Abstract
Clinical reasoning and the art of diagnosis are central to the role of the large animal veterinarian in production animal medicine. When treating an individual animal, observing, and interpreting change in its behaviour, body function and production underpin the establishment of a diagnosis. Careful and methodical observation is required to identify and characterise the ways in which an animal deviates from normal; a detailed clinical examination is then needed to interpret the observations into a diagnosis. The diagnosis might involve a condition expressing as frank clinical disease, a condition in which the signs are very mild, or a condition simply involving reduced performance. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, the options for clinical management of the condition can be examined and evaluated.
Highlights
Careful and methodical observation is required to identify and characterise the ways in which an animal deviates from normal; a detailed clinical examination is needed to interpret the observations into a diagnosis
The present paper gives an overview of a number of surgical procedures, serving as ancillary diagnostic tests, which may be undertaken in cattle in the field by experienced clinicians without too much difficulty
During routine clinical examination of a sick animal, abnormalities may be suspected but not obvious in one or more organ systems that are located in the abdominal cavity
Summary
Adjunct Professor (Cattle Health and Production), College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
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