Physical Exams of Cattle

By C Kohn

Agricultural Sciences

Waterford, WI

Physical Exams

• A physical exam is a routine medical procedure in which the physical symptoms of a patient are measured in order to determine if those symptoms fall within the normal range of that animal.
• Physical exams should always follow a consistent routine – in most cases, every examination should follow the same order of steps.
• Even if you find a suspicious �symptom, you should not stop �the examination – there may �be more symptoms to discover!

Source: itsthelittlethings.info

Steps of a Physical Exam

• The first step of an animal physical exam is to speak with the owner in order to get a history of the patient. �
• The following 8 questions should always be asked:
1. What is the problem? Why did you call?
2. What symptoms have you observed?
3. When did this problem start?
4. Has this affected her �feed consumption?

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Questions (cont.)

• Has this affected her milk �production or rate of gain?
• How long ago did she calve?
• How old is she?
• Do any other animals have �similar symptoms? �
2. Follow-up questions should also be asked to get all needed details.

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Steps of a Physical Exam

• After you’ve taken the patient history, you should begin to examine the animal’s head and neck. �
• You should assess the following:
• Ears – erect or drooping? �Hot or cold?
• Eyes – sunken or normal? �Emotional status?
• Nose – does she have any� mucus discharge?
• Mouth – is she grinding her �teeth? Circulation?
• Jaw – does she have any �swelling?
• Neck – does she have�swollen lymph nodes?
• Skin – is she dehydrated?

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Source: cdfa.ca.gov

Ears & Eyes

• Ears are a quick indicator of the cow’s physical well-being.
• If her ears are cold, there is a problem. If her ears are warm, there might still be a problem.
• Eyes are a quick indicator of both hydration and of her emotional status.
• Are her eyes normal or are �they sunken?
• If they are sunken, the �animal is dehydrated.
• Do her eyes indicate if the �animal is scared or in pain?
• Emotion can be read most �easily from the eyes.

Source: cattletoday.com

Nose & Teeth

• When examining the nose, look for mucus (i.e. a runny nose)
• Is it clear (good) or �solid-colored �(typically bad)
• Is it clean (good) or �bloody (bad)�
• After checking the nose, listen near her mouth.
• Is she chewing her cud (very good)?
• Do you hear a high-pitched grinding noise (bad)? If so, this is a sign that the cow is in pain.
• Is she compulsively licking or chewing, or are there any other signs of emotional/nervous problems?

Source vet.uga.edu

Capillary Refill Time

• When checking the mouth, you should also check the capillary refill time of the animal.
• Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels that link arteries to veins.
• They line the surface of the skin.�
• To perform the Capillary Refill Time (CRT) test, gently and carefully lift the lip of the animal (make sure the animal is properly restrained!)
• Gently push on the animal’s �gums and release.
• The color of the gums should �go from a whitish color to its �normal pink in 1-2 seconds.
• A slower time indicates shock �or dehydration.
• A time under 1 second indicates �heat stroke or shock.

Source: eqmusclerelease.com

Yes – I know this is a horse…I couldn’t find one with a cow ☺

Jaw and Neck

• Check her jaw – is �there any swelling or �fluid build-up (bad)?
• If so, this could be a� sign of poor circulation �or low electrolytes. �
• Neck – check the lymph nodes (they can be found along the jaw-line below the ears).
• Lymph nodes are glands full of �white blood cells; they move �lymphatic fluid (immune �system-fluid) throughout the body
• If the lymph nodes are swollen, �this is a clear sign that the animal �is fighting an infection or injury.
• ☆ = Lymph node

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Source: nodpa.com

Skin & Dehydration

• To check for dehydration, you should perform a pinch test on the skin.
• To perform the pinch test, firmly but gently grab skin between your thumb and forefinger.
• Pull the skin gently and then immediately release.�
• Under normal conditions, the skin should immediately snap back to its original position.
• The return to its normal state should be instantaneous.�
• If the animal is dehydrated, �the skin will slowly return to �its original state.
• It will behave sort of like �cold bread dough

medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com

Symptoms & Diseases

• Common symptoms include…�
• Cold ears 🡺 hypocalcemia (milk fever, or dangerously low levels of calcium in the blood)�
• Sunken eyes 🡺 dehydration�
• Swollen jaw (bottle jaw) 🡺 low electrolytes or blood protein levels; possible heart failure �
• Swollen lymph nodes 🡺 infection, illness, or injury�
• Nasal discharge 🡺 infection or illness�
• Chewing her cud 🡺 she is feeling ok

Steps of a Physical Exam

• After examining the head, you move to the left-hand side of the animal and examine their chest.

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• At the chest, you will �examine the….
• Heart Rate – should �be 60-80 bpm
• Respiration Rate – �should be 10-40 bpm

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Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Heart Rate

• To measure the heart rate, you would use a stethoscope and place it behind the animal’s left elbow.
• It may take a couple tries to find a good-sounding heart rate – move around until you find a good beat.�
• When you check the heart rate,�you will check for 2 things:
• Rate – the rate should be 60-80 bpm
• Quality – the heart should be a �“lub-dub” sound.
• ‘Woosh’ or ‘Whistle’ sounds are�signs of other problems – these are �called heart-murmurs.

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Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Respiration Rate

• To measure the respiration rate, you would use a stethoscope and place it above the animal’s left elbow.
• Like the heart rate, it may take a few tries to find a quality-sounding respiration rate.�
• When you check the respiration rate,�you will check for 2 things:
• Rate – the rate should be 10-40 bpm
• Quality – the breathing should sound�clear; it should not sound raspy or �obstructed (dyspnea)

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Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Symptoms and Diseases

• The following are common symptoms you may encounter when examining the left side of the chest:�
• High heart rate (rate above 80 bpm) – high heart rates can be a sign of a wide-range of problems, including infection, heat stroke, injury, nervousness, etc.
• The same is true for high breathing-rate (above 40 bpm)�
• Heart murmurs – if the heart beat does not have a ‘lub-dub’ sound (i.e. if you hear a woosh or whistle), this is a sign of an injury or infection in the heart. �
• Raspy breathing – the lungs should �sound clear and open during breathing; �raspy or obstructed breathing can be a sign �of a respiratory infection.

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Source: answers.com

Udder

• After you check for rumen contractions and for a twisted stomach, you will move onto the udder.
• At the udder, you will check for the following:
• Edema, or swelling
• Redness, heat or coolness.
• A hot quarter may indicate an infection (mastitis)
• A cool quarter may indicate dying tissue or obstructed �circulation due to injury or frostbite.
• This could become �gangrenous
• Examine her milk using a �mastitis test such as the �California Mastitis Test �(CMT) paddle.

Source: teara.govt.nz

Mastitis

• Mastitis is an infection of the udder.
• It is the most costly disorder in the dairy industry.
• Mastitis can cause any of the following:
• Reddened or hot udder
• Swelling in the udder
• Chunky or flaky milk
• Watery milk
• Fever and increased �heart/respiration rate�
• If there are symptoms �that indicate mastitis, �a test should be performed to confirm this.
• CMT and MECS are commonly-used tests

Source: vetscan.co.in

Steps of a Physical Exam

• After examining the left chest, you would move to the left abdomen (stomach area).
• In the left abdomen, you would examine the following:
• Rumen Contractions – does she haved 1-2 contractions per minute.
• Abomasum placement - does she have a displaced (twisted) abomasum?

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Rumen Contractions

• The rumen is the first chamber of the four-chambered stomach of a cow.
• The rumen has to contract at least 1-2 times per minute to sufficiently mix and break down the feed she has consumed.
• To measure rumen contractions, place the stethoscope over the center of her body (where the red circle is below).
• Listen for what sounds like�low rumbles of thunder �while watching for a minute�to pass.
• Low rumen contractions�is a symptom of digestive�problems.

Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Abomasum Placement

• The abomasum is the fourth stomach chamber of a cow.
• It operates in the same way your stomach works.
• If a cow stops eating, or has other problems, the abomasum can fill up with gas and twist over itself.
• The abomasum will swell with gas like a balloon.

Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Abomasum Placement

• If the cow has a displaced abomasum, or twisted stomach, you will be able to detect this by ‘pinging’ the cow.
• Place your stethoscope over what is the green area on cow below and flick repeatedly with your finger and thumb.
• If the stomach has twisted, it will sound like a banjo through the stethoscope�when you flick the area.

Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Rear Examination

• After examining the udder, you would move onto examining the rear of the cow.
• Here you will check the following:
• Rectal Temperature
• Urine Ketones
• Rear feet and legs
• Stool (manure sample)

Source: johnlund.com

Rectal Temperature

• To take an animal’s temperature, you will need a clean, lubricated rectal thermometer. �
• To take the animal’s rectal temperature, have an assistant lift the tail and gently raise it as high as it will safely and humanely go.
• This will help to partially paralyze the cow’s rear, reducing her likelihood of kicking while humanely restraining her
• If done correctly, it should not cause pain.�
• Gently insert the thermometer into the rectum using a twisting motion.
• Leave in place for at least 1 minute.
• A cow’s temperature should be 101.5^o F
• A higher temp (above 103⁰) indicates an infection or injury.

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Source: lightlabsusa.com

Urine Ketones

• Ketones are by-products of breaking down bodily fat for energy.
• If a cow is breaking down fat too rapidly, the ketone levels in her blood will rise too rapidly, causing the equivalent of a “metabolic hangover”.
• Abnormally high levels of ketones result in ketosis.
• This will cause internal discomfort to the animal and reduce her feed intake
• This can lead to a displaced �abomasum (DA). �
• To test for ketosis, dip a Keto-stick �into the urine stream of the animal.
• Urination can be stimulated by �gently but firmly pushing upward on �the vulva of the animal.

Source: livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com

Rear Feet and Legs

• When examining the front and rear legs of the animal, check for the following:
• Is she favoring one foot over the other?
• Does she limp when walking?
• Are there any noticeable signs of injury, infection, or swelling?
• Is there any deformity?

Source: nwnyteam.org

Stool (manure)

• Manure is one of the most revealing and helpful symptoms of an animal.
• When examining the manure, look for the following:
• Amount – does she have diarrhea or is she constipated?
• Color – is it a normal brown, or does it have red or black streaks in it?
• Smell – does it smell like �normal manure or does it �have an especially-foul �or –sour smell?
• Consistency – is it runny, �tarry, or extra stiff?

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Source: en.wikipedia.org

Symptoms in Manure

• Brown, frosting-like consistency - normal
• Runny – diarrhea
• Green & Watery – Johnnes disease (see photo)
• Sour-smelling – Salmonella infection or acidosis
• Slimy – excess fiber or protein
• Too little – twisted or obstructed colon or other digestive problem
• Black or red streaks – �internal bleeding (the �redder the streaks, the �later the injury in the �digestive tract)
• Too stiff – excess fiber

Source: nodpa.com

Right Side

• Most of the symptoms that you will check would be found on the head or left-side of the animal.�
• On the right hand side, you will check…
• Right displaced abomasum
• Digestive obstruction
• Withers pinch

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Right Displaced Abomasum

• Checking for a displaced abomasum (DA, or twisted stomach) on the right hand side is the same as checking it on the left-hand side.
• Place your stethoscope over what is the green area on cow (but on the right-hand side) and flick repeatedly with your finger and thumb.
• If the stomach has twisted, it will sound like a banjo through the stethoscope�when you flick the area.
• A Right DA is much more �serious and requires �immediate attention.

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Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Digestive Obstruction

• To check for a digestive obstruction (such as a blocked or twisted colon), locate the hip of the cow (this is the bony part that juts out at the rear of the cow).
• Check for ‘pings’ just like you would check for a DA.
• If you hear a ping right �around the hip, it is a �sign of rectal gas (#3).
• If you hear a ping to the �right of the hip, it is a sign �of a twisted intestine �or intestinal gas (#2).

Source: UW-Madison Dept of Dairy Science

Hip Bone

Withers Pinch

• The withers is area consistency of the spine of the animal above the front feet.
• If you gently pinch along the spine, the animal should have a reflex that resembles a “shrug” – the animals spine should dip and their head should arch slightly.
• This is called a “dorsiflex”. �
• If the cow does not respond to repeated withers pinches, it may have a internal �pain or hardware disease.
• Hardware disease occurs �when the animal accidentally �consumes a piece of metal or �other indigestible substance.
• The hardware will remain in the �cow’s reticulum (2^nd stomach �chamber).

Summary of Steps

• Questions: ask 8 questions to determine what the owner already knows.
• Head and neck: examine the…
• Ears – are they warm or cold?
• Eyes – are they normal or sunk?
• Nose – is there mucus discharge?
• Mouth – is she grinding her teeth?
• CRT – how is her circulation?
• Jaw – is her jaw swollen (bottle jaw)? Does she have swollen lymph nodes.
• Skin – is she dehydrated (pinch test)?

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Summary

• Left Chest
• How is her heart rate? Is it 60-80 bpm?
• Does she have a heart murmur?
• How is her respiration rate? Is it 10-40 bpm?
• Does she have dyspnea?

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• Left Abdomen?
• Does she have 1-2 rumen contractions per minute?
• Does she have a displaced abomasum?

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• Udder
• Is it red/hot/swollen/cold/chunky/watery?

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Summary

• Rear
• Is the cow’s temperature 101.5^o?
• Does she have Ketosis (High Urine Ketones)
• Are her rear feet and legs healthy?
• Does her manure have the right color/consistency/odor?�
• Right Side
• Does she have a right displaced abomasum
• Dose she have a digestive obstruction
• Does she dorsiflex during a withers pinch

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