Earlier this month the after-hours team received a rather unusual call to examine a bloated cow struggling to breathe. Although this initially did not sound too out of the ordinary, across the district we had been seeing a few cases of bloat with the lush spring grass. However this case was different with the farmer was reporting the cow to have a face like a bull and be looking like a hippo.

Upon arrival it was quickly apparent this was no regular bloated cow. This cow had a large amount of air trapped under her skin extending across her whole body, including under her eyelids, over the hocks and udder. She had quite literally been turned into a walking drum, where tapping her skin would make a sound.

With there not being any possible treatment course to remedy this cows situation she was euthanized. A post mortem examination performed to allow for diagnosis and an explanation of how such a situation had occurred. The entire subcutaneous tissue (under the skin) has been filled with air creating a bubble wrap like appearance. A large majority of the lung tissue had been destroyed creating large air pockets between normal lung tissues. With the help of histology testing through the laboratory it was determined that the process had been started by aspiration of feed material causing a degree of airway blockage. This would have then allows the secondary complication of air leaking into/around the lungs. With each breath in, air would have traveled down into the lungs, then the air would have been escaping out of the lungs in to the chest. Then every breath out would have acted like a foot pump pushing air out the neck and under the skin, essentially blowing up the cow like a balloon from the inside.

It is not unheard of for this process to occur, in which damage to lungs allows air to escape under the skin. However this particular case was rather severe example of this due to the degree of damage resulting in such a severe presentation. Typically aspiration pneumonia presents as a sick cow, off milk/losing condition, she may have a fever and abnormal lung sounds and on post mortem examination often abscess formation within the lungs. This particular case did not have any abscess within the lungs, this is likely due to the rapid time line not having time for abscess to have formed.

The proper diagnosis would be an acute severe aspiration pneumonia with obstruction of bronchioles/broncholi leading to severe interlobular and pulmonary emphysema and secondary severe generalized subcutaneous emphysema. All in all, a very unlucky cow and a very interesting case. If you or someone on your farm finds an interesting case you would like to discuss, or investigate further, please do not hesitate to get in contact with one of our experienced team.