This document provides guidance on performing a clinical examination of cattle. It outlines examining the animal's signalment and history, general appearance, vital signs, and performing a systems-based physical exam. The systems examined include cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, lymphatic, musculoskeletal, nervous, skin, and head and neck. Basic examination techniques are described for evaluating posture, gait, ears, eyes, body condition, and specific regions of the animal. The goal of the clinical exam is to develop a differential diagnosis and plan appropriate tests, treatment, and information for the owner.

1. Clinical Examination of Cattle
Dr Vinodh Kumar, O.R
Division of Epidemiology
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute
Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh

2. Need for clinical and physical
examination
• Allows you to find signs of sickness that are
not obvious
• Helps you to determine the extent of the
injury or illness

3. Physical examination
• Signalment / History
Complete description of the animal, Species, Breed, Age, Sex,
Reproductive status, other distinguishing characteristics,
double-check client reported information (sex, age, etc), Keep
this information in mind for clinical judgments.
Environment, diet, medical history, reproductive history,
vaccination status and medications, history of presenting
complaint
• General Appearance / Initial Observations
• Vital Signs ( Body weight, temperature, Heart rate , RR,CRT)
• Physical Exam (Systems Approach or Head to Toe)

4. System wise examination
• Cardiovascular System
• Respiratory System
• Gastrointestinal System
• Uro - Genital System
• Lymphatic system
• Musculoskeltal system
• Nervous system
–Skin
–Head and Neck

5. Basic Intruments
Things a Veterinarian will
need
– Thermometer
– Stethoscope/Phoendoscope
– Otoscope
– Pen light/ pen torch
– Hammer
– Plexor and pleximeter

6. General Appearance
Look around the around,
inspect all the sides of the
animal
• Symmetry
muscles/skeleton
• Shape
• Size - appropriate for
age/breed
• Compare abdomen &
thorax
– deviations from normal?
– physiological vs.
pathological
Conformation
- breed variations
• Abnormalities:
– Head: “parrot mouth”
– Limbs: “ base wide”,
“winged” elbows, “post
legged”, cow hocks, sickle
hocks

7. Behavior
• Level of consciousness – attentiveness /
reaction to environment:
• Alert and responsive – Depressed –
Uncontrolled hyper-excitability – Stupor –
Coma e.g: Normal healthy animal's mentation
is often bright, alert and responsive or "

8. Body Condition
• In general, the animal is
too thin of his ribs are
easily seen, normal if they
are readily felt without a
layer of fat lying over them
and obese if it is difficult
to feel them at all

9. Posture and gait
• Watch the animal
walking
• Look for limping,
incoordination or
unsteadiness and
abnormal limb
placement

10. Head and neck
• Check symmetry of the head
• Check the eyes, ears, muzzle
and nostrils
• Examine the mouth, palpate
the tongue and lymph nodes
of the head
• Check the jugular vein, brisket
and prescapular lymph nodes

11. Ears & Eyes
• Ears are a quick indicator of the cow’s physical well-
being.
– If her ears are cold, there is a problem. If her ears
are warm, there might still be a problem.
• Eyes are a quick indicator of both hydration and of her
emotional status.
– Are her eyes normal or are
they sunken?
• If they are sunken, the
animal is dehydrated.
– Do her eyes indicate if the
animal is scared or in pain?
• Emotion can be read most
easily from the eyes.

12. Left side of the animal
• Palpate and auscultate the
heart – check for
abnormalities
• Auscultate and percuss the
lung field – check for
abnormalities
• Check the abdominal shape
and contour
• Palpate and auscultate the
rumen
• Percuss and auscultate the
body wall
• Ballott the lower flank

13. Right side
• Palpate and auscultate the heart
– check for abnormalities
• Auscultate and percuss the lung
field – check for abnormalities
• Check the abdominal shape and
contour
• Check the position and size of the
liver
• Percuss and auscultate the body
wall
• Palpate and auscultate the
sublumbar fossa
• Ballott the lower flank

14. Respiratory Movements
Rate
– Temperature, excitement, exercise
• Rhythm
• Depth
– Shallow, deep
• Type
• Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical movements

15. Abdominal pings
Location
• Size
• Intensity
• Persistency

16. Udder
• Palpate left quarters of the
mammary gland
– Heat
– Hardness (swelling)
– Edema
– Teat lesions
Normal
Mastitis

17. Rectal Examination
• Female
– Vaginal wall, Cervix, Uterine
Body, Uterine Horns,
Oviducts, Ovaries
– Internal iliac lymph nodes,
Sublumbar lymph nodes
• Male
– Intrapelvic
penis,Prostate,Seminal
vessicles,Ampullae,Internal
inguinal rings,
– Internal iliac lymph nodes,
Sublumbar lymph nodes
Digestive System
Right Cranial side :
Abomasum
Central position:
Small intestines
Left side:
Rumen dorsal sac

18. Milk clots on a strip plate

20. Goal
• Differential Diagnosis
• Lab tests
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Information to the owner

21. References
• Clinical Examination of Cattle (1995) by G. Rosenberger.
Wiley-Blackwell.
• Clinical Examination of Farm Animals(2002) Peter G.G.
Jackson and Peter D. Cockcroft. Blackwell Science.