1 Anemia in Ruminants

Transcript

Introduction

This lesson is about anemia and blood transfusion for ruminant practice. We have about five modules one on anemia evaluating the anemia in case of ruminants, then there is another module about basics of transfusion practice, then there is one module on bovine blood collection and, the other module on how to do transducer for bovines, the last module will be about small ruminant blood transition. In each module there are some of the subdivisions like how to evaluate for anemia, what sort of clinical signs you can see it in anemia, and what laboratory tests you need to do for, how to evaluate an anemic patient.

The second one about the transfusion basics – you need to know what is the importance of PCV for in the donation blood collection practices as well as transition practices, and how to select a good cow for donation and which are the need equal for blood transfusion and about the blood groups which we need to know both for bovines and small ruminants, and the use of anticoagulants, which is the good anticoagulant which we need to know use. And how much we need to use and, next we see about how much blood can be collected from a donor and how much can be transfused and the rate of administration of the blood for the of both cattle and small ruminants and how to monitor for transfusion reactions and what sort of transfusion reactions commonly occurs. And if there is a transfusion reaction occurs what drugs we need to use to manage transfusion reactions. And at the end we will also be seeing about the small ruminants practice and the recent developments in the field of veterinary transfusion medicine

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Greetings vets

This class will be about Anemia in Ruminants. But, we know that animea is one of the very commonly occurring diseases in livestock practice either bovine or small ruminant that is the most important thing. Now what is basically anemia? Anemia is the reduction in the blood oxygen levels how we discussed, there is a reduction in the haemoglobin level or RBC count and both of which reduces the PCV. So, the total oxygen carrying capacity gets reduced. So that is how anemia ensues. Now what are the mechanism by which anemia comes? It could be either hemorrage, or due to hemolysis, or even due to the decreased production of the RBC itself. For example, in bullets some of the adult bullets, senior bullets, there may be possibility for some nasal tumors usually the ethmoid tumors that will be profusely bleeding so, that causes hemorrage in cattle cows which undergo prolapse or dystopia there will be bleeding at that time so that causes haemorrhage. So, what happens there is a presence of hypoxemia in the renal erythropoietin producing cells basically in the kidney.

Now this erythropoietin induces proliferation of the differentiation of erythriod that brings in red blood cells and normally takes care of the blood products. Now this is how they have to regenerate whenever there is acute blood loss. Now when there is anemia or bone marrow diseases this may not happen always. Now there are many many causes for anemia. The causes in ruminants are almost like same across cattle, sheep and goat many of the causes.

Now ectoparasites are the most important one like linognathus similarly, gi parasites. Gi parasites usually the Haemonchus, then Fasciola, Paramphistomum these are the commonest ones. Then there is Abomasal ulceration, whenever there is a bleeding ulcers that also causes anemia. Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome there is one of the commonest diseases in case of crossbred cattle caused by clostridium pathogen species and that produces hemorrhage in the bowel and that’s why it’s called as hemorrhagic bowel syndrome. Similarly, bleeding in other sides or other systems like respiratory system or Gi tract, then presence of some of the injuries or tumors, then presence of hemostatic disorders similarly some poisonings like carbon tetracyclide, tetrachloride all causes anemia.

Now coming to the infectious agent many times blood parasites like Babesia, Theileria and Anaplasma, Trypanosoma and sometimes some of the Mycoplasma infections and Stephanofilarial or yellow lamb diseases, Bacillary hemoglobinuria, these are the commonest one. Most importantly in buoyant practice especially those in urban areas Leptospira is also a commonest cause. So under the toxic many many plants species like Allium or Brassica sometimes even long-acting tetracyclines can also cause some sort of impact on the blood production then trace minerals like copper, zinc arsenic these are also the important culprits for the causes of the anemia.

Deficiency mainly copper, iron, selenium, phosphorous all these things are a possible causes for anemia. Most importantly immune mediated some of the times immune mediated diseases are also causing the issues. Many times anemia can be caused by decreased production of the RBCs. One of the major causes nutrient deficiency for example micro minerals, rice minerals, cobalt and iron. Then there is presence of chronic diseases like lumpy skin disease, Mycoplasma paratuberculosis, paratuberculosis, chronic toxicities and Blue tongue. All these things are causing the decreased production of rbcs due to many factors. Sometimes bone marrow dysfunction and deficiencies that also causes the anemia.

Now what are the Basic Clinical manifestations – All mucous membrane then there is exercise intolerance, weakness, Tachypnea, Dyspnea. Now when you auscultate the heart there is increase in the heart sound, then increase in the quality of the sounds, what sometimes they call it as anemic thrills. The severity of clinical signs are related to the amount of blood loss. How do you diagnose? Always diagnosis for chronic diseases is clinical science, laboratory examination, sometimes even bone marrow assessment. In some of the cases physical examination helps, but all these cases laboratory examination especially simply at least haemoglobin, PCB or BCR are essential. And Hemolysis occurs and that produces Jaundice, Splenomegaly, these are the easily palpated I mean palpated or using the physical exam tools you can find out.

Now one of the important thing is using some of the diagnostic aids like FAMACHA chart. This FAMACHA chart uses predetermined colour code that corresponds with the level of the haemoglobin used throughout the world and using the different colours the mucous membrane colour is correlated and the level of anemia is determined. Then the laboratory evaluation like your regular blood smear study, then the complete blood count, agglutination testing, these are the essential ones to diagnose anemia. Then most essentially the Fecal examination.

Then Urinalysis the commercially available urine strips like this that will help us to diagnose hypoproteinemia whenever there is hypoproteinemia anemia will be there. Similarly, when there is Hemolysis there is a difference in the pigmentation that can be identified.

Most importantly whenever there is a death of the animal when you cut open the bone marrow like this now this is the healthy bone marrow. Now the one with yellow gelatinous material like this this indicates the animal underwent a chronic disease and the bone marrow has been totally replaced by some sort of gelatinous fatty substance and there is nothing called marrow there to produce blood cells.

Now sometimes we may require additional Serological testing, molecular testing for diagnosing for either infectious diseases or some sort of antigen screening or antibody screening. Whenever you suspect poisoning, you need to identify with the chemical assessment. So, with this the evaluation of anime is over. You have additional reading materials for the evaluation of anemia and you can go through these materials and whenever there is any doubt you can feel free to contact us.

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