Conditions of the GI tract (Yr 4) Flashcards
what is ruminal tympany also known as?
bloat
what is ruminal tympany?
accumulation of rumen gas sufficient to change the contour of the rumen
what are the two types of ruminal tympany?
free gas (obstruction)
frothy (stable foam blocks gas release)
what are the clinical signs of ruminal tympany?
distended left hand side of abdomen (can progress to entire abdomen)
painful (inappetence, distressed, vocal)
respiratory distress
recumbency, death
what causes free gas bloat?
obstruction (foreign body, abscesses)
secondary to conditions that interfere with rumenoreticular motility (wire, vagal indigestion, milk fever…)
posture (if they are cast)
what can cause obstructions leading to free gas bloat?
foreign bodies
mediastinal abscess (secondary to chronic pneumonia)
what can effect the rumenoreticular motility, and lead to free gas bloat?
wires
vagal indigestion
tetanus
milk fever
what causes frothy bloat?
most commonly animals on pasture containing clover, alfalfa or lucerne
animals fed finely ground grain
why does clover, lucerne and alfalfa cause frothy bloat?
rapidly digestible in rumen which forms fine particles that trap gas bubbles
how is free gas bloat treated?
pass stomach tube
trochar (emergency)
chronic bloat - rumen fistula or red devil
treat underlying condition
what are the clinical signs of oesophageal obstruction?
bloat
inability to swallow
regurgitation of feed/water
drooling
where are the two main sites for oesophageal obstruction?
cervical oesophagus above larynx
base of heart/cardia
what are some treatments for oesophageal obstruction?
starve and observe (many self resolve)
sedate
buscopan
flunixin
manual removal or push down
how can you manually remove an oesophageal obstruction?
gag and try grab foreign body (get someone to push it up)
probang (cutting hook)
if you are unable to remove the oesophageal obstruction, what can you do?
trocharise to relieve rumen bloat
feed via rumen and wait for obstruction to pass
(risk of damage/necrosis)
how can frothy bloat be treated?
pass stomach tube or insert trochar then dose with surfactant (oils or silicone based commercial preparations)
can make incisions in emergency
what surfactants can be used to treat frothy bloat?
oil (vegetable oil)
silicone based commercial preparations
how can frothy bloat be prevented?
avoid high risk pastures at high risk times
buffer feed
restrict access (strip grazing)
administer antifoaming agents/sprays
remove animals with recurrent bloat
what are high risk pastures/times for frothy bloat?
early morning when pasture is damp
pasture with alfalfa, clover and lucerne
what is the typical history of a traumatic reticulitis case?
sudden milk drop
hunched appearance, stiff gait
inappetent
(often TMR fed)
where does the reticulum lie?
left hand side from 6th-8th rib
what is the rate of rumen/reticular contractions?
3 contractions in 2 minutes
what re the types of rumen/reticular contractions?
primary and secondary (2 primary to 1 secondary)
what is the function of the primary rumen contractions?
mixing cycle (first reticulum then rumen)
what is the function of the secondary rumen contraction?
eructation (rumen contractions start caudal and push gas towards cardia)
what tests are available for diagnosing traumatic reticulitis?
Eric williams test
withers pinch (abdominal pain)
pole test (abdominal pain)
faeces
white blood cell count
how is the Eric Williams test carried out?
listen over trachea, cow will grown when the rumen starts its primary contraction (will hear a grunt)
how is a withers pinch test done?
pinch withers and the animal will sink, if that is painful when you do it a second time they won’t dip
how will faeces likely appear if the cow has traumatic reticulitis?
stiffer with more long fibre as rumen isn’t able to turn over correctly so digestion isn’t as efficient
if there is pain on reticular contraction due to traumatic reticulitis, what will happen during the Eric Williams test?
3 scenarios…
grunt prior to primary contraction
reduced primary contraction
breath holding on primary contraction
what are the clinical signs of traumatic reticulitis?
sudden onset milk drop
increased temperature (39.5°C)
reduced rumen contractions
hunched up (adducted elbows)
inappetent, dull, depressed
(Eric williams test)
what are possible consequences of swallowing a wire?
reticulo-peritonitis… medial penetration can damage vagus (effecting motility)
pericarditis
other organ penetration
what happens if traumatic reticulo-pericarditis is left untreated?
cow goes into heart failure - jugular distention, jugular pulse, submandibular oedema (hopeless prognosis)
what is the procedure for an exploratory laparotomy, when looking for a traumatic reticulitis?
open cranially at left sublumbar fossa
exteriorise cranial rumen
pin rumen with sterile towel/claps
incise rumen reach hand cranially
locate reticulum
search for foreign body