Page 475 - The Veterinary Laboratory and Field Manual 3rd Edition

412 Susan C. Cork

which can be associated with the presence of If there are any dead animals it is necessary to
blood parasites. If there are widespread haem- conduct a thorough necropsy (see Chapter 8).
orrhages present in the mucous membranes Pay special attention to the bladder wall and kid-
the animal may have a terminal haemorrhagic neys. Collect a urine sample and submit fresh
disease. and fixed tissues (including spleen, lymph node,
liver and kidney, ureters and bladder wall) for
laboratory examination. If there are aborted foe-
Laboratory samples tuses or dead neonates, use appropriate PPE and
perform a full necropsy on these as described
Collect the following samples: under the section on abortion. Precautions
should be taken to protect both people and other
1 urine (fresh and fixed in formalin) about animals from exposure to potential pathogens.
10 ml in a jar (take a mid-flow sample) At the laboratory, urine samples are spun
2 whole blood and blood smears (fix blood down in a centrifuge and the sediment(s)
smears in methanol) examined. If there are any red blood cells in
3 serum samples the sediment this confirms that the animal has
4 milk samples may be required if there is con- haematuria. If there are few or no cells in the
current red milk or mastitis sediment then the animal may have haemo-
5 ticks for identification (some ticks transmit globinuria or is excreting a coloured chemical.
blood protozoa and rickettsia which may be The distinction between haematuria and hae-
responsible for haemolytic anaemia – see moglobinuria is an important one as the causes
section 3.6). of haematuria and haemoglobinuria are quite
different (see Table 10.6).

Table 10.6 Summary of some diseases to be considered as possible causes of
red urine in cattle.

Clinical presentation Number of animals diagnosis Comments
involved and duration
Haematuria
Haematuria, with or May be several cases Enzootic haematuria History of long term ingestion
without anaemia in areas where bracken of bracken or rock fern
fern is common
Haematuria, pyrexia, Individual or clusters of Pyelonephritis/ May have a history of
thirst and frequent cases glomerulonephritis urinary tract problems,
urination may be associated with
Corynebacterium renale
Haematuria, frequent Individual or clusters of Urinary calculi Calculi can be seen in urinary
urination with or cases sediment, can have secondary
without pain bacterial infection
Thirst, frequent Individual cases Renal disease May have history of urinary
urination with or tract problems
without haematuria,
anaemia

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