North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) Practice Test 2025 - Free NAVLE Practice Questions and Study Guide

The symptoms of fever, coliform mastitis, and poor rumen motility in a Holstein cow post-calving are indicative of coliform mastitis. This condition occurs when there is an infection of the mammary gland, commonly caused by bacteria such as E. coli, especially in the post-calving period when the cow's immune system may be somewhat compromised.

Coliform mastitis is characterized by sudden onset, including signs like high fever, swelling of the udder, and potentially severe systemic illness. Additionally, the presence of poor rumen motility can be associated, as systemic infections often affect gut motility as well. Understanding these connections is key to recognizing and diagnosing coliform mastitis in dairy cows.

While the other diagnoses mentioned have overlapping symptoms, they do not fully encompass the clinical picture provided. Grain overload, for example, primarily presents with signs related to digestive disturbances and does not specifically include udder-related symptoms. Metritis, which is an infection of the uterus, may result in fever but is less likely to directly correlate with the mastitis symptoms outlined. Hypocalcemia, typically known as milk fever, also presents with lethargy and poor motility but does not account for the mastitis and fever symptoms.