title: Hepatic Lipodystrophy in Galloway Calves.
abstract: Hepatic lipodystrophy in Galloway calves is a fatal liver disease affecting a small proportion of the Galloway breed described in different parts of Europe and North America during the past decades. The clinical findings include a diversity of neurological signs. Clinical pathology findings frequently indicate hepatobiliary disease. Postmortem examination reveals an enlarged, pale yellow, and firm liver. Histologic lesions include hepatic fibrosis, hepatic lipidosis, and bile duct hyperplasia. To date, the etiopathogenesis remains obscure. Infectious causes, intoxications, and a hereditary origin have been considered. We describe hepatic lipodystrophy in Galloway calves from an extensively farmed cow-calf operation in southern Germany. Main clinical findings in 6 calves were consistent with hepatic encephalopathy. Clinical pathology findings in 5 of 6 tested animals revealed increased concentration of total bilirubin (maximum value [MV], 54 μmol/l; reference range [RR], <8.5 μmol/l), direct bilirubin (MV, 20 μmol/l; RR, <3.4 μmol/l), increased activity of gamma glutamyl transferase (MV, 162 U/l; RR, <36 U/l) and glutamate dehydrogenase (MV, 420 U/l; RR, <16 U/l). In addition, activity of glutathione peroxidase was decreased in all tested ( n = 5) animals (MV, 61 U/g hemoglobin [Hb]; RR, >250 U/g Hb). Postmortem examination in 6 calves revealed a firm, diffusely enlarged yellow liver with a finely nodular surface. Histologic lesions included hepatic fibrosis, hepatic lipidosis, and bile duct hyperplasia. Our findings add to the existing data on hepatic lipodystrophy in the Galloway breed and outline a protocol to aid in the diagnosis of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services at the Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.|2 Current address: Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wieland
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services at the Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.|2 Current address: Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: 3 Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Office Oberschleissheim, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hafner-Marx
authors.affiliation: 4 Bavarian Animal Health Service, Günzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ignatius
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services at the Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metzner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D008060:Lipodystrophy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: cattle; glutathione peroxidase; hepatic disease; hepatic encephalopathy; hepatic fibrosis; hepatic lipidosis; hepatic lipodystrophy