SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF PLEURITIS AND PERICARDITIS

Surgery that invades the chest of the cow rarely is performed, althoug h the problems that create surgical chest diseases-pleuritis and peric arditis-are not uncommon in cattle. Clinical signs that indicate a nee d for a more extensive examination of the chest and its contents inclu de jugular distention, brisket and submandibular edema, evidence of th oracic pain (i.e., winged elbows, reluctance to move, arched back), an absence or decrease in either heart or lung sounds, abnormal heart rh ythm, heart murmurs, dyspnea, and auscultation of free fluid in the ch est cavity. Pericarditis most often is a sequela to traumatic reticuli tis (hardware) in which the foreign body (usually a wire or nail) pier ces not only the reticular wall but also the diaphragm and pericardium . On rare occasions, penetration of the pericardium with subsequent in fection may occur from external chest wall penetrations around the hea rt.(5) In a review of 60 fatal cases of traumatic reticulitis, 48% of the animals showed signs of heart failure (pericarditis) at presentati on.(4) Additional physical findings on these 60 animals included abnor mal or diminished heart sounds 68% of the time: All this points out th e serious nature of pericardial involvement.