A herd of 14, six-month-old crossbred cattle was turned out into a new pasture. Within five days, five head died suddenly. An old barn with various abandoned and discarded metal and equipment was noted to be in the pasture. Chemical poisoning of an unknown origin was suspected. A 500-pound steer was submitted to the Texas…
A 76 gram, 9-year-old female knight anole (Anolis equestris) lizard from a zoological collection was euthanized due to poor prognosis after recurrence of a skin neoplasm on the lateral body that was incompletely excised 9 months prior. The neoplasm extended to the head at the time of euthanasia. A mixed chromatophoroma was diagnosed histologically at…
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in Gonzales received a phone call concerning a decrease in production and poor performance of a backyard flock of chickens used as an egg source for the family. Further discussions with the caller revealed the chickens had access to an old building with peeling paint that the chickens…
TVMDL received skin biopsy samples from several bearded dragon lizards with a patchy dermatitis that grossly presents as discolored skin with a crusty surface. Microscopic evaluation showed marked hyperkeratosis and mixed leukocytic infiltrates in the upper dermis (Figure 1). A PAS stain revealed the presence of fungal hyphal elements in the thick surface layer of…
Severe coccidiosis was diagnosed in a 22-week-old, broiler breeder flock. Three dead birds were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in Center for examination. The birds were submitted with a clinical history of sudden increase in mortality. At necropsy, the birds had moderately dilated and flaccid jejunum and ileum, with their…
Since the onset of winter, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) has seen quite a few cases of intoxication in cattle that have consumed the coffee senna (Senna occidentalis) plant. Most of the cases involved adult cattle that were found dead by the owners. The diagnosis was made by finding evidence of the plant in the…
Approximately 200 head of cattle were grazing on improved native Bermuda grass pastures in the Colorado River bottom. Vegetation also included a large number of oak trees, and a low number of nightshade, cocklebur, and coffee senna plants. Two 400 to 500 lb. calves were found down and unable to rise. Both calves died within…
The body of a 3-month-old goat was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station. This goat had been purchased 3 weeks prior. The goat was euthanized due to sudden onset of neurological signs and was also noted to have a crusty lesion on the lip. Gross necropsy confirmed there…
In reflecting upon yet another major livestock show season in Texas, it is important to keep in mind the possibility of copper toxicity, particularly in sheep and goats. Sheep are particularly sensitive to excess copper in their diets. Although goats are not as sensitive as sheep, they can still become intoxicated with too much copper. It…
A seven-day-old angus bull calf with a history of diarrhea was necropsied by the submitting veterinarian. The small intestine, liver, kidney and the lymph node were submitted as fresh and formalin-fixed tissues to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for further testing. The tests requested by the submitting veterinarian included microscopic evaluation (histopathology),…