Rare Presentations of Cystic Lung and Liver Disease in Cattle and Buffaloes

Abstract

The present study was conducted on twelve female bovines (buffalo=7 and cattle=5) presented to Teaching Veterinary Hospital of GADVASU with clinical signs suggestive of cardiac insufficiency. The clinical examination followed by ultrasonography revealed presence of single or multiple lung and/or liver cysts in these patients. The common clinical signs were brisket edema (n=9), brisket+limb edema (n=2), jugular engorgement (n=3), dyspnoea (n=6), abducted elbows (n=3) and fever (n=3). Upon ultrasonography, single and multiple cystic densities in hepatic tissue (n=10) & lung parenchyma (n=11) were observed. A significant finding was compression of the heart (n=8) due to multiple cysts in the lungs that lead to cardiac tamponade i.e. inability of heart to pump to its full capacity which may have advanced to clinical signs mimicking that of cardiac insufficiency. Present study reports ultrasonographic diagnosis of lung or liver cysts with occurrence of atypical signs like ventral edema, dyspnoea and jugular distension.