EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VENA CAVA THROMBOPHLEBITIS IN CATTLE
Ruminal acidosis. Thromboembolism.Necropsy.Histopathology
Thrombophlebitis of caudal vena cava is a serious disorder ofcattle, usually fatal, that causes economic losses tofarmers and the Brazilianlivestock. The disease is often associated with diets rich in grain introduced without adaptation, resulting in ruminal acidosis. This, in turn, favors liver abscesses, which increase in volume and, upon reaching the wall ofcaudal vena cava or vena hepatica, rupture into them, causing septic embolization and death. Better knowledge of the epidemiological and morphological aspects of the disease increases the likelihood of a correct diagnosis of vena cavathrombophlebitis. For this purpose, cases diagnosed in the Veterinary Pathology Sector of UFLA from 2004 to 2020 were studied. Epidemiological, clinical, gross, and histologic aspects of the cases of caudal vena cava thrombophlebitis in cattle were evaluated. The disease was diagnosed in dairy cattle, with a higher incidence in females withan average age of 28 months. Analyzing the occurrence throughout the year, the cases were concentrated in the dry season. For five of the fourteen cases, there was information on food supplementation with concentrate. In six cases, there was observation of elimination of varying amountsof blood through the upper respiratory tract and mouth. At necropsy, liver abscesses were seen in six bovine, and large thrombi occluding the vena cava were seen in four. Histological and histochemical evaluation will be carried out to show bacteria in the lesions. The disease needs to be most known to be better diagnosed and prevented, which motivated this study.