Ventral rupture of the penile tunica albuginea and urethra distal to the sigmoid flexure in a bull

A 4-year-old Limousin bull sustained a rupture of the ventral aspect of the tunica albuginea of the penis, 20 cm distal to the distal bend of the sigmoid flexure. The corpus spongiosum penis and urethra apparently ruptured at the same time.     

Hydronephrosis and pyelonephritis associated with an anomalous vas deferens in a bull

Hydronephrosis and pyelonephritis were diagnosed in a 2-year-old Limousin bull. Salient historical and clinical observations included weight loss, anorexia, intermittent colic, polyuria, polydypsia, and an ammoniacal breath odor. Intravenous treatment with fluids and antibiotics did not induce a favorable response. An anomalous vas deferens was observed on postmortem examination. The vas deferens ended in a blind polyp that protruded into the lumen of the urethra. This polyp may have caused chronic intermittent obstruction, predisposing to the hydronephrosis and pyelonephritis.     

Treatment of patent urachus associated with a congenital imperforate urethra in a calf

Patent urachus is a common condition in calves which is frequently associated with omphalitis. A membranous urethral diaphragm prevented closure of the urachus in a female calf. The patent urachus was complicated by an ascending infection of the intraabdominal umbilical remnants. Following surgical removal of the urachus and umbilical vessels along with transection of the membranous diaphragm the calf experienced an uncomplicated recovery. This case stresses the importance of assuring urethral patency when managing a case of patent urachus.     

Bradycardia, altered thermographic patterns, and dysphonia associated with cervical laxity in an Ankole-Watusi bull

A native African bull was examined for ataxia of 10 days' duration. Clinical signs included bradycardia, ataxia, hypermetria, and dysphonia. Cerebrospinal creatine kinase activity was high. Thermographic evidence of bilateral accessory nerve dysfunction was observed. This finding was supported by electromyographic studies. Survey and positive contrast radiographs were nondiagnostic. Clinical signs exacerbated after radiographic examination. Treatment included dexamethasone and flunixin meglumine administered IV.     

Detection certainty of the contamination of bull sperm with mycoplasma

Tests for presence of mycoplasmas were conducted on 20 insemination bulls known as mycoplasma spreaders, with 5 sperm pellet batches of 20 pellets each being investigated for each animal. Mycoplasma contamination was positively recorded from 83 of the above 100 batches. Mycoplasma (M.) bovigenitalium, M. californicum. M. arginini, M. bovirhinis, and Acholeplasma laidlawii were typed by means of indirect immunofluorescent technique, which confirmed the presence also in the GDR of mycoplasma species described in the literature and detected in sperm samples. The solid culturing media used in the above tests, medium-B agar and cattle blood agar with staphylococcal nutrix, proved to be equally suitable for isolation of mycoplasma from sperm samples. Mycoplasma was positively identified in about one third of all pellets/batches tested. 3 pellets to one batch should be sufficient a random sample size from which to obtain information at least very close to real contamination.