Clinical, haematological and biochemical alterations in heat intolerance (panting) syndrome in Egyptian cattle following natural foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)

Clinical signs of heat intolerance (panting) syndrome were observed in Holstein cows in a private farm in Egypt. There were heat intolerance (fever), panting, profuse salivation, hirsutism, lameness and reduced milk production. Blood and serum samples were collected from ten diseased cows and five apparently healthy cows as control. Serological tests confirmed the presence of non-structural protein of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) infection. There were significant reductions in the total red blood cell count with increased leucocytic and lymphocytic counts in diseased group compared to control. The serum Na, Cl, Ca, Mg, Zn and Fe were significantly reduced but P was increased in diseased animals compared to control. The total protein, albumin, cholesterol and cortisol were significantly reduced but the glucose and malonaldehyde were significantly increased in diseased cows. This was the first report in Egypt to describe the clinical and haemato-biochemical changes in panting syndrome following FMD.