Cows with abdominal problems

Question 1

Ph Rumen organisms work best at?

Answer 1

6.2-7

Question 2

Main volatile fatty acid created from cellulose digestion in rumen?

Answer 2

acetate

Question 3

what does starch and sugar do to the ph of the rumen?

Answer 3

decreases it

Question 4

Which acidic product is the main cause of rumen acidosis and rumen stasis?

Answer 4

Lactate

Question 5

Functions of Saliva?

Answer 5

lubrication and Buffering (bicarbonate)

Question 6

how long does a cow need to lie down for a day?

Answer 6

14 hrs a day

Question 7

Causes of Acute rumen acidosis? (2)

Answer 7

sudden ingestion of large amounts of fermentable carbohydrates. sudden lack of forage or straw bedding

Question 8

3 facts about acute rumen acidosis?

Answer 8

life threatening clinical emergency, poor prognosis, rare but most severe.

Question 9

Clincal signs of acute rumen acidosis? (10)

Answer 9

dull &/or recumbent, ataxia/ incoordination, anorexia, blind dehydration, laminitis, rumen stasis and abdominal distention, increased pulse, sunken eyes.

Question 10

treatments for Acute ruminal acidosis? (4)

Answer 10

5% sodium bicarbonate slow i/v, 5 litres per 450kg over 30mins.
i/v fluids isotonic NaCl 150ml/kg over 6-12 hrs
Oral magnesium hydroxide 500g/450kg (drench)
rumenotomy and/or rumen lavage

Question 11

what does SARA stand for?

Answer 11

sub acute rumen acidosis

Question 12

SARA is a ill defined herd syndrome, what is seen with it? (8)

Answer 12

low milk fat & depressed milk yields. Laminitis (solar ulcers, solar haemorrhages). reduced appetites, liver abscesses. high herd culling rates. haemoptysis & epistaxis (from thrombosis of the liver.

Question 13

Epistaxis?

Answer 13

bleeding from the nose

Question 14

Haemoptysis?

Answer 14

Bleeding from the mouth

Question 15

Importance of bleeding in SARA?

Answer 15

Repeated cases of epistaxis or haemoptysis is almost diagnostic of a chronic, SARA for a herd.

Question 16

clinical signs of Rumen bloat (tympany) (1, then difference between mild,mod, and severe)

Answer 16

Distension of the left flank.
Mild- get distension of left sub lumbar fossa.
More severe- get distention of whole left flank.
very severe- entire abdomen appears distended.

Question 17

4 ways cow with rumen bloat can present?

Answer 17

• Sudden death (severe cases)
• Distressed, dyspnoea.
• Recumbant.
• Standing quietly with distended left flank.

Question 18

Two types of Bloat?

Answer 18

Frothy and Gaseous/ free gas bloat

Question 19

Cause of frothy bloat?

Answer 19

foaming properities of soluable leaf proteins. eg: legumes, clovers, alfalfa and rich lush pastures. also in cereal rich diets.

Question 20

Why is history important for frothy bloat diagnosis?

Answer 20

seversal cows can die over night when turned out onto lush pasture.

Question 21

Two actions for free gas bloat that do not work for frothy bloat?

Answer 21

pass stomach tube, insert trocar into the rumen

Question 22

treatment for frothy bloat?

Answer 22

use antifoaming agebt/ surfactant orally to disperse foam.
i.e poloxalene 25-50g (bloat guard)
mineral oil, corn oil 500 ml
simethicone 100ml (BIRP)

sit in sternal recumbancy if down

Question 23

management for prevention of frothy bloat?

Answer 23

strip grazing, buffer feeding (prevents excessive intakes on lush pastures)

Question 24

Causes of Gaseous bloat? (4)

Answer 24

• excessive carbohydrate intake.
• anything causing an oesophageal obstruction.
• milk fever
• lateral recumbency (blocks cardia)

Question 25

causes of oesophageal obstruction? (4)

Answer 25

- choke. - lesions of oesophageal groove such as vaugus indigestion or actinobacillus. - enlarged mediastinal LN (after pneumonia) - tetanus

Question 26

treatment of gaseous bloat? (2)

Answer 26

remove gas either by: - stomach tube. - rumen puncture.

Question 27

4 consequences of metal objects piercing the reticulum wall?

Answer 27

- local peritonitis - diffuse peritonitis - pericarditis - Liver abcess

Question 28

Clinical signs of traumatic reticulo-peritionitis? (6)

Answer 28

- Drop in milk yield and reduced appetite. - increased temperature. - arching of back. (showing pain) - rumen contraction rate down, and reticulo- rumen movements reduced/ painful.

Question 29

3 diagnostic tests for hard wire disease?

Answer 29

- Withers pinch (pinch withers and cow should drop down, if don't could be painful) - pole test ( put pole/ or knee into sternum of the animal, will show pain response.) - Eric williams test (pain just before mixing cycle of the rumen (reticulum- rumen cycle) with no erucation)

Question 30

prevention of hardwire disease? (2)

Answer 30

- remove metal wires from feed areas, tires used of clamps. | - Use magnet boluses

Question 31

Treatment of hardwire disease? (3)

Answer 31

- conservative. (tie up with front feet raised, pain releif and antibiotics.) - rumenotomy to remove wire. - slaughter

Question 32

Normal time within which LDA occurs?

Answer 32

first 6 weeks after calving.

Question 33

possible causes of Left displaced abomasum (LDA)? (6)

Answer 33

- poor transition period (dry - post calving cow) management. - High concentrates - insufficient fibre. - too quick diet changes. - other diseases - milk fever, - Genetic factors

Question 34

clincal signs for LDA? (4)

Answer 34

- sudden drop in milk yield (variable) - reduced or changed appetite (variable) - raised ketone levels. - loss of body condition, reduced rumen movements.

Question 35

Diagnosis for LDA?

Answer 35

listen for pings on left flank

Question 36

Treatment for LDA? (5)

Answer 36

- rolling - roll and toggle - right flank omentopexy - left flank omentopexy - right paramedian abomasopexy

Question 37

Much less common causes of left sided pings? (4)

Answer 37

- Bloat - rumen collapse - vagal indigestion (damage to vagus nerver preventing propper emptying of the stomachs) - pneumoperitoneum

Question 38

Why are RDA's more serious though they are less common than LDA's?

Answer 38

-can twist and become abomasal torsion/ volvulous. - get acute intestianal obstruction, blood supply compromised, ischaemic necrosis. cow sick, shocked, dehydrated in pain. - immediate surgery or slaughter within hours

Question 39

diagnosis of caecal dilation?

Answer 39

palpation of dilated caecum on rectal palpation. ping in right paralumbar fossa. (can develop into a volvulus on free caudal end)

Question 40

treatment of caecal dilation?

Answer 40

medical management - fluids, high fibre diet. | surgery - used on dilation if persists. needed on volvulus.

Question 41

significance of gas in spiral colon?

Answer 41

none clinically. can cause ping on right hand side.