Abomasal Diseases

Question 1

What is Left Abomasal Displacement (LDA)? Causes? who is affected?

Answer 1

• Displacement of the abomasum to the left between the rumen and body wall
• Cause: Increased production of gas and reduced motility
• Occurrence:
  
  • Dairy primarily
  • Multiparous cows
  • Calves up to several months of age not uncommon

Question 2

What are the risk factors for LDA?

Answer 2

• Breed (dairy)
• Parity (metabolic differences)
• Peri-parturient
  
  • Calving (abdominal space)
  • Diseases (metritis/mastitis/metabolic

Question 3

What is the clinical presentation of an LDA?

Answer 3

• Drop in Milk Production
  
  • sudden or Intermittent
• Anorexia or “sorting” for fiber in feed
• Ketosis
• Often in conjunction with or occurring after treatment of other peri-parturient diseases

Question 4

How is LDA diagnosed?

Answer 4

• Left abdomen:
  
  • Auscultate over 9-12th IC spaces
  • Simultaneous percussion and auscultation
  • “Map” ping

Question 5

What is a RDA? RAV?

Answer 5

• Right Displaced Abomasum
  
  • Similar presentation
• Right Abomasal Volvulus
  
  • more severe clinical depression and instability
• Same risk factors
• Right sided pings are a priority call

Question 6

How does RDA occur?

Question 7

How does RAV occur

Question 8

What clinical presentation of RDA/RAV

Answer 8

• Less frequent than LDA
• Ping on right side
• HyPOchloremia
• HyPOkalemia
• Metabolic alkalosis
• Colic
• Dehydration/Shock

Question 9

What is the Treatment for LDA?

Answer 9

• Replace and fix
• Treat concurrent problems
• Usually outpatient or on farm Tx

Question 10

What is the Treatment for RDA/RAV

Answer 10

• Replace and Fix
• Treat concurrent problems and status
• Often Critical patient with RAV
  
  • vagal indigestion

Question 11

What is the medical support for LDA/RDA/RAV?

Answer 11

• Correct Electrolyte Deficiencies
  
  • Potassium, Chloride, Phosphorus, Calcium
• Alkalemia
• Hypovolemia
• Anti-inflammatory Support - NSAIDs
• Antimicrobials

Question 12

What causes abomasal ulcers?

Answer 12

• Stress associated
  
  • Show
  • Weaning
  • Weather/Feed change
• High Starch diets
• Systemic disease
  
  • post partum
  • Pneumonia
  • Lymphosarcoma

Question 13

What are the signs of abomasal ulcers?

Answer 13

• Can be non-perforating or perforating
  
  • Type 1 = mucosal
  • Type 4 = perforation, hemorrhage
• Anorexia
• +/- Pain - Bruxism
• Decreased ruminal contractions
• Mild to severe colic
  
  • focal pain over abomasum
• Normal hematocrit to severe anemia
• Decreased PCV, with normal to decreased protein
• Normal feces/diarrhea/melena
• Afebrile to febrile (<104)
  
  • +/- peritonitis
• Pallor, decreased milk production, shock, sepsis

Question 14

What signs are associated with perforated abomasal ulcers?

Answer 14

• Leukocytosis/leukopenia
• hyperfibrinogenemia
• fever
• scleral injection

Question 15

How are abomasal ulcers diagnosed?

Answer 15

• Clinical signs and signalment
• Abdominal ultrasound
• Abdominocentesis

Question 16

What is the treatment for abomasal ulcers?

Answer 16

• Removal of grain from diet
• Reduce stresses
• Correct concurrent diseases
• High quality hay, stall rest
• Oral alkalinizing agents
  
  • pepto? kaopectate?
• Blood transfusions
• Antibiotics for sepsis with perforation
  *

Question 17

Who suffers from clostridial abomasitis?

Answer 17

• Calves
• Feeding risk:
  
  • heavy milking cow
  • tube feeding
    *

Question 18

What are the signs of Clostridial Abomasitis?

Answer 18

• Acute - May be found dead
• Abdominal distention
• +/- diarrhea
• Succussion and Ping in right abdomen
• Emphysematous and necrotizing abomastitis with marked edema
• Gm+ bacilli found in mucosa and submucosa

Question 19

How is Clostridial Abomasitis treated/prevented?

Answer 19

• Treat:
  
  • Antibiotics (Penicillin, Oxytet)
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Fluids
• Prevent:
  
  • Milking and milk feeding strategies
  • ID at risk cows

Question 20

What is Abomasal impaction?

Answer 20

• Sequelae to poor nutrition
  
  • Sand eaters
  • Foreign objects
  • Straw/bedding chips (low fiber diets)
  • Trichobezors

Question 21

What are the clinical signs of abomasal impaction?

Answer 21

• Decreased feed intake
• Dehydration
• Dry, decreasing feces
• Pear/Papple shaped abdomen
• Weak rumen contractions
• Fluid rumen on succussion
• Distended rumen on palpation

Question 22

How is Abomasal impaction diagnosed?

Answer 22

• Clinical signs
• Ultrasound
• Variable blood work:
  
  • chloride/Acid-base status

Question 23

How is abomasal impaction treated

Answer 23

• Erythromycin 8,8mg/kg
  
  • abomasal contractions
• Cathartic and laxatives
  
  • Oil
  • Magnalax
  • Dioctyl Sodium Succinate (DSS)
• Surgery

Question 24

What is the prognosis for Abomasal impaction?

Answer 24

• Poor prognosis
• Sx poor due to limited exposure and rupture of abomasum
• Slaughter salvage often chosen