Diseases of forestomach

Question 1

When can you say that cattle have fever, what about calves?

Answer 1

When the temperature is 39.3
- For calves 39,5

Question 2

What are the abnormal heart rate parameters for cattle

Answer 2

60 - 80 is normal
- Below 50 is considered bradycardia
- Above 90 - 100 is considered tachycardia

Question 3

How often should we hear ruminal contractions ?

Answer 3

1-2 contractions per minute. But it depends on composition of feed and feeding time

Question 4

Give an example of what could cause rapid decrease in milk yield
and another of what would cause step-by-step decrease within few days

Answer 4

Rapid: Painful or acute condition

Step-by-step: subacute stuff - ketosis, chronic conditions

Question 5

Diseases of Complex stomachs:

Answer 5

Rumen acidosis / alkalosis
Ruminal tympany, bloat
Rumen atony
Traumatic reticuloperitonitis
Vagal nerve syndrome

Question 6

Diseases of abomasum

Answer 6

Left displacement, right displacement
Abomasal torsion
Abomasal ulcers
Abomasal impaction

Question 7

Diseases of intestines

Answer 7

Diarhhea
Impaction of intestines
Torsion of intestines
Dilatation of cecum
Volvulus of cecum
Dilatation of colon

Question 8

Primary bloat

Answer 8

Also called frothy bloat
-Persistent foam mixed with the ruminal contents

Question 9

Secondary bloat

Answer 9

Also called free-gas bloat
- Free gas separated from ingesta

Question 10

Definition of bloat

Answer 10

Overdistention of the ruminoreticulum because cow is unable to eliminate gas from rumen
- Problem of eructation

Question 11

What kind of pasture is most commonly the cause of bloat

Answer 11

Any forage low in fiber and high in protein
Most common on immature legume pastures

Structure of plants and leaves are destroyed rapidly in rumen and bacteria can get easy food

Question 12

Treatment of bloat

Answer 12

Moving, running
Massage and cold water
Administration of 1-2l of vegetable oil
Promotion of saliva production - tie a stick in the mouth
Emergency rumenotomy or cannula, trochar
Passing a stomach tube
Antifoaming agents: polyxene, dimethicone

Question 13

Clinical signs from esophageal obstruction

Answer 13

Sudden onset from feeding
Free-gas bloat
Ptyalism (large amount of saliva)
Nasal discharge of food and water

Question 14

What are affected with vagal indigestion syndrome - Hoflund’s syndrome

Answer 14

Characterised by disturbance in passage of ingesta through
- Reticulo-omasal orifice: failure of omasal
transport
- Pylorus: pyloric stenosis or abomasal
reflux syndrome

Question 15

Differential diagnoses for cows with pear-apple shaped abdomen and with failure of eructation

Answer 15

Free gas bloat
Esophageal obstruction
Obstruction at cardia
Right lateral recumbency

Question 16

Differential diagnoses for cows with pear-apple shaped abdomen and with failure of omasal transport

Answer 16

Hardware disease
Liver abscess
Reticular abscess, adhesion, peritonitis
Diffuse peritonits
Neoplasia of rumenoreticular fold
Inflammatory disease
Papilloma or mass at reticuloomasal orifice

Question 17

Differential diagnoses for cows with pear-apple shaped abdomen and with pyloric outflow obstruction

Answer 17

Volvulus of abomasum
Right or left displacement of abomasum
Inflammation or adhesions
Advanced pregnancy with a large fetus
Abomasal impaction

Question 18

Clinical signs of acute reticuloperitonitis

Answer 18

Signs develop within 12 hours
Marked drop of milk yield
Complete anorexia, no rumination
Subacute abdominal pain
Free gas bloat due to lack of ruminal contractions
Fever 39.5 - 40’C
Scant feces

Question 19

In acute hardware disease, what can we see in laboratory analyses

Answer 19

Fibrinogen is elevated
Abdominocentesis shows inflammation and bacteria

Question 20

What can we see with chronic local reticuloperitonitis

Answer 20

Unknown fever some weeks ago
Milk yield low, cow depressed
Poor BCS
Secondary ketosis and scant feces
Rumination activity infrequent, rumen small
Moderate bloat

Question 21

What do microbes in rumen provide to the ruminant

Answer 21

Digestion of cellulose and hemicellulose
- Cellulolytic bacteria
Provision of high quality protein-proteolytic bacteria
Production of VFA - energy source of cow
Provision of B-vitamins
Detoxification of toxic compounds

Question 22

Rumen acidosis definition

Answer 22

When pH of rumen falls below 5,5 (normal 6.5-7.0)
Changes in rumen flora with acid-producing bacteria taking over, making acidosis worse.
Increased acid is absorbed through the rumen wall, causing metabolic acidosis

Question 23

Formula for calculation of replacement fluids

Answer 23

Bodyweight kg x dehydration % + maintenance 100 ml/ kg BW

Question 24

When can we usually see clinical ketosis

Answer 24

4-6 weeks after parturition. Sometimes as early as 2 weeks after

If seen in immediate postpartum:
- associated with fatty liver
If seen in peak milk production time
- underfed cattle with metabolic shortage
of gluconeogenic precursors

Question 25

Pathogenesis of ketosis

Answer 25

Sequence of high serum concentration of NEFAs and ketone bodies
- Acetone, acetoacetate and BHB, and
low concentrations of glucose

Combination of intense adipose mobilisation and high glucose demand

Secondarily it arises from ingestion of silage that has undergone clostridial fermentation to produce high concentrations of butyric acid

Question 26

Risks associated with ketosis

Answer 26

Cows that develop hyperketonemia in early lactation are at increased risk of ketosis, metritis and displaced abomasum

Cows with excessive adipose stores at calving are at greater risk of hyperketonemia than those with lower bcs

Question 27

Clinical findings with ketosis

Answer 27

Decreased feed intake
- refuse grain before forage
First signs:
- decreased milk production, lethargy

Question 28

What can we see with nervous ketosis

Answer 28

Pica, abnormal licking
Incoordination
Abnormal gait
Bellowing and aggression

Question 29

How to treat ketosis

Answer 29

Oral administration of propylene glycol
- acts as a glucose precursor
Vitamin B12 supplementation in case of concurrent hypoglycemia
Bolus of glucose in case of nervous ketosis

Question 30

How does fatty liver occur

Answer 30

If amount of NEFAs reaching the liver exceed liver’s capacity to process them - they are re-esterified and deposited inside hepatocytes as trialglycerol

Large amounts may disturb liver function and further exacerbate the negative energy balance

Question 31

Clinical findings with fatty liver

Answer 31

No pathognomonic signs (specific for it)
Can vary from mild ketosis to liver coma
Likely to develop concurrently with other diseases like metritis, mastitis and abomasal displacement or hypoglycemia

Question 32

Types of abomasal ulcers

Answer 32

1. Erosion or ulcer without hemorrhage
2. Hemorrhagic
3. Perforated with acute localised
   peritonitis
4. Perforated with acute diffuse peritonitis
5. Perforated with peritonitis within omental bursa

Question 33

Clinical findings with abomasal ulcers

Answer 33

If hemorrhagic:
- Asymptomatic besides intermittent
blood in feces or sudden death from
massive hemorrhage
Mild abdominal pain, bruxism, sudden onset of anorexia, tachycardia

Severely:
- Acute rumen stasis
- Reluctance to move, audible grunt
- Groan with each breath
- Weakness and dehydration

Question 34

Causative factors of abomasal ulcers

Answer 34

Poor quality silage or hay - physical dmg
Low protein diet - decreased quantity of protective mucus
Stress - increased acid production
Endotoxemia and lymphosarcoma
C. perfringens type B and C

Question 35

What can we see with small intestinal indigestion

Answer 35

Enough fluid and gas accumulate in the small bowel to put severe tension on the mesentery - resulting in signs of colic