The role of clinical examination in the accurate diagnosis of bovine neurologic disease.

Accurate, specific diagnosis of bovine neurologic disease is both possible and necessary in practice settings. The requirements for accurate diagnosis are a knowledge of the pathogenesis and epizootiology of the bovine neurologic diseases as described in this issue and a systematic approach to clinical examinations including accurate history taking, careful physical examination, neurologic examination, and inspection of the environment. Support for an accurate diagnosis can be obtained by use of the clinical pathology laboratory and, in herd problems, necropsy. The value of a precise diagnosis in bovine neurologic disease lies in the avoidance of costly, inappropriate therapy, the restriction of transmission of zoonotic disease, avoidance of ineffective treatment, more efficient salvage of affected individuals, and cost-efficient implementation of appropriate preventive measures as well as a sense of professional satisfaction in overcoming a challenging and difficult diagnostic problem.