Thrombosis of the cranial vena cava in a cow with bronchopneumonia and traumatic reticuloperitonitis

Abstract

This paper reports the clinical findings, surgical and medical management, and necropsy of a 6 year old cow with thrombosis of the cranial vena cava and thrombo embolic pneumonia following traumatic reticuloperitonitis. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by necropsy. Thrombosis of the caudal vena cava is a well known disorder of cattle, whereas thrombosis of the cranial vena cava is relatively uncommon (1-7). Liver abscesses that break into the caudal vena cava are the most common cause of thrombosis of the vessel (3,8). Thrombosis of the cranial vena cava is usually attributable to embolism of a jugular vein thrombus and is less often due to haematogenous spread of infection (6). Thrombosis of the vena cava is often associated with metastatic bronchopneumonia with characteristic clinical signs. Wyssmann (1), Breeze (9) and Bueno (10) described respiratory syndrome and signs of congestion in cattle with
thrombosis of the cranial vena cava. This case report describes the clinical findings in a six-year-old Swiss Braunvieh cow with thrombosis of the cranial vena cava.