Abstract
BackgroundThis study evaluated the clinical, laboratory, ultrasonographic and pathological findings in 87 cows aged 2 to 10 years (4.5 ± 1.5 years) with type-4 abomasal ulcer.ResultsThe most common clinical findings were in decreasing order compromised health status accompanied by partial or complete anorexia (100%), abdominal guarding (81%), congested scleral vessels (77%), ruminal atony (73%), tachycardia (68%), tachypnoea (65%), positive foreign body tests (58%), decreased skin surface temperature (53%), fever (49%), reduction in negative intraabdominal pressure assessed transrectally (39%), poorly subdivided plant fragments in faeces (35%) and arched back (28%). The principal haematological abnormalities were hypokalaemia (72%), haemoconcentration (69%), azotaemia (56%), metabolic acidosis (49%), hyperfibrinogenaemia (45%), leukopenia (35%) and hypoproteinaemia (29%). Other abnormalities were aciduria (56%), haematuria (44%), increased chloride concentration in rumen fluid (34%) and abnormal peritoneal fluid (98%). Of 75 examined cows, 65 (87%) had ultrasonographic evidence of local or generalised peritonitis. On postmortem examination all cows had a type-4 abomasal ulcer and generalised peritonitis. In addition, 36 cows had type-1 ulcers, 6 had type-2 ulcers and one cow had a type-3 ulcer.DiscussionThe clinical signs in cows with type-4 abomasal ulcer are associated with generalised peritonitis. An increased haematocrit, indicating shock-induced haemoconcentration is characteristic in contrast to cows with traumatic reticuloperitonitis. Ultrasonography is useful for visualising and assessing generalised peritonitis.ConclusionsThe diagnosis of type-4 abomasal ulcer based on clinical signs alone is difficult and therefore requires additional diagnostic procedures including the determination of the haematocrit and plasma protein concentration, abdominal ultrasonography and analysis of peritoneal fluid. In most cases, these steps lead to a correct diagnosis and allow timely euthanasia of the cow to prevent further suffering and unnecessary treatment costs.MethodsThe cows underwent a clinical, laboratory, ultrasonographic and postmortem examination.
Highlights
Abomasal ulcers in cattle are divided into several types[8,16,19,32,35] and occasionally more than one ulcer type occurs in a cow.[18]
This classification into four subtypes was recently adopted by other authors;[25] of 1,327 cows examined at an abattoir, 84% had type-1 abomasal ulcers, and as previously described,[6] subtypes 1a and 1c were seen predominantly in the pyloric region and subtypes 1b and 1d predominantly in the fundic region
The final diagnosis of U1 was based on the results of laparotomy and/or postmortem examination
Summary
Abomasal ulcers in cattle are divided into several types[8,16,19,32,35] and occasionally more than one ulcer type occurs in a cow.[18]. Subtype 1d comprised 2 ulcer manifestations, those with stellar folds that converged to a central point from different directions, and those characterised by perforated mucosal folds.[6] Subtypes 1a and 1c occurred in the pyloric region in more than 70% of cases, and subtypes 1b and 1d were seen predominantly in the fundus region.[6] This classification into four subtypes was recently adopted by other authors;[25] of 1,327 cows examined at an abattoir, 84% had type-1 abomasal ulcers, and as previously described,[6] subtypes 1a and 1c were seen predominantly in the pyloric region and subtypes 1b and 1d predominantly in the fundic region. The goal of the present study was to describe the findings in 94 cows with U1 to aid veterinarians in the diagnosis of this condition
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