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Seventeen cases of severe hypokalemia (serum or plasma potassium < or = 2.1 mEq/L) in association with profound muscle weakness and recumbency in lactating dairy cattle were included in a retrospective study. The cattle were from 15 different farms. Eleven of the 17 animals were recumbent at presentation while the remaining six became recumbent within 6 hours of admission. Both multiparous cows (n = 11) and first calf heifers (n = 6) were included. The median days in milk was 21 (range: 5 to 110), and chronic, recurrent ketosis (15 of the 17 cases) was the most common preexistent condition. Potential musculoskeletal and neurologic causes of recumbency were ruled out on the basis of physical examination and ancillary diagnostics. Ten of the 17 animals were euthanized and underwent full necropsy examination that demonstrated ischemic muscle damage and varying degrees of hepatic lipidosis. Aggressive potassium supplementation was instituted in all 17 cases either orally, intravenously, or by a combination of both routes. In the seven individuals that survived, potassium supplementation was administered orally and intravenously in five, orally only in one, and intravenously only in one.

Microscopic examination of Gram-stained tissue specimens collected from severe corneal ulcers in 2 horses revealed large gram-positive rods suggestive of Clostridium spp. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from specimens collected from horse 1; anaerobic organisms were not detected in specimens from horse 2. Aerobic bacterial culture revealed Aeromonas hydrophila and Enterobacter cloacae in specimens collected from horses 1 and 2, respectively. An insect exoskeleton was presumed to be the underlying cause of ulceration in horse 1. Cause of ulceration in horse 2 was not determined. Antibiotics used to treat the corneal infections included ticarcillin disodium-clavulanic acid injected one time subconjunctivally and chloramphenicol applied topically at frequent intervals. Horse 2 also received penicillin or trimethoprim-sulfadiazine. Small leukomas were the only lesion remaining between 2 and 7 months after initial evaluation. Chloramphenicol applied topically appears to be an effective treatment against clostridial corneal infections in horses.

This article reviews options in dealing with tumors of the cornea and conjunctiva, nictitating membrane neoplasms, and eyelid neoplasms. Orbital tumors, optic nerve and other intraocular tumors are also discussed.

Objective: To compare initial clinical appearances, healing mechanisms, risk factors, and outcomes of horses with fungal keratitis., Design: Retrospective analysis., Animals: 52 horses (53 eyes) with fungal keratitis., Procedure: Medical records and clinical photographs of eyes were reviewed. Keratomycoses were categorized on the basis of clinical appearance at initial examination and pattern of healing., Results: Five distinct forms of mycotic keratitis were recognized. Of 53 affected eyes, 34 (64%) retained sight and had varying degrees of corneal scarring after treatment, 6 (11%) had a cosmetic appearance but were blind, and 13 (25%) were enucleated. Bacterial-like ulcers were the most frequent type and the most difficult for predicting outcome. Eyes affected by superficial fungal keratitis were likely to be chronically infected and to require debridement and extended treatment but usually healed with minimal scarring. Keratomycosis with a surrounding furrow resulted in a grave prognosis. Aspergillus organisms were isolated from 9 of 10 such eyes. Cake-frosting material was a positive prognostic sign. Fungal corneal stromal abscesses tended to be caused by yeast., Clinical Implications: This information will aid practitioners in recognizing various forms of fungal keratitis and guide them when making therapeutic decisions and prognoses for affected horses.

An 8-year-old castrated male Paint Horse was referred because of generalized pruritus, alopecia, and intermittent fever. Results of gross evaluation of the skin and microscopic evaluation of skin scrapings were inconclusive. Histologic examination of skin biopsy specimens revealed vasculitis. The horse had persistent hypercalcemia; therefore, lymphosarcoma was considered a possibility. Ultrasonography revealed hypoechoic nodules within the parenchyma of the spleen and liver. Results of microscopic evaluation of an aspirate from a splenic nodule were suggestive of lymphosarcoma. The condition of the horse deteriorated, and it was subsequently euthanatized. Postmortem examination revealed diffuse lymphoma. In human beings, generalized pruritus may be an indication of serious internal disease, including malignancy. Paraneoplastic pruritus is most common in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma but can also develop in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, or a solid neoplasm. Lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnoses when examining horses with generalized pruritus for which another cause cannot be identified.

Objective: To evaluate the association of physical examination and clinicopathologic findings with surgical findings in cattle with concurrent abomasal displacement and perforating ulceration, to determine short- and long-term survival rates in these cattle, and to determine whether degree of peritonitis (focal vs diffuse) influences survival rates., Design: Retrospective study., Animals: 21 cattle with concurrent abomasal displacement and perforating ulceration and 42 cattle with uncomplicated abomasal displacement., Procedure: Information on signalment, stage of lactation, physical examination findings, clinicopathologic data, surgical diagnosis, procedure(s) performed, and necropsy findings were retrieved from medical records of all cattle included in this study. Differences between physical examination findings of cattle with concurrent disease and those of cattle with uncomplicated displacements were evaluated, as were differences between survival rates in cattle with focal versus diffuse peritonitis., Results: Cattle with concurrent disease had a greater probability of having pneumoperitoneum and signs of abdominal pain identified on physical examination than did cattle with uncomplicated diseases. There was no relationship between clinicopathologic data and survival time. Short-term survival rate was 38%, and degree of peritonitis significantly influenced survival time in cattle with concurrent abomasal displacement and perforating ulceration. Long-term survival rate in these cattle was 14%., Clinical Implications: Cattle with concurrent displaced abomasum and perforating ulceration have a poor chance for survival. In addition to detection of displaced abomasum, physical examination findings that can help lead to a presurgical diagnosis of this syndrome are pneumoperitoneum and signs of abdominal pain.

Objective: To determine the most common ocular lesions in horses with lymphosarcoma., Design: Retrospective study., Animals: 79 horses histologically confirmed to have lymphosarcoma., Procedure: Ophthalmic examinations were performed by a single individual., Results: 21 of 79 horses had lesions involving the eye or ocular adnexa. Infiltration of the palpebral conjunctiva and eyelids was the most common lesion (n = 11). Other lesions included uveitis (n = 4), corneoscleral masses (2), third eyelid masses (2), and diffuse retrobulbar infiltrates (2)., Clinical Implications: In horses with lymphosarcoma, ocular lesions may precede or be more obvious than lymph node enlargement or signs of visceral involvement. Early recognition of ocular lesions suggestive of lymphosarcoma may allow a more rapid diagnosis of lymphosarcoma in horses.

A 9-year-old Holstein cow was evaluated for colic and decreased milk production of 2 days' duration. Preoperative serum biochemical results suggested hepatic damage and cholestasis. On the basis of persistent signs of abdominal pain that were nonresponsive to analgesics, exploratory laparotomy was performed. The cow was found to have choleliths. Cholecystocentesis was performed, and samples were submitted for cytologic examination and bacterial culture. Bacterial culture yielded Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. Using digital pressure, choleliths were reduced until they could be passed through the bile duct into the duodenum. The cow recovered from surgery without complications, and all serum biochemical test results returned to reference ranges. Cholelithiasis is rare in cattle but can result in signs of abdominal pain.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of itraconazole-dimethyl sulfoxide ointment for treatment of keratomycosis in horses in the northeastern United States., Design: Prospective clinical trial., Animals: 9 horses (10 affected eyes)., Procedure: All horses treated for keratomycosis at Cornell University between July 1994 and July 1996 were included in the study. The diagnosis of keratomycosis was confirmed by cytologic examination, and all horses were treated with 0.25 ml of a 1% itraconazole-30% dimethyl sulfoxide petrolatum-based ointment, applied to the affected eye every 4 hours., Results: Topical application of itraconazole-dimethyl sulfoxide ointment (q 4 h) resolved keratomycosis in 8 of 10 eyes; mean duration of treatment was 34.6 days (range, 16 to 53 days)., Clinical Implications: Results of this study indicate topical administration of itraconazole-dimethyl sulfoxide ointment may provide an additional treatment option for horses with keratomycosis.

A nine-year-old Holstein cow that developed recurrent ruminal tympany and an abnormal forelimb gait and posture ultimately became recumbent and unable to rise, and was euthanased. A postmortem examination demonstrated numerous schwannomas affecting peripheral nerves and several thoracic and abdominal viscera.

The objectives of this study were to determine the concentration of itraconazole achieved in corneal tissue and aqueous humour after topical application of a 1% itraconazole ointment: to determine the effect of including dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) in the ointment on achievable ocular tissue itraconazole concentrations; and to assess if any gross or histopathologic ocular toxicity results from the topical application of 1% itraconazole with or without the addition of DMSO. The experimental trial consisted of 6 horses considered to have normal eyes. Each horse had one eye treated with 0.3 mL of 1% ultra-micronized itraconazole ointment and the fellow eye with 0.3 mL of 1% itraconazole/ 30% DMSO ointment. The ointment was applied every 6 h for a total of 28 treatments. Both ointments were well tolerated and no gross or histopathologic abnormalities developed during the trial. Corneal tissue and aqueous humour concentrations of itraconazole were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Corneal tissue concentration averaged 1.1 (+/- 0.4) micrograms/g in horses treated with the 1% ultramicronized itraconazole ointment and 7.9 (+/- 3.3) micrograms/g for those treated with the 1% itraconazole/30% DMSO ointment: there was a statistically significant difference between ointments (P = 0.005) No itraconazole could be detected in the aqueous humour in either treatment group.

Most ocular and orbital injuries or acute ocular inflammation in horses result in similar signs of adnexal swelling, photophobia, blepharospasm, and lacrimation. It is hoped that detailed examination and the suggestions in this article will enable veterinarians attending horses having ocular emergencies to arrive at a correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy.

The effect of prior Rhodococcus equi-induced pneumonia on pulmonary health was investigated in 5 horses (< 24 months old) using endoscopy, radiography, hematologic and bronchoalveolar lavage analyses, and pulmonary function testing. Rhodococcus equi-induced pneumonia had been diagnosed in principal horses when they were foals. Diagnosis was based on positive results of transtracheal aspiration and thoracic radiography at the time of initial clinical examination. Results of reevaluation of the respiratory system of these horses (R+) were compared with those of 5 age-matched healthy horses (R-) that lacked clinical or historical evidence of foalhood pneumonia. Significant differences in variables between the 2 groups of horses were not evident. In both groups, most horses had radiographic evidence of an accentuated bronchointerstitial pattern, although results of analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage specimens were normal and mononuclear cells predominated. Variability in results of the pulmonary function tests was observed within the between the 2 groups of horses. Only normalized dynamic lung compliance was slightly lower in the previously infected horses, but this difference was not significant. We concluded that horses previously infected with and successfully treated for R equi-induced pneumonia do not have detectable evidence of residual lung damage.

A diaphragmatic hernia was found in a pre-partum dairy heifer that was exhibiting signs of respiratory disease. Ruminal tympany was included in the history although this was not a feature of the disease on admission. Diagnosis was made by auscultation and confirmed by radiology and during elective Caesarean section to remove the fetus.

In Holstein cattle, an inherited disease has been recognized recently in which leukocytes lack surface glycoproteins termed beta 2 integrins, which are important in cell adhesion processes. This disease is the homologue of leukocyte adhesion deficiency in human beings and has been termed bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency. The molecular basis of this disease is failure to produce normal CD18. The gene encoding bovine CD18 and its abnormal mutation have been sequenced, allowing specific diagnosis of the condition by DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction followed by specific endonuclease digestion. This test was applied to formalin-fixed archival tissues from 18 cattle that had been admitted to the veterinary medical teaching hospital between 1975 and 1991 and that had had persistent and severe neutrophilia. Blood samples were collected from 2 additional cattle, and leukocytes from these samples also were tested. Fourteen cattle were confirmed to have been homozygous for the bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency gene. Cattle with this condition had ranged in age from 2 weeks to 8 months at admission. They typically had had chronic bacterial infections that had failed to respond to or had recurred after conventional treatment. Consistent findings in these cattle included signs of bronchopneumonia, gingivitis, periodontitis, and peripheral lymphadenopathy. Severe neutrophilia, usually without a left shift, was a hallmark of the disease; consistent clinical biochemical findings included hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, and hypoglycemia. This disease is important because it mimics common calfhood diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea, but is ultimately consistently fatal before adulthood.

A 9-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined because of progressive weight loss, weakness, muscle atrophy and tremors, and behavioral change. Selenium and glutathione peroxidase assays, blood lead analysis, erythrocyte transketolase analysis, pseudorabies and Borrelia burgdorferi serology, electromyography, and CSF analysis were performed. Motor neuron degeneration was diagnosed by microscopic examination of neural tissues. The cause of the disease was not substantiated, but several possibilities were excluded via diagnostic testing. Diagnosis of motor neuron degeneration in horses may be made from an accurate history, thorough neurologic examination, and ancillary testing. In particular, antemortem diagnosis may be based on finding scattered angular atrophy of predominantly type-1 or of type-1 and -2 skeletal muscle fibers in frozen sections of muscle biopsy specimens.

This paper describes two cases of infection of the soft palate and pharyngeal wall in cattle. The infections were secondary to trauma and laceration received during treatment with an oral calcium preparation which was given to treat post-parturient hypocalcemia. Clinical signs included dehydration, depression, pseudoptyalism, and fetid breath. Other signs involved the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. Digital oral examination revealed the traumatized regions. Treatment included antibiotics and non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents. A semipermanent rumenostomy was performed on one cow for fluid and nutritional maintenance, but she died from secondary septic peritonitis. The second cow survived.

Basic knowledge of the normal appearance and variations of the equine fundus coupled with frequent practice in ophthalmology will allow equine practitioners to be confident when assessing the equine fundus during ophthalmic examinations. Once the normal variations are mastered, appreciation of retinal, choroidal, optic nerve, and vitreal abnormalities is possible. Congenital and acquired lesions of the equine retina, optic nerve, and vitreous are discussed and illustrated.

Selective IgM deficiency was diagnosed in a 3-month-old Standardbred colt that was referred for chronic respiratory tract disease. Immunoglobulin quantification revealed normal IgG and IgA concentrations, but undetectable IgM concentration. Stimulation of blood lymphocytes with the T-cell mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin yielded results within the normal range. However, stimulation with the B-cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide produced no response. A B-cell defect similar to that associated with several immunodeficiency disorders in people was suggested as the cause of the IgM deficiency in this colt.

Hyperkalemia has been associated with cardiac abnormalities and muscular disorders. Hyperkalemia is a common problem associated with the acid-base and electrolyte disturbances that occur in neonatal calves having acute diarrhea. Occasional calves with acute neonatal diarrhea, metabolic acidosis, and hyperkalemia have cardiac rate or rhythm abnormalities. Bradycardia observed in three such calves was found to represent atrial standstill and was attributed to hyperkalemia.

Chronic frontal sinusitis in 12 dairy cattle most often was associated with a history of dehorning, in which the sinus was entered (67%), or with respiratory tract disease (25%). The most common organisms isolated were Actinomyces pyogenes and Pasteurella multocida. Signs of infection did not develop for months in some cattle and were often intermittent. The most common clinical signs included anorexia, lethargy, fever, frontal bone distortion, exophthalmos, abnormal posture, nasal discharge, and neurologic abnormalities. Treatment consisted of trephination at 2 sites, drainage and lavage of the sinus cavity, and administration of antibiotics and analgesics. Eight cattle responded well to treatment and were discharged, but 4 others had signs of CNS involvement and died or were euthanatized. Trephination of the frontal sinus cavity at carefully chosen sites and antibiotic treatment are indicated when sinusitis is suspected. Drainage of the sinus cavity is imperative to avoid extension of the infection into the CNS.

A retrospective case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors in horses associated with the development of the common skin tumours known as sarcoids. The study involved 503 sarcoid cases diagnosed (January 1980-December 1989) at New York State College of Veterinary Medicine and a similar number of controls (non-sarcoid cases). Data on age, breed and sex of cases and controls were obtained from computerised records. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors. Separate data were obtained for the same 10-year period from the Veterinary Medical Data Program to determine the proportional morbidity rate at different veterinary colleges in North America. Appaloosa, Arabian and Quarter horses were at a higher risk of developing sarcoid tumours than were Thoroughbred horses. Standardbred horses had a lower risk of developing sarcoids. Geldings were at a higher risk of developing sarcoids in comparison with stallions. There was no significant difference in the risk of developing sarcoids between stallions and mares. The risk of developing sarcoid increased with age up to 15 years and then declined. The proportional morbidity rate of sarcoids among the veterinary colleges ranged between 0 and 14 per 1,000 cases, with an average of 6 per 1,000.

Fourteen cows were subjected to thoracotomy as an aid in the treatment of either septic pericarditis (n = 7) or unilateral pleuritis (fibrous or purulent; n = 7). Thoracic lesions were primary in 4 cows, secondary to traumatic reticuloperitonitis in 9 cows, and secondary to extension of a liver abscess in 1 cow. Thoracotomy was performed on 9 cows under local anesthesia. Surgery was performed on 5 cows under general anesthesia; 2 died during anesthesia, and 2 others were euthanatized. Of the 10 cows allowed to recover from surgery, 4 had pericarditis and 6 had pleuritis. Four cows with pleuritis had thoracic abscesses. All but 1 cow with pericarditis died or were euthanatized, and 5 of the 6 cows with pleuritis were discharged from the hospital. A year after surgery, 1 cow was culled because of infertility, and the other 5 cows were returned to production.

A 12-year-old Morgan gelding was examined for colic of 3 days duration. Signs of depression, colic, diarrhea, and endotoxemia persisted despite aggressive medical therapy and surgical exploration. Culture results from gastric fluid and feces yielded many colonies of Clostridium perfringens. This organism also was recovered from peritoneal fluid 10 days after admission; consequently, the horse was euthanized. At necropsy, a localized gas-filled, necrotic stomach wall was found; many mucosal and submucosal gas blebs were visible. Culture of this tissue yielded Clostridium perfringens. Emphysematous gastritis is a fulminant infection of the stomach wall caused by gas-forming organisms that gain access to the submucosa via mucosal defects such as ulcers. This condition has been reported infrequently in people, and the case reported herein represents the first instance of emphysematous gastritis in the horse.

A 6-year-old Quarter Horse was examined because of acute, severely swollen masseter muscles (palpation of which elicited pain response), exophthalmos, severe chemosis, and protrusion of the third eyelids. Blood selenium and vitamin E concentrations, and results of feed analysis and muscle biopsy supported a diagnosis of nutritional myopathy. The horse was treated and was clinically normal 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital.

Corneal squamous cell carcinomas with surface areas of more than 2.0 cm were diagnosed in 26 eyes of 25 horses. The depth of the lesion into the corneal stroma and involvement of the ocular adnexa were important determinants for surgical treatment. Corneal tumors that extended into adjacent palpebral conjunctiva, eyelid, or orbit were not amenable to complete excision, while those that involved only cornea and bulbar conjunctiva were treated surgically by keratectomy and beta radiation. Initial treatment was keratectomy followed by beta radiation on 24 eyes and enucleation of two eyes. Twenty keratectomy patients remained tumor free after long-term follow-up. One was lost to follow-up and three recurred. The recurrences were retreated with subsequent cure (one horse), enucleation (one horse), or euthanasia (one horse).

Blindness characterized by dilated unresponsive pupils and funduscopic evidence of varying degrees of vitritis, retinal vasculitis, retinitis, chorioretinitis, and optic neuritis developed in 21 alpacas and 1 llama within a 30-day period. The animals were part of a group of approximately 100 animals imported from Chile one year earlier. The animals had spent 6 months in quarantine and then, for the 6 months preceding the epizootic, were housed at an exotic animal import-export farm, where the disease developed. Four of the affected animals also had signs of neurologic dysfunction. A herpesvirus indistinguishable from equine herpesvirus I was isolated from 4 of the affected animals, and antibody titers diagnostic for equine herpesvirus I were demonstrated in the serum of all but one of the affected animals.

Medical records of 15 adult cows with a final diagnosis of pyelonephritis were evaluated retrospectively. Only 3 cows had obvious clinical signs that indicated urinary tract disease. Physical examination, including rectal and vaginal examinations, and urine chemical reagent strip screening detected abnormalities in all 15 cows and allowed subsequent confirmation by culture results of urine samples obtained using a catheter. Bacteriologic cultures of urine revealed Corynebacterium renale infection in 6 cows and Escherichia coli infection in 9 cows. Long-term treatment with antimicrobial drugs resulted in recovery in 9 of 11 treated cows. Of these, 4 of 4 cows with C renale infection and 5 of 7 cows with E coli infection recovered; the remaining 2 cows with E coli infection died.

The toxicity of Dursban 44 (chlorpyrifos) in dairy bulls in two large Northeastern A.I. bull centers is reported. One hundred eighty-five (185) bulls were treated at the first center and two hundred thirty-two (232) at the second. The application of this product resulted in the death of seven and one bulls, respectively. The knowledge and experience gained at the first center resulted in rapid diagnosis and specific treatment at the second and was felt to be a significant reason for the lower death rate. Typical, clinical signs of organophosphate poisoning were not exhibited in these two outbreaks. Specific diagnosis, treatment and the course of chlorpyrifos poisoning in Holstein bulls are discussed.

Renal toxicosis attributable to vitamin K3 (menadione sodium bisulfite) was suspected in 5 young adult horses in which acute renal failure developed following parenteral administration of vitamin K3 at the manufacturers' recommended dosages. Renal disease was subsequently induced experimentally in 5 of 6 horses by administration of vitamin K3 at manufacturers' recommended dosages. Signs of renal disease in the clinical patients as well as in the horses treated experimentally included renal colic, hematuria, azotemia, and electrolyte abnormalities consistent with acute renal failure. Two clinical patients and 3 experimental horses were subsequently necropsied and found to have lesions of renal tubular nephrosis.

In review of the case records of all cattle greater than or equal to 2 years of age admitted to the Large Animal Hospital of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine in a 3-year-period, 366 were identified as having areas of right side tympanitic resonance (ping) due to gas distention of intra-abdominal structures. The source of the ping was identified as abomasum in 137 cattle, various segments of the intestinal tract in 157 cattle, and peritoneal gas in 2 cattle. In 70 cattle, no identification was made as to the source of the ping. In 151 (41%) of the cattle with areas of ping, both the clinical and definitive (surgical or necropsy) identification of the source of the ping was recorded. In these cattle, the sensitivity and predictive value of the clinical identification were determined for each structure. The sensitivity and predictively; for cecum and/or ascending colon, the sensitivity and predictive value were both 87%. Of all cattle in which a right side ping was recorded, the principal final diagnoses were: left displacement of the abomasum (116), right displacement of the abomasum (77), abomasal (and omasal) and volvulus (60), other gastrointestinal conditions (73), nongastrointestinal conditions(40).

Malignant edema (clostridial myositis) was diagnosed in 9 horses with signs of illness that included fever, depression, painful muscular swellings, and toxemia. The infection followed intramuscular injections in 8 horses and developed in a puncture wound in 1 horse. Treatment consisted of surgical fenestration of the involved muscle, high doses of penicillin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and analgesics, and supportive fluid therapy. Five horses recovered and 4 died. Those that died had advanced signs of the disease at admission.

In the horse described herein, Actinobacillus lignieresii was associated with a syndrome identical to wooden tongue in cattle. It responded rapidly to systemic sodium iodide and antibiotic therapy. The definitive diagnosis was based on cytologic examination and culture. If actinobacillosis is suspected, immediate treatment with sodium iodide should be instituted along with supportive therapy.

The signs of bovine listeriosis include depression and variable cranial nerve deficits indicative of brain stem inflammation. Because a wide range of cranial nerve deficits exists in bovine listeriosis patients, a thorough neurologic examination and cerebrospinal fluid analysis are essential to accurate diagnosis. Treatment should consist of intensive antibiotic therapy owing to the intracellular location of the causative organisms and should also address metabolic acidosis in those patients with loss of buffer because of excessive salivation. The public health implications of bovine listeriosis require the veterinarian to protect all persons attending the bovine patient affected with listeriosis.

The records of 84 cows with cecal dilatation or cecal volvulus were reviewed. The diagnosis was made by exploratory laparotomy or necropsy in 21 cows with cecal dilatation, and in 45 cows with cecal volvulus. Eighteen of the cows with cecal dilatation responded to medical management and the diagnosis was made by physical examination alone. The most useful criteria for determining that surgery was necessary were the presence of a high heart rate, apparent abdominal pain, scant or absence of feces, and the apex of the cecum rotated cranially on rectal examination. The prognosis for cattle with cecal dilatation and volvulus was good following medical therapy or decompression at surgery unless there was severe vascular compromise of the cecum. There was a 10% recurrence rate, and in these cows a partial typhlectomy was performed.

Three heifers with the thymic form of lymphosarcoma were examined. In each of the 3 cases, fever, bloat, and jugular venous distention had developed. Detectable antibody to bovine leukosis virus was not found on agar gel immunodiffusion testing in any of the cases. Thymic lymphosarcoma was confirmed by necropsy and histologic examination. Thymic lymphosarcoma must be considered in the differential diagnosis in heifers with fever, bloat, and jugular venous distention.

Megaesophagus developed subsequent to presumed pharyngeal trauma in a cow. Signs resolved after prolonged antibiotic treatment and supportive care.