Observations on bovine pyelonephritis

Fifty-one cases of bovine pyelonephritis were investigated. The annual prevalence rate for 2089 cows was 1.6% in 1987 with a mean interval from calving to onset of cases of 82.9 days. Multipara were at higher risk. Loss from pyelonephritis was 33.3% of all affected cows, and relapse occurred in 9.4% of apparently recovered animals. Serum creatinine and urea concentrations were of high prognostic values. Odds ratios being culled for cows with levels of creatinine above 1.5 mg/dl (132.6 mumol/l) and of urea above 100.0 mg/dl (16.7 mmol/l) were 104.0 and 60.0 respectively compared with those with lower values. Haematological results were of no diagnostic value. Odds ratio for cows with no post-parturient uterine diseases having pyelonephritis was 8.9 compared with infected cows treated at calving with antibiotics.