Forestomach diseases Flashcards
What nerve innervates the forstomaches and the abomasum?
The vagus nerve
When you percuss the paralumbar fossa, what sound is made with free gas bloat?
A lower pitch “bonk”
What fails in order to cause free gas bloat?
Failure of secondary contraction (eructation)
How can you relieve free gas bloat and can it re-occur?
Pass a stomach tube
Yes it can re-occur
What occurs with frothy bloat?
Ruminal gasses become trapped within abnormally viscous digesta
What usually causes frothy bloat?
Feedstuffs like lush legumes, clover, and winter wheat
What is in higher concentrations in frothy bloat as opposed to regular rumen fluid?
Chloroplast membrane fragments, soluble proteins and fine particles
How does frothy bloat affect the neural receptors near the cardia?
Frothy bloat blocks the neural receptors near the cardia and prevents relaxation, which occurs during secondary contractions (eructation)
What can happen to the cardia with frothy bloat?
If the fluid is too viscous the cardia may be plugged
Is abdominal distention with bloat asymmetrical or symmetrical? Where is it the most pronounced?
Asymmetrical
Left paralumbar fossa
With acute bloat, what is the timeframe that death can occur in?
30 min - 4 hrs
What are the two ways free gas bloat can be caused?
(1) Vagal indigestion type I
(2) Esophageal obstruction
What type of bloat is frothy bloat?
Gassy
What are the causes of fluidy bloat?
(1) indigestion due to grain overload or other dietary insult
(2) Vagal type II
(3) Obstruction in the GI tract
What is the first thing you do in a bloated ruminant?
Pass an orogastric tube
What are ddx for bloat?
(1) ruptured bladder
(2) hydroallantois
(3) LDA
(4) abomasa volvulus
(5) mesenteric volvulus
What do you do in an emergency bloat case after passing an orogastric tube?
Trocarization or a rumenotomy
In a less severe free gas bloat, what treatment do you utilize?
A stomach tube
In a less severe frothy bloat, what treatments can you utilize?
(1) Poloxalene in an orogastric tube to break up the froth
(2) Vegetable oils
(3) Dactyl sodium sulfosuccinate
What type of bloat will trocharization not relieve?
Frothy bloat
With chronic free gas bloat, what course of treatment do you follow?
Temporary rumenotomy (aka blow hole sx), followed by investigation into the underlying cause with rumen fluid evaluation, rads, esophageal endoscopy, reticular U/S, and exploratory laparotomy/rumenotomy
What management is needed to prevent frothy bloat?
(1) grazing management/adaption diets
(2) Poloxalene
(3) Ionophores
Describe simple or primary indigestion
Acute onset resulting from an abrupt dietary change. Consists of self-limiting but rapid decline in rumen fermentation
Describe secondary indigestion
Chronic and the result of other disease processes such as endotoxemic infection, abomasal dz, or metabolic dz
What are the CS of primary rumen indigestion
(1) acute anorexia
(2) reduced to absent rumen motility
(3) diarrhea common within 24 hrs
What are the CS of secondary rumen indigestion
(1) rumination absent
(2) rumen underfilled
(3) depressed fecal production
(4) +/- diarrhea
What process involves using “liquid gold” to treat rumen indigestion?
Rumen transfaunation
Describe the process of rumen transfaunation
Administer a min of 3L (8-16L is best) of rumen fluid that has been adapted to the patients expected ration. Repeat for 2-3 days
What should/shouldn’t you feed to a patient with rumen indigestion?
Feed grass/oat hay
No concentrates
Define vagal indigestion
Depressed fore stomach function
What are the 4 types of indigestion?
(1) Type I: free gas bloat (failure to eructate)
(2) Type II: Omasal transport failure
(3) Type III: Abomasal stasis
(4) Type IV: Late preg or pyloric outflow obstruction
What is the pathophysiology of free gas bloat?
Gas remains in the dorsal cap of the rumen instead of being eructed out
What is the pathophysiology of omasal transport failure?
The progression of the feed bolus is stopped in the reticulum instead of moving into the omasum
What is the pathophysiology of abomasal stasis?
The progression of feed bolus is stopped in the antrum of the abomasum instead of moving towards the pylorus
What is the pathophysiology of pyloric outflow obstruction?
The progression of the feed bolus is stopped at the pylorus instead of moving into the cranial duodenum
What are the 4 most common places of BLV associated lymphoma in cattle?
(1) occular
(2) lungs
(3) LN
(4) R auricle of the heart
How do you diagnose type 1 failure to eructate
Percuss the tympanic area in the paralumbar fossa. If there is a low pitch “bonk,” it indicates free gas
What is commonly the cause of type 1 failure to eructate?
Lesions of the mediastinum associated with pneumonia
What shape is a cow with a type II omasal transport failure?
“Papple” or L shaped
What occurs as a result of type II omasal transport failure?
Progressive distention as the forestomaches fill with ingesta
What happens to the motility of the rumen with type II omasal transport failure?
Hypermotility results
What pathology do you need to check for with type II omasal transport failure?
traumatic reticular periotonitis
What do you use to differentiate type II from type III indigestion?
Rumen chloride and acid/base status. With type II, acid/base will be normal and rumen electrolytes will be fairly normal (normal chloride is 30 mEq/L)
What can you access from the left flank?
The serosa of the reticulum
What can you access from the right flank?
The omasum
With type II omasal transport failure, what can you use an U/S to help with diagnosis?
The heart and the reticulum
How will a normal animal react to a withers pinch test?
Retroflex with no grunting
What are the possible causes of type III abomasal stasis?
(1) FB
(2) Pyloric dz
(3) Abomasal wall function is disturbed (i.e. peritonitis, abomasal ulceration)
What type of indigestion does “internal vomiting” occur with and what does this do to chloride levels in the rumen?
Type III abomasal stasis and increased levels of chloride
What biochem values would you expect to find with a cow with type III abomasal stasis?
A hypochloremic, hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis
What type of therapy do you administer for type III indigestion, what type of fluid/additives, and what do you need to be aware of with your fluids?
(1) agressive
(2) NaCl + 20-100 mEq/L KCl
(3) Max KCl is 0.5-1 mEq/kg/hr
What are two other causes of the “papple” shape in cattle other than type II indigestion?
(1) old age
(2) preg
What is a ruminal drinker?
When milk accumulates in the reticulum and rumen
What are some causes of ruminal drinking?
(1) failure of the esophageal groove to close
(2) calves maintained as pre-ruminants longer than 3 months old
(3) feeding contaminated or spoiled milk or improper milk replacer
(4) abomasal reflux
(5) overfeeding of milk (>2L per 35 kg)
(6) abomasal dis
What are CS of a rumenal drinker?
(1) poor coat
(2) pot bellied appearance with fluid distended abomasum
(3) poor appetite
What would you expect to find with a rumenal drinker upon abdominocentesis?
(1) grey rumen fluid +/- milk clots
(2) foul odor
(3) acute –> pH >7.5; chronic –> pH 5-5.5
