Vol. 10, Issue 5 (2021)

Author(s):
Harmanpreet Singh Sodhi and Vinod Kumar Shukla

Abstract:
Bovine gastro-intestinal obstructive disorders can be classified into fore-stomach, abomasal and intestinal (small and large) disorders. Animals suffering from intestinal disorders generally show non-specific clinical signs anorexia, lethargy, dehydration, abdominal pain, tachycardia and lack of defecation or the passage of dark fecal blood and mucus, acid-base imbalance and death if physical obstruction remains untreated. Calves less than 2 months of age were found to be at greater risk of developing small intestinal intussusception than that of adult cattle. Partial or complete absence of feces, dilatation of the intestine cranial to the obstruction with fluid and gas, acute abdominal pain and a hypochloremic, hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis and dehydration are the findings of intestinal obstruction. Depression, loss of responsiveness, halitosis, dehydration with dry mucosa, colic (treading and stretching out, kicking at abdomen, lying on ground), retc. hing and bilateral lower abdominal distention at later stages. Cows with caecal dilatation may be asymptomatic, and the cecal distention may be detected during rectal examination. Hemoconcentration, a mild left shift and an inverted neutrophil-to-Iymphocyte ratio are common in cases of intussusception. A sandwich like appearance is seen during ultrasonography in case of intestinal intussusception especially jejuno-jejunal when viewed longitudinally. Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasonographic findings of intussusception may reveal target lesion. Conservative treatment involves correction of fluid imbalances and appropriate antibiotic therapy. Surgical correction is the choice of treatment in animals suffering from physical obstructions, intussusception, small intestinal volvulus, gut tie, abdominal herniation of the intestine.