Diffuse fibrosing alveolitis in three adult cattle

Abstract

Interstitial pneumonia is an increasingly common disorder affecting individual middle age dairy and beef cattle. While the etiology is yet unknown, it has been suggested that the most common cause of the syndrome in cattle is due to the ingestion of toxins or precursors. The chronic development of pulmonary fibrosis is responsible for the clinical signs of a non-productive cough, tachycardia, hyperpnea and cor pulmonale. If the syndrome is recognized early treatment with high doses of corticosteroids may be attempted. Definitive diagnosis of the disease is made on post-mortem examination by the histologic presence of interalveolar septal fibrosis and cellular infiltrates, as well as those alveolar changes of hyperplasia and mononuclear cell exudate.