Cattle Abdomen Pain

Question 1

What is the normal pH of a cows rumen?

Answer 1

6.2-7

Question 2

What is the pathophysiology of rumen acidosis?

Answer 2

Ingestion of starch and sugar decreases the pH in the rumen causing bacterial change and accumulation in volatile fatty acids

Question 3

What does the pH of the rumen need to be to be considered acidosis?

Answer 3

<5.5

Question 4

What is the cause of acute ruminate acidosis?

Answer 4

Sudden ingestion go fermentable carbohydrates

Question 5

What are the clinical signs of acute ruminal acidosis?

Answer 5

Dull/recumbent, rumen stasis, abdominal distension, ataxia, laminitis, dehydration, anorexia, blind

Question 6

What is the treatment for acute ruminal acidosis?

Answer 6

IV sodium bicarbonate and isotonic NaCl - oral magnesium hydroxide

Question 7

What are the clinical signs of subacute ruminal acidosis?

Answer 7

Low milk yield, liver abscess, low milk fat, anorexia, vena cava thrombosis —> epistaxis and sudden death

Question 8

What are the two types of bloat?

Answer 8

Frothy and gaseous

Question 9

What are the causes of frothy bloat?

Answer 9

Lush pasture, legumes, clovers, cereals

Question 10

How would you treat frothy bloat?

Answer 10

Oral anti antifoaming agents/surfactant (mineral oil)

Question 11

What are the causes of gaseous bloat?

Answer 11

Excessive carbohydrate, oesophageal obstruction, milk fever and lateral recumbency

Question 12

How do you treat gaseous bloat?

Answer 12

Stomach tube, rumen puncture with trochanter and cannula

Question 13

What is the cause of traumatic recticulo-peritonitis?

Answer 13

Metal object in the reticulum -> peritonitis/pericarditis

Question 14

What are the clinical signs of traumatic reticulo-peritonitis?

Answer 14

Vague - decrease milk yield, anorexia, arching of back, decrease rumen contraction rate, splashing sound over the heart

Question 15

How do you diagnose hardware disease?

Answer 15

Withers pinch: squeeze wither and if cow doesn’t duck in abdominal pain
Pole test: pull metal bar up against the sternum and observe cow’s discomfort
Eric Williams: signs of pain just before reticulum-rumen cycle

Question 16

What is the treatment for hardware disease?

Answer 16

Conservative - tie up with front feet raises, antibiotics, analgesics and magnets
Rumenotomy to remove
Slaughter

Question 17

What is the cause of an LDA?

Answer 17

Poor management of the transition period, high concentrate/low fibre diet

Question 18

What are the clinical signs of an LDA?

Answer 18

Usually a high producing dairy cow within 6 weeks of calving, decreased milk yield, raised ketone levels in blood and urine, BCS loss, change appetite, reduced rumen contraction rate

Question 19

Ho do you diagnose an LDA?

Answer 19

Pings over the left flank usually between the 9th-13th rib.

Question 20

How do you treat an LDA?

Answer 20

Right flank omentopexy

Roll and toggle: in RHS recumbency to spinal recumbency to LHS then up

Question 21

What are the clinical signs of an RDA?

Answer 21

Similar to LDA: high producing milk cow within 6 weeks of calving, decrease milk yield, raise ketone levels, BCS loss, change appetite, reduce rumen contraction

Question 22

How do you diagnose an RDA?

Answer 22

Pings on the right flank

Question 23

What makes an RDA dangerous?

Answer 23

Can twist to form abomasal torsion or volvulus - acute intestinal obstruction; ischemic necrosis but this is debated.

Question 24

What are the clinical signs of catcalls dilation?

Answer 24

Similar to an LDA; usually a high producing dairy cow within 6 weeks of calving, decreased milk yield, raised ketone levels, BCS loss, change appetite, reduce rumen contraction rate.

Question 25

How would you diagnose a caecal dilation?

Answer 25

Rectal exam - caecal apex is palpable (sausage points towards you)
Ping at the right paralumbar fossa

Question 26

How would you treat caecal dilation

Answer 26

Medical fluids, high fibre diet, surgery. If volvulus need to drain surgically.

Question 27

What is the cause of spiral colon?

Answer 27

Gas in the spiral colon

Question 28

How would you diagnose a spiral colon?

Answer 28

Ping at the right paralumbar fossa

Question 29

What is the treatment for spiral colon?

Answer 29

Not clinically significant so don’t bother!