Disease of the abomasum Flashcards
1
Q
What are common problems of the abomasum?
A
- Dilation + displacement =
- Left sided displacement (LDA)
- Right sided dilation + displacement
- Abomasal ulcers
- Geo-sedimentum abomasi (sand)
2
Q
What are risk factors for abomasal problems?
A
- Usually seen in early lactation
- Traditionally in housed but also seen at grass
- “imbalance of fibre and concentrate” – SARA
- Associated with ketosis and FMS
- Hypocalcaemia (clinical & sub-clinical)
- Concurrent inflammatory disease
- Cow comfort, lameness etc etc
- i.e. Anything that reduces DMI
3
Q
What is the most common abomasal disorder?
A
LDA - twisted stomach
4
Q
What are clinical signs of Left displaced abomasum
A
- Reduced milk yield - not as marked or sudden as a wire
- Not reaching expected yield - parlour monitoring
- Ketosis
- Selective appetite - prefers fibre
- Usually 0-4weeks post calving
5
Q
What are Ddx for LDA?
A
- Vagal indigestion
- Peritonitis
- Gas in rumen (starved cattle / bloat)
- ‘Swingers’ (transport)
- May get LDA + another condition
6
Q
What are abomasal sounds?
A
- Spontaneous - tinkling + gurgling
- Ping - tap / flick rib hard + map out area of pings
- Absence of rumen sounds over displaced abomasum
- Fat cows = no ping
7
Q
How can you roll a cow to try fix a LDA?
A
- Cast - right lateral recumbency
- then roll to dorsal
- then roll over to left lateral
- ping to see if moved – can repeat - Good quality roughage
8
Q
What are advantages / disadvantages of rolling cows?
A
- Advantages =
- cheap
- non invasive
- concurrent disease
- Disadvantages =
- Least successful
- ulcer rupture
9
Q
What is toggling?
A
- Place sutures where abomasum naturally lies.
- Clip up before casting.
- Avoid getting you head kicked in!
- Avoid major abdominal blood vessels – mark with pen?
- Ample labour
- Put trochar in to get rid of distension + tie to the side?
10
Q
What are advantages / disadvantages of toggling?
A
- Advantages =
- Cheap
- Minimally invasive
- Relatively straight forward
- Quick
- Disadvantages =
- Going blind
- do not see if abomasum has ulcers / adhesions
- fistula formation
- risk of getting kicked
11
Q
What are surgical methods to fixing LDA’s?
A
- L + R sided approach - 2 operators
- L side (Utrecht)
- R side
- R paramedian approach - cow is cast
12
Q
What is the left to right / bilateral flank approach?
A
- Paravertebral incision 5cm caudal to last rib
- both slide hand down wall of abdomen and shake hands
- Decompress abomasum (manual / needle on flutter valve tube)
- Push abomasum to midline
- Pull up to R incision
- Omentopexy
13
Q
What is the right side approach to a LDA?
A
- Identify pylorus (‘sows ear’)
- Pylorus palpated (‘sausage’)
- Omentopexy using omentum near pylorus
- Stich omentum by pylorus into wound closure
14
Q
What is post-op care of LDA’s?
A
- Antibiotics = pen/strep or Oxytet
- Treat underlying conditions =
- Ketosis = propylene glycol
- Endometritis
- High fibre diet
15
Q
Regarding RDA, What is metabolic sequelae of dilatation?
A
- Pooling of H+ and Cl- in abomasum
- Upper intestinal obstruction = metabolic alkalosis + hypochloraemia
- 35-50L in abomasum
- Dehydration