Fungal pneumonia - a treatment

Authors: Herbert SP
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 34, Issue 4, pp 57-58, Apr 1986
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Abortion/stillbirth, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Reproduction, Fungal/yeast, Pneumonia/pleurisy, Disease/defect, Respiratory system, Infectious disease, Reproduction - female, Treatment/therapy
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Due to what would seem unusual circumstances we saw an increased number of fungal abortions last winter. The incidence of fungal pneumonia as a complication of these abortions was high. On one farm where 14 cows aborted, five developed pneumonia, and on another farm where ten cows aborted, six developed pneumonia. The problems occurred when maize silage, harvested in late summer, was placed on top of grass silage which had been harvested in the spring. The silage initially looked good, but on closer inspection fungal contamination could be seen at the grass maize interface. Usual symptoms were an anorexic cow with noticeable weight loss since calving, an with an abnormally increased respiratory rate. Increased moist rales were present on auscultation. The cow`s hair seemed to be standing on end, and at this stage she was often running a temperature in excess of 40°C. If the cow had been seen on the day of calving for abortion investigation, it was very noticeable how she had deterioriated and weight loss was obvious. Treatment undertaken consisted of…

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