Case of lightning strike in a cow

Abstract

The article presents a case of two cows struck by lightning, one of which survived. The cows sought shelter under an old, withered willow. Clinical examination involving inspection and palpation revealed neurological signs: right-sided facial nerve palsy characterized by flabby ear droop, ptosis of the upper eyelid and forehead, drooling, palsy of the right orbicular nerve of the eye and ophthalmological signs, such as conjunctival redness, lacrimation, local corneal opacity of the right eye and optic nerve palsy (the pupil did not react to light). The cow also exhibited notable aggression, restlessness and hypersensitivity to touch. The patient was administered NSAID meloxicam twice with a 24-hour interval between doses and a preparation containing butaphosphan and cyanocobalamin. After several days, the signs disappeared, except for a slight right ear droop, which persisted for a long time. The article also discusses the risk of such cases occurring in temperate climate areas. Lightning strikes pose a threat, killing many people and animals worldwide every year.