Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Acute poisoning by ammonia or urea

The disease in brief

Urea poisoning increases in frequency with the use of urea in cattle feed; a fertilizer containing ammonium produces the same effects. An error in the dosage of urea incorporated into the ration, a mixing defect, direct access of cattle to the urea stock. It is a violent and often fatal poisoning as soon as the ingested dose is significant.

Clinic & diagnosis

Poisoning is suspected when observing cattle drooling with nervous signs in "hyper" and specific circumstances:

–Hyper nervous signs: A bovine that is agitated or restless, or has muscle tremors or myoclonus; locomotory, it may stagger, stagger, or be ataxic to the point of falling; it reacts exaggeratedly to stimuli, or shows convulsions, or opisthotonos.

-He's drooling

–The evolution is rapid: A few hours or during the day, often collectively, and death comes quickly for some.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

 – Grass Tetany NV14.2

– Hypomagnesemic milk fever-N226 

 – Non-specific bacterial meningoencephalitis (or BHV5 virus or other)-NV13.1

– Datura-N167 poisoning 

– Poisoning with agitation and convulsions (model-type = anti-slug)-TX1 

– poisoning with hypersalivation-TX19 

Confirm a suspicion?

It is an investigation in the breeding which most often allows confirmation of the poisoning.

Prognosis and treatment

The prognosis is very poor, as soon as we see a rapid progression of symptoms towards worsening.

Treatment with oral vinegar is possible (4l of vinegar/adult bovine); a laparotomy allowing emptying of the rumen is another option.

Prevention

Making breeders aware that they are handling a toxic product:

- Urea storage on the farm must be inaccessible to cattle

-The box doors must close properly.

-The quality of the mixture when incorporating urea must be perfect

References

-Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 586