Aortic thromboembolism with hind limb paralysis in a Japanese Black calf

A 7-day-old Japanese Black calf was presented to a local veterinarian with chief complaints of acute astasia, posterior paresis, and anorexia. Traumatic spinal injury was initially suspected. However, physical examination revealed hind leg coldness, absence of bilateral femoral artery pulse and deep pain sensation, diminished spinal reflexes, and dry gangrene of hind legs, suggesting thromboembolism of external iliac arteries. Increased activities of AST, LDH, and CPK were also suggestive of necrosis. On necropsy, a thrombus was found at the abdominal aortic bifurcation to bilateral external iliac arteries. Septic bacterial infection was suspected as the cause of aortic thromboembolism because Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Alcaligenes spp. were isolated from the thrombus. Aortic thromboembolism should be included in the differential diagnosis of posterior paresis.