Systemic embolic hepatitis and pneumonia caused by subacute ruminal acidosis in Korean indigenous cattle: A case report

A 44-month-old Korean indigenous cow was found in the lateral recumbency in a pasture while grazing. Decreased heart sound and rate, hypothermia, scleral injection, subcutaneous petechial hemorrhage, and moderate dehydration were observed upon inspection. Complete blood count showed significant neutropenia. Serum biochemical analysis revealed azotemia, increased glob-ulin, decreased albumin/globulin ratio, and increased aspartate transaminase, creatinine kinase, phosphorus, and magnesium. Blood gas analysis indicated hypokalemia and high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Ultrasonography of the right abdomen and chest showed hyperechoic nodules in the liver and cranial lung fields. Based on clinical status, late state sepsis was diagnosed, and necropsy was performed after euthanasia. Embolic inflammation was found in the liver, lung, and spleen, rumenitis and ru-minal parakeratosis were observed, and the pH of the recovered ruminal fluid was 5.5. Based on necropsy findings, death for sep-sis, systemic embolic hepatitis and pneumonia caused by subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) was assessed. While SARA is thought to be prevalent in Korean indigenous cattle raised with concentrated feed, few studies or case reports that would confirm this have been published to date.