Bovine cerebral theileriosis in crossbred calf and successful management- A case report

A female cattle calf of one month old was presented to the Veterinary Clinical Complex, Bihar Veterinary College, BASU, Patna with a complaint of inappetence, frequent upward and right lateral movement of the head and inability to search udder for milk.The animal showed ataxia (in coordinated gait) with abducted limbs, blindness, mild enlarged prescapular lymph nodes and pale mucous membranes.Initially, the treatment was started with intravenous (I/V) injection of mannitol and intramuscular (I/M) injection of vitamin B1 and prednisolone for 3 days without substantial improvement in clinical signs.Microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears revealed piroplasms in erythrocytes, and the case was confirmed as a cerebral form of theileriosis.The treatment was continued with a single dose of buparvaquone followed by oxytetracycline in 100 mL NS administered intravenously daily for five days along with supportive therapy for ten days.It is important to note that, if cattle are showing nervous symptoms along with anaemia, then it should be diagnosed to rule out the possibility of theileria infection.Thus, this study may aid field veterinarians in managing such cases effectively.