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Embolic pulmonary aneurysms in yearling feedlot cattle
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
|September 1, 1976
Summary
Pulmonary aneurysms in feedlot cattle were caused by blood clots from liver abscesses. These aneurysms ruptured, leading to fatal exsanguination and lung damage.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Bovine Medicine
- Ruminant Health
Background:
- Pulmonary aneurysms are a significant cause of mortality in feedlot cattle.
- Understanding the pathogenesis of these aneurysms is crucial for disease prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the origin and pathological mechanisms of ruptured pulmonary aneurysms in feedlot cattle.
- To identify the relationship between caudal vena cava thrombi, liver abscesses, and pulmonary artery damage.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 407,000 yearling feedlot cattle for illnesses and deaths throughout 1974.
- Necropsied 1,988 cattle to identify pathological conditions.
- Examined thrombi in the caudal vena cava and their relationship to liver abscesses and pulmonary arteries.
Main Results:
- 25 out of 1,988 necropsied cattle (1.3%) had ruptured pulmonary aneurysms.
- 4 additional cattle had pulmonary emboli without rupture.
- Emboli originated from caudal vena cava thrombi associated with liver abscesses, leading to pulmonary artery weakening, saccular aneurysms, rupture, and exsanguination.
Conclusions:
- Liver abscess-associated caudal vena cava thrombi are the primary source of pulmonary emboli leading to fatal aneurysms in feedlot cattle.
- Infection and blood pressure contribute to aneurysm rupture and subsequent exsanguination and pulmonary incapacitation.