Forestomachs to rectum Flashcards
What do you look at when doing a visual exam on a PE
Abdominal contours, stance of the animal
What can you appreciate during asculation on a PE
Frequency of ruminal contractions
strength, duration, frequency, mixing verses eructation
(1)what is noted on the palpation of the left paralumbar fossa and (2) deep palpation of the left abdominal wall
(1)Presence and strength of ruminal contractions
(2) Degree of rumen fill; consistency of ruminal contents
(normal = doughy; dehydration = hard, fist indent stays)
How it the pain response test performed?
Withers depression test (“scootch test”; done where
scapulae come together); roll skin under your hand;
normal response is cow moving away from stimulus -
negative response means they are very painful
because they have pain deep in there abdomen that is
worse than you pulling on skin; negative scootch is
positive for pain in abdomen; they will also have
expiratory grunt
Deep palpation at the xiphoid process of the ventral
abdomen w/knee; can also use bar or board under that spot - if painful, makes an expiratory grunt = positive pain response
- Negative for pain = will kick you in the face
[“cast withers” = uterine prolapsed…not the same !]!
What is noted during percussion and auscultation on a PE?
Pings, gas-distended viscera (LDA and RDA). Stethoscope on 10th-11th rib and percuss in the paralumbar fossa and down and forward to where the abomasum is. Gas in rumen=Hallow sound (pong), gas in abomasum is high pitched “ping”!
What is noted when doing ballottement and auscultation on PE?
“Tinkling” of organs with a fluid-gas interface - checking rumen contents or fluid; can check for pregnancy advanced stages on R side, push fist into lower flank and see what material comes back and hits hand (fluid, fetus, rumen contents)
Rectal examination can appreciate … on PE
Dimensions of abdominal organs; presence of abnormal gas or fluid within or outside viscera; position of palpable organs (aorta, left kidney, sublumbar lymph nodes, iliac artery bifurcation)
What is examined when looking at the feces?
Quantity, consistency, color (indicative of what they have been eating), odor (pungent if in there for a long period of time), fiber length (large pieces = quick transit time, small pieces = slow transit time or not getting enough fiber)
What is the reason behind these abnormalities of the feces?
- blood (red/black)
- Mucus
- Fibrin
- sand/stones
- Undigested feedstuffs
Blood (red = bleed in rectum, black = upper GI bleed)
Mucus = obstruction
Fibrin = inflammation/infection (salmonella, BVD)
Sand/Stones=dietary deficiency (fiber)
Undigested feedstuffs?
How different is the PE of the right abdomen than the left?
It is not. Ballottement, auscultation, percussion, and palpation are used to assess the viscera on the right side as well.
What are the two most common clinical signs associated with cattle diseases in general. How do they direct the diagnosis?
anorexia and rumenal stasis. diagnosis of digestive diseases must be based on negative findings in other systems.
Primary vs. Secondary Indigestion (what causes each)???????
Primary: Bloat is the primary condition - Reticulum - Rumen – mixes, grinds to reduce fiber size - Omasum Secondary: Bloat is secondary to another condition - Abomasum - Liver - Pharynx - Severe systemic disease - High fever – mastitis, foot rot
The normal physiology of forestomachs (in order)
Contraction starts in reticulum (dorsal sac
then ventral sac) –>Takes 1 min for contraction to go all
the way around –>Rumen is like a big fermentation vat
that works best w/small amount of food often –>Mixing of fluid and solid ingesta –>Maceration of fibrous feedstuffs –> Circulation of ruminal fluid – increased
surface contact, increased absorption of VFAs –> Filtering material for the reticulo-omasal orifice and lower GIT –> Removal of gas through eructation –> Regurgitation of fiber for chewing.
What are the two cycles in rumination?
Primary cycle – mixing
Secondary cycle – eructation
Definition and mechanism of bloat
Distention of the rumen with gas – esp. upper part of left flank
- *Failure of eructation**
- Normal bovine does not produce gas during fermentation more quickly than it can be eructated
Microbial fermentation produces these two types of gas:
methane and carbon dioxide
What 3 factors does the gas production (in bloat) depend on
- Ruminal microbial population
- Ruminal pH
- Substrate that cow eats –cow that eats grain vs. grass (clover/alfalfa produce more gas than
timothy/Bermuda)
The role of eructation in bloat
Normally gas can be expelled quicker than it can be produced
Bloat is NOT due to excess gas production, bloat is due to failure of the eructation process
What are the three causes of bloat?
- Failure of cardia to relax
- Obstruction of the esophagus or cardia
- Failure of reticulo-rumenal muscular contraction
The normal function of the cardia.
When the animal gets ready to burb, the cardia relaxes and lets the gas out.
Three ways the cardia can fail to relax
- reflex closure when the cardia isn’t cleared of ingesta
- Anatomic distortion – abscess, tumor (commonly lymphosarcoma), lymph node, mass or space
occupying lesion next to cardia changing position - Frothy bloat – gas trapped in foamy bubbles (not enough surfactant in rumen), not in free form,
can’t be eructated (froth physically blocks the cardia)
• Legume pasture bloat – clover, alfalfa, soybean
• Legume hay bloat - try to feed hay before putting out to pasture
• High concentrate bloat – grain and not enough fiber in diet
What can cause failure of reticulo-rumenal muscular contractions and what are the symptoms?
hypocalcemia (milk fever)
Complete stasis
Abomasal distention*
What are the 2 ways to help diagnose bloat?
- History – what has the animal been eating
- Physical examination
- General - auscult abdomen - from point of shoulder up to 13th rib and area of rumen
- Passage of stomach tube – determine if obstruction, free gas, frothy bloat
True or False: Bloat is never life-threatening
False: During diagnosis we need to rule out acute life-threatening forms – cows can bloat quickly and severely