الفهرس 
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Abstract
The objectives of the present study to throw a light on the utility of thoracic ultrasonography for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases in cattle, as well as its application as a follow-up tool for evaluation of respiratory therapy.
The present study included a total number of 102 cattle which classified according to their thoracic ultrasongraphic findings into control (n = 20), cattle with bronchopneumonia (n = 62), cattle with pleuropneumonia (n = 15), and cattle with pulmonary emphysema (n = 5). Another group suffered from bronchopneumonia ( n = 12) was subjected for therapeutic trial, this group followed up for 20 days and subjected for clinically, ultrasongraphically, laboratory examinations every 5 time intervals.
All animals were referred to the clinic of Internal Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, from neawboring valgus in adjacent to Assuit city. All animals were examined clinically and clinical respiratory scores was made for each case then thoracic ultrasonography and elsewhere determined.
For laboratory analysis, two blood samples were collected from each case. The first was collected from jugular vein in a vacationer tube containing EDTA as anticoagulant for hematological analysis including red blood cell (RBC) (T/L), hemoglobin concentration (HG) (gm/L), hematocrit (HCT) (%), white blood cell count (WBC) (G/L), lymphocytes count (LYM) (%), granulocytes count (GRAN) (including neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophil’s), and monocytes count (MID) (%), using automatic cell counter. The second blood sample was collected from caudalis auricularis artery in a syringe containing half ml heparin as anticoagulant for estimation of blood pH, partial tension of carbon dioxide (PCO2, mmHg), partial tension of oxygen (PO2, mmHg), bicarbonates (HCO3, mmol/L), total carbon dioxide (TCO2, mmol/L), and base excess (BE), using blood gas analyzer.
The main results obtained in the current study could be summarized as following:
Clinical presentations and Clinical respiratory score (CRS)
Cattle with respiratory diseases are presented variable clinical manifestation, including high rectal temperature, tachycardia, shallow rapid breathing, inspiratory or expiratory dyspnea, anorexia, variable degrees of nasal discharges and abnormal lung sounds heard.
Clinical respiratory scores varied from among the different groups. CRS in healthy cattle was 1 score, in cattle with bronchopneumonia ranged from3 to 10 scores, in cattle with pleuropneumonia ranged from 4 to 10, and in cattle with pulmonary emphysema were 5 and 8 scores only.
Ultrasonography findings and ultrasound lung scores (ULS)
Thoracic ultrasonographic features varied from among the different groups. In control animals, ultrasonographic examination of lungs revealed a straight hyperechoic pleuritic line with no pulmonary lesions. In cattle with bronchopneumonia, thoracic ultrasonography showed corrugated pleuritic line with presence of a small patchy of pneumonia in some cases and lung consolidations in others. Ultrasonography examination of lungs in cattle with pleuropneumonia revealed nonechoic pleural effusions with a small or large patchy of pneumonic lesions, while in cattle with pulmonary emphysema appeared numerous comet-tail artifacts from the pleura perpendicular on the surface of the lung. Ultrasound lung scores varied from among different groups. It was 0 in healthy animals, ranged from 1 to 5 in cattle with bronchopneumonia, from 1 to 2 in pleuorpneumonic cattle, and 1 score in cattle with pulmonary emphysema.
Hematological and arterial blood gases findings
Complete blood picture findings showed lymphocytic leukocytosis in all respiratory diseases groups. In addition, all diseased groups showed significant decreasing in partial tension of oxygen (PO2) and significant increasing in partial tension of carbon dioxide (PCO2) .
Therapeutic outcome
Clinical presentations and CRS
Clinical manifestations in bronchopneumonic calves, during the course of therapy, were difficult respiration, rapid breathing, tachycardia, crackles sound were heard over the lung, variable degrees of nasal discharges and ocular discharges, ear drooping with high clinical respiratory scores. Clinical manifestations and clinical respiratory scores improved gradually with the time preceding till reaching to normal ranges at 5 or 15 days of therapy course.
Ultrasonography findings and ULS
Ultrasonography examination revealed lung consolidations in different sizes and shapes, which showing gradual improvement with time preceding, and the ultrasound lung scores showed gradual decreasing during the course of therapy, but still above the normal ranges at the end of therapy.
Hematological and Arterial blood gas findings
Hematological analysis showed gradual decreasing in lymphocyte and leukocytes count, and partial tension of carbon dioxide with the time preceding till reaching to normal ranges at 15 days of therapy course, while there was gradual increasing in partial tension of oxygen during the course of therapy till reach the normal ranges at 15 days .