Common heart lesions in adult cattle

摘要

The common cardiac lesions in adult cattle are septic pericarditis (Fig. 1),bacterial endocarditis (Fig. 2) and dilated cardiomyopathy (Fig. 3). The incidence of bacterial myocarditis is believed to be uncommon in the UK. Ultrasonography is an invaluable diagnostic aid with which to differentiate pleural (Fig. 4), pericardial (Fig. 5) and peritoneal transudate from inflammatory exudate/pus (Fig. 6). Systematic ultrasonographic examination of the lungs, pleural space, and pericardium takes less than five minutes. Confirmation of vegetative endocarditis is difficult with most sector scanners used in farm animal practice.