Relationship of Polyarthritis and Respiratory Disease in Cattle

Abstract

Nearly 15 years' experience with a chronic pneumonia and polyarthritis syndrome (CPPS) in western Canadian feedlots is described. Emphasis in this presentation is on the postmortem and laboratory diagnosis of CPPS. Mycoplasma bovis is the most consistent etiologic agent isolated, but in the author's experience and opinion, chronic primary BVDV infection likely plays a significant role in predisposing to this antibiotic-unresponsive infectious disease problem. The syndrome appears to be a problem throughout North America and is an increasing problem in some dairy herds as well. The Haemophilus somnus disease complex (HSDC) is a less-common cause of concurrent respiratory and joint infections and is much simpler to diagnose.