Cranial Meningocoele in a Crossbred Calf- Juniper Publishers

Journal of Dairy & Veterinary Sciences- Juniper Publishers

Abstract

A 6 months old male Umblachery X Jersey crossbred calf with cranial meningocele was recorded.

Keywords: Cranial meningocoele; calf; Horses; Sheep; Pigs; Dogs; Cats; Buffalo; Iranian calves; Crossbred; Sucking; Muzzle; Jersey; Swelling

Introduction

Cranial meningocoele is a common congenital defect in cattle [1,2]. It also occurs in horses, sheep, pigs, dogs and cats [3-8]. The present paper report the occurrence of cranialmeningocoele in an Umblachery X Jersey crossbred calf.

History and Clinical Observations

A six month old male Umblachery X Jersey crossbred calf jersey calf with swelling on the forehead was examined at Thagattur village, Vedai taluk, Naapattinam district, Tamil Nadu. The calf was born at full term and had difficulty in sucking milk from the udder. Physical examination of the swelling revealed fluid filled and turgid inconsistency and situated on the cranial midline of the head, extending from the middle third of fore head to few centimetres above the muzzle. Puncture was made by using 16 gauze and two liters of colorless fluid was drained form the swelling and holes on the skull was observed on deep palpation after drainage.

Results and Discussion

In this study, swelling on the skull of a 6 months old male Umblachery X Jersey crossbred calf was identified as cranial meninocoele (Figure 1). A similar condition was reported in a buffalo calf and Jersey calf in Tamil Nadu [9,10], Meuse - Rhine - Yssel calf in Netherland [11] and in Iranian calves [12]. In the present case the meningocoele was observed in the frontal suture line arid covered by a normal skin. The herniations of fluid filled meninges through cranial defects were related to suture lines and were almost always median and usually in the frontal regions and covered by skin [13]. It may be caused by genetic or environmental factors or a combination of both [1]. Meningocole has been described as a failure of the neural tube to fuse shortly after conception [14,15].

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