Gross Pathology of Thoracic Viscera

Abstract

The clinical signs for the various types of pneumonia are so similar that a post-mortem ex-amination and/or diagnostic laboratory testing is required to determine the eitology. Most practitioners have determined through education and trial and error effective methods of therapy for bovine pneumonia. Assistance is requested from the diagnostic laboratory when standard methods of therapy have failed. Unfortunately, many times the request from the owner for practitioner assistance comes after the owner has tried his hand at therapy. The gross examination of thoracic viscera is sufficient in many cases to reveal a tentative diagnosis sufficient to indicate appropriate therapy.

The purpose of this presentation is to compare the clinical signs and gross lesions for a few commonly misdiagnosed causes of bovine pneumonia. Effective therapy must be preceded by a prompt and accurate diagnosis. The data presented are to assist in deter-mining the diagnosis. Methods to effect prophylaxis and therapy for bovine pneumonia are not included in this presentation. The types of pneumonia to be com-pared are viral pneumonia, Pasteurellu pneumonia, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, verminous pneumonia and atypical interstitial bovine pneumonia