Common Ruminant GI Diseases

Question 1

Abdominal Pain
Causes

Answer 1

• Hardware
• Abomasal Ulcers
• Distention of small intestines with gas

Question 2

Abdominal Pain in Cattle
Clinical Signs

Answer 2

• Anorexia
• Decreased appetite / milk production
• Laying down
• Failure to chew cud
• Treading hind limbs
• Rolling and thrashing (rare C/S)

Question 3

Hardware Disease
Pain Tests

Answer 3

• Withers Pinch
• Grunt

Question 4

Pain Test
Withers Pinch

Answer 4

Cows with GI pain may appear hunched with elbows abducted
* withers is pinched with 1 or both hands
* normal response = back flexes ventrally
* false negatives are common

Question 5

Pain Test
Grunt

Answer 5

• Pressure applied to xiphoid region
• If cow responds by grunts / kicks / acts uncomfortable - most likely painful
• May need to listen over trachae during peak of inspiration while applying pressure to hear grunt

Question 6

Displaced Abomasum

Answer 6

Right or Left Side
* left = more common
* right = emergency (torsion)
* diagnose by listening for gas pings

Question 7

Lumpy Jaw
Etiology / Cause

Answer 7

Caused by Actinomyces bovis
* bacteria
* colonizes wound in mouth

Question 8

ORF

Answer 8

Contagious Ecthyma
* also called sore mouth
* zoonotic
* caused by Poxvirus

Question 9

Free Gas Bloat
Abdomen Distention

Answer 9

Distention of upper L quadrant
* ping left side

Question 10

Frothy Bloat
Abdomen Distention

Answer 10

• Distention in lower L quadrant due to fluid
• Distention of lower R if severe enough

Question 11

Johne’s Disease

Answer 11

• Caused by Mycobacterium avium, subspecies paratuburculosis
• Reportable disease - hard to remove from herd
• Transmitted from Cow to Calf via fecal-oral route within 30 days of age
• C/S: chronic diarrhea
• Terminal disease - no treatment
• Prevent by separating calves from adults until 1 year of age

Question 12

Johne’s Disease
Stages

Answer 12

1. Silent - 30 days to 2 years of age
2. Subclinical - carriers / spreaders; no C/S
3. Clinical - first signs of illness
4. Advanced - condition worsens

Question 13

Johne’s Disease
Small Ruminents

Answer 13

2 Main Differences
* not characterized by diarrhea
* more likley in young, but adults can show C/S also

Question 14

Enterotoxemia

Answer 14

• Fatal disease of goats and sheep
• Caused by Clostridium perfrigens Type D
• Goat C/S: sudden death, severe enterocolitis, diarrhea
• Sheep C/S: neurological signs in lambs
• Prevent by vaccinating

Question 15

Most important parasite in small ruminents

Answer 15

Haemonchus contortus