Diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic methods of heart diseases in cattle: A review

Since the introduction of cardiology in the field of veterinary medicine most of the research and clinical works have been carried out on small animals and horses. In the last two decades, cardiology in cattle is regarded due to the importance of this animal in milk and meat production. Disorders of anatomical structures such as the endocardium, myocardium and pericardium have been reported in veterinary literature although their treatment is very expensive and prognosis is poor. Cardiac defects have been reported in calves and cows. In simple defects clinical signs may not be obvious but in severe cases they can be fatal with very grave prognosis. Cardiac tumors although not common have been reported in cattle. Techniques of cardiac examination such as auscultation, electrocardiography, echocardiography, radiography of the cardiac area and blood tests have been used for diagnosis of cardiac diseases specially echocardiography which is a non-invasive method of clinical examination. Generally, infectious pericarditis, infectious and non-infectious myocarditis and bacterial endocarditis have been the major cardiac diseases in cattle. It should be mentioned that cattle like horses show functional cardiac disorders that have no effects on animal health. This paper is a review on diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cardiac diseases in cattle.