A case of patent ductus arteriosus and arthrogryposis in a buffalo calf

Abstract

Congenital anomalies are abnormalities of structure or function present at birth and account for a high percentage of calf mortality from just before to just after calving. The etiology of these defects was either genetic (recessive gene) or environmental which included nutritional deficiencies, endocrine disturbances, extremes of temperature during pregnancy, radiation, drugs, chemicals, toxic plants and infectious diseases. This report describes a case of patent ductus arteriosus and arthrogryposis in a 7 days old female buffalo calf. The main clinical signs consisted of exercise intolerance, dyspnea and tachycardia. The calf survived only for 48 h Necropsy revealed a patent ductus arteriosus, measuring 1.3 cm in length and 0.6 cm in caliber was patent and the heart was enlarged and had a globous shape. In this case, a cause of death could not be determined. Any animal with a patent ductus arteriosus has the potential to develop heart failure but it may take months or years to become clinically significant. Without histological findings, a diagnosis of heart failure can not be made with certainty. Since the above conditions were inherited, the best control is by genetic planning, i.e., to avoid animals that carry these genes from breeding programs and by purchasing bulls/semen from reputable breeders produced by parents who did not carry undesirable genes. © Medwell Journel 2012.