[A case of congenital porphyria in a calf]

The case of a male calf affected with bovine congenital porphyria is reported in the present paper. The diagnosis was based on the specific and pathognomonic symptoms: lesions of the pale parts of the skin due to photosensitization, brownish discolouration of the teeth and urine, overall wasting and retardation of growth. The diagnosis was verified by analysis of the blood and urine: in the blood we found a high concentration of protoporphyrins (269 micrograms/l) and a rather low cell count (19 per cent), in the urine high concentrations of uro- and coproporphyrins (3340 and 2550 micrograms/l respectively) were determined. As there is no effective treatment for this disease, it was advised to keep the animal indoors and fatten it. The farmer did not follow this advice. The calf died within a few months.