title: Computed tomographic findings and treatment of a bull with pituitary gland abscess.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In cattle, the prognosis of brain abscess is unfavourable and treatment is therefore not recommended. To the knowledge of the authors, there has been no report of successful treatment of a brain abscess in cattle.This report describes the clinical, computed tomographic and postmortem findings in a Holstein-Friesian bull with a hypophyseal abscess.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main clinical findings were generalised ataxia, ptyalism, prolapse of the tongue, dropped jaw, dysphagia, head tilt and unilateral ptosis. Cerebrospinal fluid evaluation revealed 2437 leukocytes/µl and severe pleocytosis. CT examination of the head showed a cavitary lesion consistent with an abscess in the hypophysis. Treatment consisted of gentamicin and flunixin meglumine for 3 days and amoxicillin for 40 days. The neurological signs resolved within 8 days of the start of treatment. The bull was slaughtered 11 months later because of infertility, and a postmortem examination was carried out. Histologically, a mild chronic non suppurative meningoencephalitis restricted to the ventral diencephalon was diagnosed. In addition, there was mild to moderate multifocal chronic lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis with mild multifocal fibrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case report stresses the significance of CT in confirming the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of central nervous system disorders in cattle and for localising brain lesions. Treatment of the brain abscess resulted, with respect to the central nervous disorder, in a successful outcome and was encouraging considering that most cases have an unfavourable prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. ubraun@vetclinics.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Ueli
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2573-687X
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malbon
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kochan
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riond
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fredi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Janett
authors.affiliation: Swissgenetics, Mülligen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iten
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Diagnostic Imaging, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dennler
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003002:Clonixin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D000658:Amoxicillin; C014558:flunixin meglumine; D003002:Clonixin
keywords: Abscess; Bovine; Brain; Computed tomography; Pituitary; Therapy