Cows with abdominal problems Flashcards
Ph Rumen organisms work best at?
6.2-7
Main volatile fatty acid created from cellulose digestion in rumen?
acetate
what does starch and sugar do to the ph of the rumen?
decreases it
Which acidic product is the main cause of rumen acidosis and rumen stasis?
Lactate
Functions of Saliva?
lubrication and Buffering (bicarbonate)
how long does a cow need to lie down for a day?
14 hrs a day
Causes of Acute rumen acidosis? (2)
sudden ingestion of large amounts of fermentable carbohydrates. sudden lack of forage or straw bedding
3 facts about acute rumen acidosis?
life threatening clinical emergency, poor prognosis, rare but most severe.
Clincal signs of acute rumen acidosis? (10)
dull &/or recumbent, ataxia/ incoordination, anorexia, blind dehydration, laminitis, rumen stasis and abdominal distention, increased pulse, sunken eyes.
treatments for Acute ruminal acidosis? (4)
5% sodium bicarbonate slow i/v, 5 litres per 450kg over 30mins.
i/v fluids isotonic NaCl 150ml/kg over 6-12 hrs
Oral magnesium hydroxide 500g/450kg (drench)
rumenotomy and/or rumen lavage
what does SARA stand for?
sub acute rumen acidosis
SARA is a ill defined herd syndrome, what is seen with it? (8)
low milk fat & depressed milk yields. Laminitis (solar ulcers, solar haemorrhages). reduced appetites, liver abscesses. high herd culling rates. haemoptysis & epistaxis (from thrombosis of the liver.
Epistaxis?
bleeding from the nose
Haemoptysis?
Bleeding from the mouth
Importance of bleeding in SARA?
Repeated cases of epistaxis or haemoptysis is almost diagnostic of a chronic, SARA for a herd.
clinical signs of Rumen bloat (tympany) (1, then difference between mild,mod, and severe)
Distension of the left flank.
Mild- get distension of left sub lumbar fossa.
More severe- get distention of whole left flank.
very severe- entire abdomen appears distended.
4 ways cow with rumen bloat can present?
- Sudden death (severe cases)
- Distressed, dyspnoea.
- Recumbant.
- Standing quietly with distended left flank.
Two types of Bloat?
Frothy and Gaseous/ free gas bloat
Cause of frothy bloat?
foaming properities of soluable leaf proteins. eg: legumes, clovers, alfalfa and rich lush pastures. also in cereal rich diets.
Why is history important for frothy bloat diagnosis?
seversal cows can die over night when turned out onto lush pasture.
Two actions for free gas bloat that do not work for frothy bloat?
pass stomach tube, insert trocar into the rumen
treatment for frothy bloat?
use antifoaming agebt/ surfactant orally to disperse foam.
i.e poloxalene 25-50g (bloat guard)
mineral oil, corn oil 500 ml
simethicone 100ml (BIRP)
sit in sternal recumbancy if down
management for prevention of frothy bloat?
strip grazing, buffer feeding (prevents excessive intakes on lush pastures)
Causes of Gaseous bloat? (4)
- excessive carbohydrate intake.
- anything causing an oesophageal obstruction.
- milk fever
- lateral recumbency (blocks cardia)
causes of oesophageal obstruction? (4)
- choke.
- lesions of oesophageal groove such as vaugus indigestion or actinobacillus.
- enlarged mediastinal LN (after pneumonia)
- tetanus
treatment of gaseous bloat? (2)
remove gas either by:
- stomach tube.
- rumen puncture.
4 consequences of metal objects piercing the reticulum wall?
- local peritonitis
- diffuse peritonitis
- pericarditis
- Liver abcess
Clinical signs of traumatic reticulo-peritionitis? (6)
- Drop in milk yield and reduced appetite.
- increased temperature.
- arching of back. (showing pain)
- rumen contraction rate down, and reticulo- rumen movements reduced/ painful.
3 diagnostic tests for hard wire disease?
- Withers pinch (pinch withers and cow should drop down, if don’t could be painful)
- pole test ( put pole/ or knee into sternum of the animal, will show pain response.)
- Eric williams test (pain just before mixing cycle of the rumen (reticulum- rumen cycle) with no erucation)
prevention of hardwire disease? (2)
- remove metal wires from feed areas, tires used of clamps.
- Use magnet boluses
Treatment of hardwire disease? (3)
- conservative. (tie up with front feet raised, pain releif and antibiotics.)
- rumenotomy to remove wire.
- slaughter
Normal time within which LDA occurs?
first 6 weeks after calving.
possible causes of Left displaced abomasum (LDA)? (6)
- poor transition period (dry - post calving cow) management.
- High concentrates
- insufficient fibre.
- too quick diet changes.
- other diseases - milk fever,
- Genetic factors
clincal signs for LDA? (4)
- sudden drop in milk yield (variable)
- reduced or changed appetite (variable)
- raised ketone levels.
- loss of body condition, reduced rumen movements.
Diagnosis for LDA?
listen for pings on left flank
Treatment for LDA? (5)
- rolling
- roll and toggle
- right flank omentopexy
- left flank omentopexy
- right paramedian abomasopexy
Much less common causes of left sided pings? (4)
- Bloat
- rumen collapse
- vagal indigestion (damage to vagus nerver preventing propper emptying of the stomachs)
- pneumoperitoneum
Why are RDA’s more serious though they are less common than LDA’s?
-can twist and become abomasal torsion/ volvulous.
- get acute intestianal obstruction, blood supply compromised, ischaemic necrosis.
cow sick, shocked, dehydrated in pain.
- immediate surgery or slaughter within hours
diagnosis of caecal dilation?
palpation of dilated caecum on rectal palpation.
ping in right paralumbar fossa.
(can develop into a volvulus on free caudal end)
treatment of caecal dilation?
medical management - fluids, high fibre diet.
surgery - used on dilation if persists. needed on volvulus.
significance of gas in spiral colon?
none clinically. can cause ping on right hand side.
