General Gastroenterology of Cows Flashcards
What are the big 5 causes of calf diarrhea?
Salmonella, Coronavirus, rotavirus, crypto, enteropathogenic E. coli
What age of calf is affected by crypto?
1-4wk
Which cause of calf diarrhea is zoonotic?
Crypto
What type of diarrhea does E. coli cause in calves?
White
How is a calf systemically affected by E. coli?
Dehydration/hypovolemia, tachycardia, unable to stand
A floppy calf with metabolic acidosis has what disease?
Enteropathogenic E. coli
How do you treat an E. coli calf with hypovolemia and metabolic acidosis?
Na containing IV fluids which contain additional alkali
Why does an E. coli calf become hyperkalemic?
Metabolic acidosis causes potassium to leave cells
Why might an E. coli calf become septic?
Bacterial translocation across gut
What type of abomasal ulcers are bleeding ulcers?
Type 2
What type of stool is produced by a cow with an abomasal ulcer?
Melena
How do you treat a type 2 abomasal ulcer?
4-8L fresh whole blood transfusion
What drug can you give to help raise abomasal pH?
Omeprazole and ranitidine
Which cows are most prone to abomasal volvulus/torsion?
Recently freshened
Where will the ping be heard with an abomasal volvulus/torsion?
R ICS 9-13
How will bloodwork be affected by an abomasal volvulus/torsion?
Hypochloremia, hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis
What causes hypochloremia in a cow w/abomasal volvulus/torsion?
Sequestered HCl in abomasum
How does a abomasal volvulus/torsion develop alkalosis?
Compensate for sequestered HCl by conserving Na and retaining bicarb
How does an abomasal volvulus/torsion develop hypokalemia?
H+ will exchange for K+ b/c of alkalosis in order to establish a normal cell pH
As a result of decr. potassium and the need to retain Na, what do the kineys do?
Exchange H+ for Na (rather than K+ for NA)
What type of fluids do you give an abomasal volvulus/torsion?
NaCl w/K added
What is the rate at which K can be given IV?
0.5mEq/kg/hr
Where does a left displaced abomasum get trapped?
Between rumen and left body wall
When is an LDA most common?
First 4 weeks postpartum
What increases likelihood of an LDA?
Increased metabolic demand for lactation, diet changes
How does postpartum hypoCa potentially predispose a cow to LDA?
Predisposes to decreased abomasal motility
Where will you hear a ping with LDA?
L side ICS 10-13
How will TPR be affected by an LDA?
Normal
Are clinical signs more systemic/distressing with LDA or RDA?
RDA
What type of feces will you see with an intussusception?
Scant dark (blackberry jam)
What clinical signs are assoc. w/intussusception in ruminants?
Teeth grinding, colic, blackberry jam feces
Where is the most common spot for a ruminant to get an intussusception?
Ileum
What electrolyte changes are assoc. w/intussusception in ruminants?
HypoCl, hypoK, metabolic alkalosis
What approach do you use to surgically treat an intussusception?
R flank surgery
Where will you palpate a distended structure with cecal dilation/torsion?
Loaf of bread just cranial to pelvis
Where will a ping from a cecal dilation be located?
R side from last rib to pelvis (high up)
What approach do you use to surgically treat a cecal dilation/torsion?
Right flank surgery
Where will you hear a ping if there is gas in the spiral colon?
8in. circular ping high on last rib or just behind
Common finding in any sick cow w/poor GI motility
Gas in spiral colon
What type of boat results from consumption of lush legumes?
Frothy bloat
What causes free gas bloat?
Vagal indigestion
How do you treat frothy bloat?
Poloxalene PO
How does Poloxalene treat frothy bloat?
Reduces surface tension and destabilized froth
What clinical signs do you see with frothy bloat?
Resp distress, froth in rumenal trochar
If you pass a stomach tube and no gas escapes, what type of bloat does the cow have?
Frothy bloat
What produces a papple shape?
Vagal indigestion
What is papple?
Local peritonitis leads to poor motility of forestomach, rumen fills w/fluid + gas cap and abomasum fills w/fluid
What is type 1 vagal indigestion?
Free gas bloat (failure to eructate)
What are the signals that detect pressure in the rumen and open the cardia to allow for erucation?
Mediastinal LNs
How do you treat type 1 vagal indigestion?
Temp. rumen fistula until eructation occurs
What is type 2 vagal indigestion?
Failure of omasal transport
Large fluid-filled rumen, monotone ping @ L 11-hip, papple are sings of which vagal indigestion?
Type 2 (failure of omasal transport)
How can you ddx type 2 from type 3 vagal indigestion?
Type 3 will have more profound e-lyte disturbances and cow will appear sicker
Cows have internal vomiting and accumulate chloride in the rumen
Type 3 vagal indigestion
What is type 3 vagal indigestion?
Failure of pyloric outflow
What e-lyte changes are assoc. w/type 3 vagal indigestion?
HypoCl, hypoK, metabolic alkalosis
What causes metabolic alkalosis assoc. w/type 3 vagal indigestion?
Intestines no able to reabsorb Cl into bloodstream after its secreted into abomasum
What vagal indigestion is more common in sheep than cows?
Type 4 (abomasal impaction)
What is type 4 vagal indigestion?
Abomasal impaction
Which sheep breed is most prone to type 4 vagal indigestion (abomasal impaction)?
Suffolk
What grass contains sharp barbs hat stick into mucosa of young cattle and horses and cause oral ulcers?
Yellow bristle grass (Sertaria lutescens)
What is the main clinical sign of bristle grass irritation?
Reluctance to eat, ulceration of oral mucosa
