Cow with Abdominal Problem/LDA

Question 1

What is the normal volume of the rumen?

Answer 1

180-200L

Question 2

What is the primary function of the rumen?

Answer 2

Cellulose digestion

Question 3

What is the main VFA produced at normal rumen pH and what does this impact?

Answer 3

Acetate = milk fat %

Question 4

What are the main VFA’s produced at a lower (more acidic) than normal pH and what does this impact?

Answer 4

Priopionate and Butyrate
Results of microbe starch and sugar digestion

Question 5

What VFA is produced at a VERY low rumen pH and what serious issue can this cause for cows?

Answer 5

Lactate –> Rumenal acidosis/Rumen stasis

Question 6

What is the main buffer system in the rumen? What is the buffer component of saliva?

Answer 6

Saliva - Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

Question 7

How many L of saliva does a cow produce per day?

Answer 7

100-150L

Question 8

What encourages cow saliva production?

Answer 8

Fiber in diet –> chewing

Question 9

What does a cow need in order to adequately produce saliva?

Answer 9

Comfortable housing, Laying down, Upwards of 14 hrs per day!

Question 10

What is acute ruminal acidosis and what is it caused by?

Answer 10

Life threatening clinical emergency caused by sudden ingestion of large amounts of fermentable carbohydrates (Ex. animals breaking into feed stores, overfeeding of concentrates, underfeeding of forage, high energy animals on too high carb diet (poor transition period management), sudden lack of forage or straw bedding (decreased saliva production)

Question 11

What is the prognosis for a cow with acute ruminal acidosis?

Answer 11

Poor/Guarded

Question 12

What are the clinical signs of a cow with ruminal acidosis?

Answer 12

Dull/recumbent
Incoordination/Ataxia
Anorexia
Blindness
Laminitis
Rumen stasis, abdominal distension
Dehydration
Increased pulses
Sunken eyes

Question 13

What is the treatment protocol for Acute ruminal acidosis?

Answer 13

5% sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, any kind of base) given slow IV - 5L per 450 kg body mass over 30 mins
- OK to give non-sterile solution, just make it as clean as possible
IV isotonic NaCl 150 ml/kg over 6-12 hrs
- Very difficult to accomplish (volume availability on farm)
Oral magnesium hydroxide 500g per 450 kg
- Laxative
Rumenotomy or Rumen lavage (scoop out rumen contents and flush)
- Last resort, very invasive procedure, not clean, not always successful

Question 14

What is SARA?

Answer 14

Subacute Ruminal Acidosis
Ill-defined herd syndrome - generalized low milk yields, decreased appetite
Laminitis (solar ulcers/hemorrhages)
Liver abscesses (PM/abattoir finding)
Hemoptysis (coughing up of blood)/epistaxis (blood from nose) caused by thrombosis of caudal vena cava (cow dies with pool of blood around head/nose)

Question 15

Repeated cases of epistaxis/hemoptysis within herd is diagnostic of what kind of herd problem?

Answer 15

SARA

Question 16

What causes thrombosis of vena cava in SARA?

Answer 16

Occurs as a result of liver abscesses which cause damage to the vena cava closest to the liver

Question 17

What is this condition?

Answer 17

Rumenal Bloat (tympany)

Question 18

What are the 2 types of bloat?

Answer 18

Frothy bloat and Gaseous/Free bloat

Question 19

Describe the causes of frothy bloat

Answer 19

Stable foam forms in rumen, traps gas, cow cannot eructate out
Usually cattle at pasture, caused by foaming properties of soluble leaf proteins (legumes, clover, alfalfa, rich/lush pasture)
Can also be caused by cereal rich diet
Can be sudden/severe and lead to sudden death

Question 20

What is the treatment for frothy bloat?

Answer 20

Treat as clinical emergency

Immediately remove cattle from pasture/source
Stomach tube/Trocar WILL NOT relieve froth bloat

Must treat orally with surfactant (anti-foaming) agent - Poloxalene (Bloat guard), Mineral oil, Corn oil, Simethicone (antiflatulent), dish soap in emergency

Place cow in sternal recumbency to promote natural eructation

Question 21

How do you prevent frothy bloat?

Answer 21

Careful pasture management
Consider buffer feeding so cows are not keen to intake large amounts of lush grass at turnout
Strip grazing

Question 22

Describe the causes of gaseous (free gas) bloat

Answer 22

Excessive carbohydrate intakes
Esophageal obstruction
- Dietary - sugar beet, potato
- Choke
- Lesions of esophageal groove (vagus indigestion, actinobacillus - nerve damage)
- enlarged mediastinal LN’s
- Tetanus
Milk fever - hypocalcemia
Prolonged Lateral Recumbency (blocks cardia)

Question 23

What is the treatment for gaseous bloat?

Answer 23

Give calcium
Sit cow upright
Cow can burp/relieve bloat on her own
In ER situations relieve gas with stomach tube or rumen puncture (red devil trocar/cannula)

Question 24

Where is the insertion point for a trocar to relieve gaseous bloat?

Answer 24

Paralumbar fossa

Question 25

What is traumatic reticulo-peritonitis? What kinds of issues can this cause?

Answer 25

Cow eats metal objects --> pass into reticulum --> able to penetrate wall of reticulum and cause problems: - Local peritonitis, Diffuse peritonitis - Pericarditis (cranial penetration) - Liver abscess (caudal penetration) Can also remain in reticulum for whole life without causing issues and result in finding at abattoir

Question 26

What are the common causes of traumatic reticulo-peritonitis?

Answer 26

Wire from tires (silage clamps) Wire from builders/bales Nails, screws, etc. TMR - Total mixed ration - Wagons

Question 27

What are the clinical signs of a wire?

Answer 27

Vage, numerous presentations Dropped milk yield, reduced appetite, back arching, possibly febrile Rumen contraction rate down, painful reticulo-rumen movements Jugular pulse, splashing sounds over heart (pericarditis - fluid accumulation in pericardium)

Question 28

What are the diagnostic tests used for diagnosing traumatic reticulo-peritonitis?

Answer 28

Withers pinch Pole Test Eric Williams Test

Question 29

What is the Withers pinch?

Answer 29

Cow dips when pinching withers

Question 30

What is the pole test?

Answer 30

Pull metal pole up to sternum behind front legs, if cow is sore might suggest it has a wire

Question 31

What is the Eric Williams Test?

Answer 31

Observing a quiet grunt right before rumenal contraction Animal grunts, holds breath, shuffles feet

Question 32

What is the treatment for traumatic reticulo-peritonitis (wire)?

Answer 32

Conservative treatment - Tie animal up with front feet higher than back for ~1 week (should result in wire moving down GIT eventually) - Parenteral abx for 5-7 days + PAIN RELIEF! Rumenotomy - remove wire Slaughter - sometimes the most cost-effective option Magnet - only usable for some situations

Question 33

What are the causes of LDA and which cows are most predisposed to this condition?

Answer 33

Left Displaced abomasum Occurs more often in high producing dairy cows Occurs within 6 weeks of calving Poorly understood causes, but possibly genetic factors Poor management over transition period (carb intake), Diet changes made too quickly, Insufficient fiber intake, Milk fever, RFM

Question 34

What are the clinical signs of LDA?

Answer 34

May be mild initial signs, highly variable Drop in milk yield Reduced appetite Raised ketone levels in blood/urine Loss of body condition Reduced rumen contractions (variable)

Question 35

How do you diagnose LDA?

Answer 35

Pings! Listen for pings over whole left flank

Question 36

What is the conservative treatment for LDA? Is it usually successful? What are the surgical treatment options for LDA?

Answer 36

Conservative: Rolling - rarely successful, difficult to accomplish Surgical: Roll and Toggle Right flank laparotomy with right omentopexy or pyloropexy Utrecht method - Left flank laparotomy with ventral abomasopexy or omentopexy Right paramedian laparotomy with ventral abomasopexy or omentopexy Laparoscopy

Question 37

What are some rare causes of left sided pings (besides LDA)?

Answer 37

Bloat Rumen collapse (decreased appetite, rumen saggy) Vagal indigestion (damage to vagus nerve, Actinomyces) Pneumoperitoneum (after surgery air stays in abdomen, causes ping!)

Question 38

Is RDA or LDA more common?

Answer 38

LDA

Question 39

If you hear a left sided ping what should you think of?

Answer 39

LDA Other rare causes (rule out LDA first)

Question 40

If you hear right sided pings what should oyu think of?

Answer 40

- RDA - Abomasal volvulus - Cecal dilation or volvulus - Gas in spiral colon

Question 41

What is ketosis? What is another name for ketosis?

Answer 41

increased levels of ketone bodies in the blood as a result of rapid fat breakdown (sometimes called acetonemia)

Question 42

What is acidosis?

Answer 42

Low pH

Question 43

Is ketoacidosis an appropriate term in ruminants?

Answer 43

No - 2 different things