Abstract
BackgroundType-5 abomasal ulcer (U5) is a perforated ulcer that causes peritonitis limited to the omental bursa. This retrospective study describes the clinical and laboratory findings in 14 cattle with omental bursitis due to U5. The medical records of 14 cows aged 2.5 to 14.6 years (5.4 ± 3.1 years) with U5 were scrutinised.ResultsThe most common clinical findings were partial or complete anorexia (100%), abdominal guarding (100%), obtunded demeanour (93%), congested scleral vessels (79%), tachypnoea (71%), rumen atony (64%), diminished faecal output (64%), reduced skin surface temperature (64%) and fever (46%). Four (29%) cows had between one and four concomitant diseases. The most common abnormal laboratory findings were hypokalemia (71%), haemoconcentration (57%), metabolic acidosis (57%) and azotaemia (43%). All cows were euthanased; five immediately after the initial examination, one after exploratory laparotomy and eight after unsuccessful treatment. A diagnosis of U5 was made in all cows during postmortem examination.ConclusionsThere is a need for improvement of the antemortem diagnosis of U5 because reliable differentiation of this disease from other conditions with a similar clinical presentation is currently not feasible.
Highlights
Type-5 abomasal ulcer (U5) is a perforated ulcer that causes peritonitis limited to the omental bursa
Abomasal perforation into the omental bursa causing omental bursitis was formerly classified as a sub-type of
The clinical signs in cows with U5 are attributable primarily to omental bursitis, which has been described in textbooks [17, 19] and in studies [14,15,16, 18]
Summary
Type-5 abomasal ulcer (U5) is a perforated ulcer that causes peritonitis limited to the omental bursa. This retrospective study describes the clinical and laboratory findings in 14 cattle with omental bursitis due to U5. Abomasal ulcers are grouped into four [1,2,3,4,5] or five types [6], depending on the author. Type-1 ulcer (U1) is a non-perforated superficial mucosal defect associated with minimal haemorrhage, and is further classified into four subtypes 1a to 1d [7]. Abomasal perforation into the omental bursa causing omental bursitis was formerly classified as a sub-type of
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