Abstract
Summary A prospective study evaluating preoperative prognostic indicators in 80 cattle with abomasal volvulus was done. Surgical correction of the abomasal volvulus was performed in all animals. After surgery, cattle were categorized into 3 groups: productive (acceptable milk production or appetite, n = 59), salvaged (poor milk production or appetite, n = 10), and nonsurvivors (n = 11). Mean values for study variables did not differ significantly between salvaged and nonsurvivor groups. Cattle in these 2 groups were combined to form a nonproductive group, which was compared with the productive group. Productive cattle had a significantly lower preoperative heart rate than nonproductive cattle, were less dehydrated, had lower serum alkaline phosphatase (alp) activity and serum creatinine concentration, more frequent rumen contractions, higher serum Na+ and Cl− concentrations, and had been inappetent for a shorter period. Significant differences were not detected in blood pH, base excess, anion gap, pcv, and serum K+ concentrations between the 2 groups. Feces from nonproductive cattle tended to be reduced in volume and were significantly darker. A number of preoperative prognostic indices were evaluated by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (+pv) of each variable and by using logistic regression. Positive predictive values were generally higher in identifying productive cattle than nonproductive cattle. High +pv for productive animals were observed for cattle with normal hydration status (+pv, 0.96), serum creatinine concentration ≤ 1.5 mg/dl (+pv, 0.91), serum alp activity ≤ 100 IU/L (+pv, 0.90), serum Cl concentration ≥ 95 mEq/L (+pv, 0.90), and heart rate ≤ 80 beats/min (+pv, 0.88). Positive predictive values for nonproductive animals exceeded 0.50 only in cattle with heart rates ≥ 120 (+pv, 0.67) or ≥ 100 beats/min (+pv, 0.56), serum alp activity > 100 IU/L (+pv, 0.55), or ≥ 6% dehydration (+pv, 0.52). Anion gap ≥ 30 mEq/L was a poor prognostic indicator (+pv, 0.33). Logistic regression was used to identify 4 variables (hydration status, heart rate, period of inappetence, and serum alp activity) that had good predictive value. Preoperative determination of heart rate, hydration status, and period of inappetence appears superior to routinely used laboratory tests in determining the prognosis of cattle with abomasal volvulus. The cause of the high serum alp activity in nonproductive cattle needs to be determined.
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