Cow with Abdominal Problems

Question 1

What is the normal pH range of the rumen and what is the main VFA produced at this pH?

Answer 1

6.2 - 7. Acetate is the predominant VFA produced and is the fat in milk.

Question 2

What is a normal percentage for milk fat? And what do changes indicate?

Answer 2

4-4.2% Lower than this may indicate an acidic rumen.

Question 3

How do changes to the cow diet lead to rumen acidosis, describe the products produced at each stage.

Answer 3

High sugar and starch changes which bacteria are fermenting things leading to lower pH. Propionate and butyrate are produced by organisms that tolerate lower pH and even lower then Lactate is produced which results in rumen acidosis and stasis.

Question 4

How can salivation affect rumen pH and how is adequate salivation encouraged?

Answer 4

It contains bicarbonate ions. The need a high fibre diet and to lie down for 14 hours a day in comfortable housing.

Question 5

What things can cause acute rumen acidosis?

Answer 5

Sudden ingestion of fermentable carbohydrates e.g.

• breaking into feed stores
• concentrate over-feeding
• sudden lack of forage or straw bedding
• ground rather than rolled food

Question 6

What are some of the clinical signs of acute rumen acidosis?

Answer 6

Dull/recumbent cow
Incoordination/ataxia
Anorexia, dehydration, blind
Laminitis - crossed feet.
Rumen stasis and abdominal distension

Question 7

What is the treatment for acute rumen acidosis?

Answer 7

5% Sodium Bicarbonate slowly i.v. 5L/450kg over 30 mins
Isotonic NaCl 150ml/kg 6-12hours
Oral Magnesium hydroxide 500g/450kg
Rumenotomy/Rumen Lavage

Question 8

What is SARA?

Answer 8

Sub acute rumen acidosis

Question 9

What are some of the signs of SARA in a herd?

Answer 9

Low milk fat/reduced milk yields
Laminitis
Reduced appetite
Liver abscesses
Heamoptysis & Epistaxis (repeated cases of this in a herd indicate very highly that it is SARA
High herd culling rate

Question 10

What are the clinical signs of bloat?

Answer 10

• Distension of the left flank (greater distension = more severe bloat)
• Sudden death in severe cases
• Distress/dyspnoea
• May be recumbent or standing quietly with distended left flank.

Question 11

How do cows get frothy bloat?

Answer 11

Foaming properties of soluble leaf proteins. Caused by:

• Legumes
• clovers
• alfalfa
• rich lush pasture
• (cereal rich diets)

Question 12

What is the treatment for frothy bloat?

Answer 12

1. Remove animals from the source of the problem ASAP
2. Treat orally with anti-foaming agent/surfactant
   
   • Poloxalene 25-50g
   • 500ml mineral oil
   • Simethicone 100ml.

Sit in sternal recumbancy

Question 13

How can rapid intakes of lush pasture be prevented?

Answer 13

Use strip grazing or buffer feeding to prevent rapid intakes.

Question 14

What are the causes of free gas bloat?

Answer 14

Excessive carbohydrates
Oesophageal obstruction (Choke)
Milk Fever
Lateral recumbancy
Oesophageal groove lesions (vagus indigestion or actinobacillus)
Enlarged mediastinal LNs (after pneumonia)
Tetanus

Question 15

What is the treatment for free gas bloat?

Answer 15

Stomach tube

Rumen Puncture

Question 16

Describe where to place a trocar.

Answer 16

Make an upside down equilateral triangle between the wing of the ileum and the top of the last rib and poke it straight into the middle.

Question 17

What is important to remember when performing a rumenotomy?

Answer 17

Stitch the rumen to the body wall to prevent leakage of gut contents into the peritoneal cavity.

Question 18

What can traumatic reticulo-peritonitis, or ‘hardware’ disease, lead to?

Answer 18

Local/diffuse peritonitis
Pericarditis
Liver abscess

Question 19

If hardware disease is seen in lots of animals on a farm, what could be a possible cause?

Answer 19

TMR wagons that have somehow got wire in.

Question 20

What are some of the clinical signs of traumatic reticulo-peritonitis?

Answer 20

Usually vague:

• Drop in milk yield
• reduced appetite
• high temp
• arched back
• reduced rumenal contraction rate
• jugular pulse
• splashing sounds over heart

Question 21

What are the diagnostic tests for hardware disease?

Answer 21

Withers Pinch
Pole test
Eric-Williams test

Question 22

What are the treatments for hardware disease, which is a likely option?

Answer 22

Tie up cow with feet off the ground and treat with parenteral antibiotics and analgesia
Rumenotomy
Slaughter (this one likely as it is hard to treat)

Question 23

What can cause abdominal pings?

Answer 23

RDA
LDA
Abomasal volvulus
Caecal dilation and torsion
Gas in the spiral colon

Question 24

In what group of cows does LDA often occur?

Answer 24

High producing dairy cows within 6 weeks of calving

Question 25

What things seem to cause LDA?

Answer 25

They are poorly understood but:

• poor management over transition period (dry to calving)
• high concentrate diet
• insufficient fibre
• diet changes made too quickly
• milk fever
• genetic factors

Question 26

What is a cardinal sign of LDA?

Answer 26

Cow going off concentrates but wanting to eat forage.

Question 27

What are the rarer causes of left sided pings?

Answer 27

Bloat
Rumen Collapse
Vagal Indigestion
Pneumoperitoneum

Question 28

What is the major complication of RDA and what is the prognosis?

Answer 28

Abomasal torsion of volvulus

Poor prognosis unless operated on immediately. Often slaughter.

Question 29

How can caecal dilation be diagnosed?

Answer 29

Rectal examination will find caecal apex protruding through pelvic inlet
May also have a ping at right paralumber fossa

Question 30

How is caecal dilation or volvulus treated?

Answer 30

Dilation - fluids and high fibre diet. Possibly surgery if persists

Volvulus - drain surgically.

Question 31

Is gas in the spiral colon significant?

Answer 31

No but it often leads to right sided pings.