AHEAD AHEADIN IN ANIMAL ANIMALHEALTH HEALTH
Embolic Embolic pneumonia pneumonia associated with Udder Udder Cleft Cleft Dermatitis Dermatitis in Dutch Dairy Cows Christian ChristianScherpenzeel ScherpenzeelDVM DVMPhD PhDand andK.K.Peperkamp PeperkampDVM DVMDipl. Dipl.RNVA RNVA Royal RoyalGD GDAnimal AnimalHealth, Health,Deventer, Deventer,the theNetherlands Netherlands
Why? Why? Udder Uddercleft cleftdermatitis dermatitis(UCD; (UCD;also alsobovine bovineulcerative ulcerativemammary mammary dermatitis dermatitis or or foul foul udder) udder) is is an an inflammation inflammation of of the the udder udder skin skin and and is is most most often oftenlocated locatedbetween betweenthe thefrontquarters frontquartersand andat atthe thetransition transition of of the the frontquarters frontquarters and and the the abdominal abdominal wall. wall. Cows Cows with with UCD UCD may may have have increased increasedrisk riskof ofclinical clinicalmastitis, mastitis,and andassociations associationsbetween between UCD UCD and and digital digital dermatitis dermatitis have have been been suggested. suggested. The The lesions lesions can can impair impair animal animalwelfare, welfare,milk milkproduction, production,and andmilk milkquality qualityand andcan can lead lead to to death death and and premature premature culling. culling. Thus Thus preventive preventive measures measures are are warranted, warranted, but butin indaily dailypractice practiceUCD UCDisisnot notalways alwaysadequately adequatelydetected detected by by farmers farmers and and their their cattle cattle veterinarians. veterinarians. Objective Objective
The Theobjective objectiveofofthis thisstudy studywas wastotoinvestigate investigatethe theprevalence prevalence ofofcows cowswith withcomplicated complicatedUCD UCDon onpostmortem postmortemexamination, examination, associated associatedwith withembolic embolicpneumonia pneumoniaasasmost mostlikely likelycause causeofof death. death.
Material Materialand andmethods methods
Royal RoyalGD’s GD’sregistered registeredveterinary veterinarypathologists pathologistsdiagnosed diagnosed39 39 dairy dairycows cowsfrom fromdifferent differentDutch Dutchdairy dairyherds herdswith withmild mildtoto severe severeUCD UCDfrom from11January January2019 2019––31 31December December2019 2019based based on onpostmortem postmortemexamination examinationininthe thenecropsy necropsyroom. room. Histological Histologicalexamination examinationand andmicroscopy, microscopy,asaswell wellasas additional additionalbacteriology bacteriologytesting testingwas wascarried carriedout outininthe theGD GD Animal AnimalHealth Healthlaboratory. laboratory.The Thepathology pathologydepartment departmentisispart part ofofthe theGD GDAnimal AnimalHealth Healthlaboratory, laboratory,which whichisisISO ISO17025 17025 accredited accreditedfor foraalarge largenumber numberofoflaboratory laboratorytests testsand andbased based on onthese theseaccredited accreditedprocedures proceduresthe thepostmortem postmortemexaminations examinations were wereperformed. performed.Photographs Photographswere weretaken takenfrom fromthe therelevant relevant lesions. lesions.
Interestingly, Interestingly,ininall allofofthese these20 20cases, cases,the theclinical clinicalsigns signs during duringlife lifeofofthese thesecows cows(that (thatwere werereported reportedby bythe the veterinarian veterinarianon onthe theaccompanying accompanyingsubmission submissionform) form)were were fever, fever,respiratory respiratorydistress, distress,milk milkdrop dropand anddeath, death,despite despite antimicrobial antimicrobialtreatment. treatment.In Inonly onlyone onecase casethe thehistory historytaken taken by bythe theveterinarian veterinarianreported reportedUCD. UCD. From From19 19ofofthe the39 39dairy dairycows cows(49%) (49%)with withUCD UCDon onpostmortem postmortem external externalexamination examinationinin2019 2019passed passedthe thenecropsy necropsyroom roomwith with uncomplicated uncomplicatedUCD. UCD.In Inthese thesecows cowsulcerative ulcerativedermatitis dermatitiswas was described, described,although althoughthere therewas wasno norelated relatedembolic embolicpneumonia pneumonia observed, observed,but butother othermost mostlikely likelycauses causesthat thatlead leadto todeath deathof of these thesecows. cows.
Conclusions Conclusions
••51% 51%of ofthe the postmortem postmortem examination examination of of cows cows resulted resulted in inthe thediagnosis diagnosis of of embolic embolic pneumonia pneumonia associated associated with with UCD. UCD. ••In Inthese these cases, cases, UCD UCD lesions, lesions, which which were were apparently apparently not not important important enough enough for for the the farmers farmers and and the the veterinarians veterinarians to toreport report (or (or not not even even observed), observed), are are thought thought to to have have been beenthe the initiating initiating source source of of infection. infection. ••It Itisiscrucial crucial that that both both farmers farmers and and veterinarians veterinarians are are made made more moreaware aware of of the the possible possible severe severe consequences consequences of of udder udder cleft cleftlesions lesions and and that that they they adopt adopt strategies strategies to to allow allow early earlydetection detection of of UCD UCD –– ••More Moreresearch research isis needed needed to to find find out out which which interventions interventions can canbe beinitiated initiated effectively effectively in in order order to to detect detect as as early early as as possible. possible.
Results Results
From From20 20ofofthe the39 39dairy dairycows cows(51%) (51%)with withUCD UCDon onpostmortem postmortem examination examinationinin2019 2019ititisismost mostlikely likelythat thataacomplicated complicatedUCD UCD was wasthe thefatal fatalcause causeofofdeath, death,due duetotothe thefact factthat thatno noother other causal causalfactor factorfor fordeath deathwas wasidentified identifiedby bythe theveterinary veterinary pathologists. pathologists.Based Basedon onhistology histologyfrom fromthe theudder udderskin, skin,aa necrotic necroticinflammation inflammationofofthe thesubcutaneous subcutaneousabdominal abdominal(milk) (milk) vein veinwas wasobserved observedwith withmany manybacteria bacteriainvolved, involved,besides besidesan an ulcerative ulcerativedermatitis dermatitisofofthe theskin. skin.AAcomparable comparableinflammation inflammation ofofthe theblood bloodvessels vesselsininthe thelungs, lungs,with withextension extensiontotothe the surroundingtissue, tissue,was wasobserved, observed,which whichisistypical typicalfor forembolic embolic surrounding pneumonia.Bacteriological Bacteriologicalculture cultureofofthe thelung lungtissue tissuerevealed revealed pneumonia. seventimes timesHelcococcus Helcococcusspp., spp.,12 12times timesTrueperella Trueperellapyogenes, pyogenes, seven andinintwo twocases casesaamixed mixedinfection infectionofofthese thesebacteria bacteriawas was and isolated.InInsome somecases casesE.E.coli, coli,streptococci, streptococci,and/or and/oranaerobic anaerobic isolated. bacteriawere werecultured culturedfrom fromthe thediseased diseasedlung lungtissue. tissue.All Allthe the bacteria isolatedbacteria bacteriacan canbe beconsidered consideredasasopportunistic opportunisticbacteria. bacteria. isolated
1a 1a
1b 1b
1c 1c
Multifocalembolic embolicNecropurulent Necropurulentinflammation inflammationof ofthe thelung lungtissue tissue(1a) (1a)in inthe thecontext contextof ofaametastatic metastaticpneumonia pneumoniaas asaaresult result of of Multifocal UdderCleft CleftDermatitis Dermatitison onthe theudder udderskin skin(1b) (1b)and andon onthe thecut cutsurface surfaceof ofthe thelesion lesionwith withvasculitis vasculitisof ofthe themilk milkvein. vein.(1c). (1c). Udder
www.gdanimalhealth.com/udderhealth www.gdanimalhealth.com c.scherpenzeel@gdanimalhealth.com c.scherpenzeel@gdanimalhealth.com
GD2652/08-22 GD2652/08-22