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Metabolic hypophospathemia (postparturient hemoglobinuria PPH)
- Diagnosis
Laboratory Findings
- Decreased serum P level
- Hemolytic anemia
- Hemoglobinemia
- Elevated bilirubin
- Normal muscle enzymes (to rule out myopathy)
- Normal or slightly elevated calcium
Differential Diagnoses of diseases causing red urine in cattle
- Bacillary hemoglobinuria
- Leptospirosis
- Babesiosis
- Copper toxicity
- Water intoxication
|
Disease |
Cause |
Fever |
Type of red urine |
Key clinical signs |
Laboratory findings |
Distinguishing features |
|
Metabolic hypophosphatemia (Post-parturient hemoglobinuria) |
Phosphorus deficiency causing RBC fragility |
Usually absent or mild |
Hemoglobinuria |
Early lactation, weakness, anemia, reduced milk |
Low phosphorus, anemia |
Fresh cow with low phosphorus and no infectious signs |
|
Babesiosis |
Babesia spp. infection |
High fever |
Hemoglobinuria |
Tick exposure, anemia, jaundice |
Parasites in RBCs |
Blood smear positive |
|
Leptospirosis |
Leptospira infection |
Fever common |
Hemoglobinuria |
Abortion, mastitis, jaundice |
Serology positive |
Reproductive problems present |
|
Bacillary hemoglobinuria |
Clostridium haemolyticum |
High fever |
Hemoglobinuria |
Sudden onset, depression |
Elevated liver enzymes |
Severe toxemia and liver infarcts |
|
Copper poisoning |
Chronic copper accumulation |
Variable |
Hemoglobinuria |
Jaundice, weakness |
High liver copper |
Hemolytic crisis after stress |
|
Chronic bracken fern poisoning |
Bone marrow suppression |
Usually absent |
Hematuria |
Weight loss, tumors, chronic bleeding |
Pancytopenia |
Chronic course with bladder tumors |
|
Enzootic hematuria |
Bracken fern toxicity |
No |
Hematuria |
Chronic blood loss |
RBCs in urine sediment |
True hematuria not hemoglobinuria |
|
Urinary tract infection |
Bacterial infection |
Sometimes |
Hematuria |
Dysuria, frequent urination |
RBCs and WBCs in urine |
Pain during urination |
|
Urolithiasis |
Urinary calculi |
Usually absent |
Hematuria |
Straining, colic signs |
Crystals in urine |
Obstruction signs |
|
Trauma to urinary tract |
Injury |
No |
Hematuria |
Injury history |
RBCs in urine |
Trauma evidence |
Confirmatory diagnosis
A combination of hypophosphatemia + hemoglobinuria + recent calving is usually diagnostic.
