Search Results (6)

In dairy cattle, abomasal ulcers are a serious but sometimes disregarded ailment that can have detrimental effects on health and cause financial losses. Due to inconclusive clinical symptoms, abomasal ulcers are typically misdiagnosed and treated improperly. Specialized diagnostic methods should be considered to ensure a correct diagnosis and the well-being of cattle. This report focuses on a 4-year-old Holstein-Friesian cow which began her third lactation two weeks before she started showing general clinical signs of an elevated fat–protein ratio in the milk and was diagnosed with an abomasum displacement. The clinical signs can also be mistaken for other conditions such as traumatic reticuloperitonitis and left dislocated abomasum. The patient was brought to the LUHS Large Animal Clinic, and after a short while, sudden death occurred. The autopsy concluded that death had occurred due to hypovolemic shock caused by abomasal ulcer perforation, which caused bleeding into the abomasum and intestines. Also, the type 3 ulcer caused severe peritonitis and anemia, and feed and fibrin could be seen on the outside of organs in the abdomen. Blood clots mixed with feed had formed in the inside of the abomasum and intestinal tract. Based on the work of previous scientific studies, it has been established that the occurrence of ulcers is more frequent in dairy cows during the first four to six weeks of lactation. And the most probable cause could be intensive feeding and dietary changes. Ulcers in the abomasum are very difficult to diagnose, because they require special diagnostic equipment such as an ultrasound or surgical interventions. Due to the similarity with other diseases, this pathological condition of the abomasum is most frequently only identified in post-mortem examinations. Full article

The left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) is a common condition in dairy cows that can significantly impact their welfare, productivity, and fertility. This study was carried out in Greek dairy farms over a period of 3 years. To ensure early detection, the farmers were trained to accurately identify the disease. The reproductive performance and milk production of 306 cows was assessed by considering the time to the first estrus, the calving-to-conception interval, and the number of artificial inseminations required for the establishment of pregnancy. Uterine health status, the timing of disease diagnosis, and the season of the year were also evaluated. In a separate study, the outcomes of 26 cases where cows suffered LDA and underwent surgical treatment with a delay of at least one week from disease onset, were compared to those of cases promptly treated. The results indicate that even early identification and treatment of LDA affects fertility and milk yield; these impacts worsen with the co-existence of uterine infections of affected. However, in late-treated cases, all reproductive and production indices show significant deterioration. Our findings suggest that timely diagnosis of the disease, preferably by the farmer, ensures minimal losses in cows affected by LDA. Full article

Although technical descriptions have been published, the applicability of left-flank laparoscopy for the surgical correction of left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) in pregnant cattle has not yet been fully assessed. This study aimed to investigate the postoperative performance of one-step laparoscopic abomasopexy for the correction of LDA during late pregnancy. Fifteen pregnant Holstein cattle with LDA were treated with one-step laparoscopic abomasopexy between days 259 and 274 of gestation. This technique was performed in a standing position. Under endoscopic observation via trocars introduced from the left flank, the animals underwent a surgical procedure to place the bar part of a toggle–pin–suture (TPS) device into the lumen of the abomasum through a long cannula. A suture of a TPS device was secured to the ventral abdominal wall by using a long applicator. No cases experienced postoperative complications, and all had a normal delivery on postoperative day 17.4 ± 4.9. Three of the 15 animals exhibited foot diseases and mastitis after calving. The reproductive performance was recorded during lactation periods, showing a service conception rate of 2.9 ± 1.2 and 110.5 ± 39.1 open days. The one-year survival rate was 60% (9/15). The positive postoperative results demonstrate the benefits of one-step laparoscopic abomasopexy in pregnant bovine cases with LDA. Full article

Left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) is a disease often diagnosed in high-producing dairy cattle, resulting in direct and in indirect costs for the farmer, and discomfort and death for the cows. For the present retrospective study, the aims were to assess the effect of treatment on recovery during the time of hospitalization of the cows, to investigate the influence of concurrent diseases on the recovery, and to identify prognostic indicators in laboratory findings. Metritis/endometritis (38.4% of cows) was the concurrent disease diagnosed most often. Conservative treatment (abomasal rolling) was performed successfully in 92.8% of cows; the recurrence rate was 56.7%. Neither treatment with an oral drench nor treatment with analgesics had any influence on the recurrence of LDA following abomasal rolling during hospitalization. Endoscopic abomasopexy as described by Janowitz was performed more often than right flank laparotomy (40.8% and 40.2%, respectively). A significantly (p < 0.01) higher number of cows had the outcome “recovery” compared with “death”. The results of this study show that the outcome after surgery for LDA under clinical conditions does not depend on the method of surgery. Moreover, cows with LDA often suffer from concurrent diseases. If conservative treatment is decided on, farmers should be informed that there is a high recurrence rate, and other treatment options should be discussed. Full article

Lameness is often diagnosed in cattle with left displacement of the abomasum (LDA). Laterality of lying has an effect on the etiology of LDA, and lame cows prefer to lie on the affected limb. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association between laterality of claw lesion and presence of LDA. The medical records of 252 cattle presented with a diagnosis of LDA and subjected to a diagnostic examination of claw lesions over a period of 11 years (2009–2019), were analyzed retrospectively. Data were evaluated for presence and localization of claw lesion, concentrations of inflammatory markers, and abomasal rolling as therapy. At least one claw lesion was diagnosed in 46.4% of cattle. There was no association between laterality of claw lesion and LDA. Presence of claw lesion or oral drench and/or analgesic treatment did not have an effect on occurrence of relapse. A high number of cattle was diagnosed with both LDA and claw lesions. Focus should lie on preventing painful claw lesions in the dry and the early post-partum period. The high recurrence rate after abomasal rolling suggests that abomasal rolling should only be considered as a therapy for temporary relief, and surgical procedures should be discussed with farmers. Full article

Abomasal displacement (AD) to the left is a common disease in high-yielding dairy cows after parturition. In view of the previously reported changes in tissue neuropeptide concentrations in cows with AD, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AD and breed on serum neuropeptide concentrations. For this purpose, blood samples of 33 German Holstein (GH) cows with AD, 36 healthy controls (GH), and 32 healthy German Fleckvieh (GF) cows were collected, and concentrations of substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and interleukin1β (IL-1β) were measured via commercially available ELISA kits. To examine the effect of AD, we compared GH cows with and without AD and observed no significant effects of AD on SP, VIP, or Il-1 β concentrations. To evaluate the effect of breed, we compared healthy GH with healthy GF cows and detected markedly higher VIP serum levels in the healthy GF cows (p < 0.01). No significant differences in SP or IL-1β were detected. According to our results, there seems to be no effect of AD on the serum concentrations of SP, VIP, or IL-1 β. In contrast, there seems to be a breed difference concerning serum VIP concentrations. Full article