Infected fracture of the sternum in a dairy cow

In March 1999 a simmental-dairy cow was submitted to the clinic for suspect ed foreign body peritonitis. The case history was confirmed clinically by p ositive foreign body tests. Laparatomy did not show any foreign body nor pe ritonitis and therefore the suspected cause of the disease could be exclude d. After euthanasia the cow was dissected and the pathological examination displayed an infected fracture of the sternum and following endocarditis an d nephritis as well.