Hepatic Failure in Dairy Cattle Following Mastitis or Metritis

• Published in: Journal of veterinary internal medicine Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 80 - 84
• Main Authors: Sweeney, R. W., Divers, T. J., Whitlock, R. H., Acland, H. M., Tulleners, E. P., Palmer, J. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-1988
• Subjects: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - drug therapy; Endometritis - complications; Endometritis - drug therapy; Endometritis - veterinary; Female; Gentamicins - therapeutic use; Liver - pathology; Liver Diseases - drug therapy; Liver Diseases - etiology; Liver Diseases - veterinary; Mastitis - complications; Mastitis - drug therapy; Mastitis - veterinary; Oxytetracycline - therapeutic use; Penicillins - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0891-6640; 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1988.tb02798.x

Hepatic failure developed following mastitis or metritis in five adult cows. In all five cases, cows initially showed clinical signs compatible with endotoxemia, which resolved with appropriate therapy for the mastitis or metritis. Subsequently, signs of liver failure developed including profound anorexia, weight loss, cessation of milk production, and in one case, photosensitization. Four cows had laboratory evidence of liver disease and failure (abnormally prolonged sulfobromophthalein [BSP] clearance half‐life and abnormally high serum liver enzyme activity). Hepatocellular necrosis or vacuolization was seen on histopathologic examination of liver specimens from all five cows. The hepatocellular necrosis, in some cases, was thought to be due to the direct or indirect effects of endotoxin on the liver. Three of the cows responded to symptomatic therapy. One cow failed to respond and one was not treated.