Local Land Services, Forbes
Q fever, caused by the organism Coxiella burnetii and is more frequently diagnosed in humans than some of the more commonly known zoonotic diseases ... Read More

Renal failure in calves caused by Amaranthus retroflexus
Written by: Lucienne Downs, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands LLS and Charlotte Campbell, Final Year Veterinary Student, CSU Wagga Wagga
Ingestion of Amaranthus retroflexus is associated with two syndromes of poisoning in cattle: toxic nephrosis and methaemoglobinaemia due to nitrate-nitrite poisoning ... Read More

Two “Outbreaks” of Actinobacillosis in beef cattle
Written by: Megan Davies, DV Narrabri
Actinobacillosis, or Wooden Tongue is not an uncommon condition in cattle, but is generally seen sporadically in individual animals. It does not spread readily unless predisposing environmental conditions cause a high incidence of oral lacerations ... Read More