Bladder rupture in a 2 month old calf

Re: Bladder rupture in a 2 month old calf

Busybee — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:53:07 GMT

Thanks guys. Yeah, he mentioned doing perineal urethrostomies. Might be something I would attempt with a bit of help first time (only graduated 2010)! Unfortunately didn't notice if there were any crystals around the penis. Did chat with the farmer today about diet though and doesn't sound like they're either getting too much or too little of anything.

Re: Bladder rupture in a 2 month old calf

Martin Jones — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:01:23 GMT

Apart from mineral issues, one other cause can be hypovitaminosis A. Less of an issue in this country, but it did used to be a big problem in American feedlots, where VitA was restricted to give the meat a more aesthetically 'pleasing' appearance. Outbreaks of urolithiasis were common - generally resulting from exfoliation of bladder lining - and were often factored into margins.

If you don't get any evidence of crystals, it could be worth looking at vitA in the diet, although over here it's not exactly common.

Re: Bladder rupture in a 2 month old calf

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:57:32 GMT

Urolithiasis is common in both cattle and sheep. If you look for it you can often diagnose it if you have an index of suspicion. Almost all cases have crystals on the hairs at the end of the penis. Can occur in mini outbreaks. Don't be afraid of giving a perineal urethrostomy a go - no difficult surgery and reasonable success.

See Merck for more info!