Therapeutic approches of abomasal displacement

Question 1

Management and therapeutic approaches to abomasal displacement

Left abomasal displacement (LDA)

Answer 1

• More common (85-95% of cases)
• Chronic
• Higher economic impact and different management

Question 2

Management and therapeutic approaches to abomasal displacement

Right abomasal displacement (RDA)

Answer 2

• Uncommon
• Acute
• Volvulus of the abomasum

Question 3

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Answer 3

1. Is the herd effected or not
2. Incidence rate
3. To treat or not to treat
4. Which method should be used

Question 4

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Is the herd effected or not

Answer 4

• Occurs usually 17.5 days after calving (min. 7 days, max. 90 days)
• After calving
o Withing 2 weeks 20%
o Within 4 weeks 75%
o Within 6 weeks 85%
• How
• Clinical signs are measurable and can be detected
• Cows with LDA produce half as much milk as healthy cows
• Changes in percent daily milk production are useful and the number of days spent with
decreased milk production
• More than 3 consecutive days with morning milk loss of >10% means a 95% risk of LDA
More than 3 total days of morning milk loss means a 50% increased risk for LDA

Question 5

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Is the herd effected or not

Physical exam method

Answer 5

• Auscultation with percussion
o gas accumulation → ping
o sensitivity 97,7%
o specificity 92,3%
• Incorrect diagnosis
o Improper physical examination method used and/or diagnosis based on only inspection
Ex. Quality of faces is viscous, diarrhoea can give false negative cases LDA but is
diagnosed as other diseases (paratuberculosis, BVD)
• Take home message
o Look for cows with AD within 6 weeks after calving
o Use drop of milk production as a specific clinical sign
o Use the auscultation with percussion in your daily work

Question 6

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Is the herd effected or not

Correct Herd Management

Answer 6

• Based on early recognition • Team job
o Milkmen: control milk production
o Veterinarian: correct diagnosis and solution
• Prognosis: good or very good (previous healthy status)

Question 7

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Is the herd effected or not

Incorrect Herd Management

Answer 7

• Too late recognition (>1 week) or incorrect diagnosis
• Reduced milk production (7,5-11%/lactation, ~700 kg milk)
• Concurrent diseases (ketosis, mastitis, reproduction problem etc.) - Moderate or serious body
weight loss
• Prognosis is very poor
o Depreciation (within 1.5-2weeks),
o Culled or mortality

Question 8

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Incidence rate

Answer 8

• Individual problem OR herd level problem
• Geographical region:
o USA: 3-5%
10-20%
o Germany: 1.6%
7.5%
o Hungary: 3.8%
o Average: 5-10%
• Age groups
o International
▪ First calf heifers: 28% (Seeger, 2004), 54% (Pehrson and Stengräde, 2000), 31-
58% (Poike and Fürll, 2000)
▪ Cows: increased occurrence in older cows
o Our experience: no difference in the incidence rate between the groups with different ages but remarkable differences between herds (e. 80% of AD first calf heifers)
• Lactation groups
o International: Animals in third lactation were more affected
o Our experiences: No difference between the lactation groups

Question 9

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

To treat or not to treat

Answer 9

• Cost of treatment
• Owner’s interest
• Economic losses from the LDA and concurrent condition
• Prognosis for return to production
• Immediate slaughter value
• Future income from production

Question 10

Questions to ask if LDA suspected

Which method should be used

Answer 10

Non surgical technique (noninvasive)
recumbancy
Rolling

Surgical technique
    INVASIVE
    Laparotomy
        Standing
            Left side: Utrecht method (1962)
            Right side: Hannoveri method (1962)
        Recumbancy
            Right (ventral) paramedian laparotomy
    MINIMAL INVASIVE
        "Blind" technique: transcutan abomasopexy
            Toggle pin (1982)
        Laparoscopy
            Standing/recumbancy
                2 steps (1996)
            Standing
                1 step (2004)