Pathological report of acute traumatic bovine reticulo-pericarditis in a 4½-year-old Bunaji (White Fulani) cow

Traumatic reticulo-pericarditis (hardware disease) is produced by a sharp object such as a piece of wire or a nail that pierces through the wall of the reticulum, and diaphragm, and gains access to the heart. A carcass of 4½-year-old White-Fulani was presented to the Necropsy unit of the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for post-mortem examination. Gross findings revealed a shaft of an 18- gauge x 1½inch hypodermic needle within fibrinous tissue extending from the pericardial sac. Other findings include oedema in the jowl and brisket region, ascites, haemothorax, yellow and turbid fluid within the pericardial sac with fibrin flake showing a typical ‘bread and butter’ appearance. Histopathological observation of affected organs showed fibrinous pericarditis with severe fibrin deposition and fibrous tissue proliferation between the cardiac muscle fibres along with infiltration of neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells and hepatic centrilobular necrotic changes. The result of the post-mortem examination revealed that the cow died of traumatic pericarditis. Acute traumatic pericarditis was diagnosed with cardiac tamponade as the possible cause of death. Cattle herders should be familiarized with the causes and symptoms of hardware disease and prompt action to save lives and avoidance of huge economic losses.