Diseases of The Abomasum

By
Dr. Ali H. Sadiek
Prof. of Internal Veterinary Medicine and Clinical
Laboratory Diagnosis

Dept. of Animal Medicine

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Assiut University- Assiut, EGYPT

E-mail: Sadiek59@yahoo.com

Ali Sadiek 1
 Diseases of Abomasum
Diseases of Abomasum includes:
• Left Displacement of Abomasum (LDA)
• Right Displacement of Abomasum
(RDA)
• Abomasal ulcers.
• Impaction of Abomasum.
• Abomasal reflux.

Ali Sadiek 2
 :Abomasal displacement
 DA Occurs more frequently in high-
producing, heavily fed adult dairy cattle,
within first 6 weeks of calving and possibly
under stress.
 Prevalence in well managed herd ~ 0.2 – 2.5%
 It is ch. by: gradual loss of appetite, passage
of soft, scanty, may black feces, pinging” of
the abdomen, ketonuria, dehydration and
metab. alkalosis

Ali Sadiek 3
Types of Displaced abomasum
1-Left Displaced Abomasum (LDA):
• The most common type (90 %)
• The great curvature of the abomas. passes under the
rumen between the rumen and the left abdominal wall
and lies in the left lower flank.
2-Right displacement (RDA) 10%
• The abomas. is displaced to the right and lying
between the liver and the right abdominal wall.
• It is always associated with some degree of torsion of
the pylorus.
3-Anterior displacement (ADA);
• The clinical picture is very similar to LDA but the
abomasum or the major part of it, displaced interiorly
and comes to lie between the reticulum and the
diaphragm.

Ali Sadiek 4
Left Displaced Abomasum (LDA)

Ali Sadiek 5
 LDA
Rumen

Percussion Auscultation line

Distended LDA

Ali Sadiek 6
How the Abomasum Displaced

DA

Ali Sadiek 7
How the Abomasum Displaced

Direction of Displacement

Ali Sadiek 8
Ali Sadiek 9
Causes of LDA: Multifactorial
Abomasal atony and Excess gas production
– High grain/low roughage diets
[VFA] Gas accumulation Distention
• Roughage stimulates rumination & Increases
salivary buffer action
Contributing factors for Ab. Atony and displac.
1- Hypocalcemia and Milk fever
smooth muscle tone and motility
• 4.8 x risk of developing LDA than
normocalcemic

Ali Sadiek 10
Contributing factors for Abom. Atony and DA

2- Metritis, retained placenta, severe mastitis

• Endotoxins and endogenous pyrogens depress motility
• Result in hypocalcemia
3- Electrolyte disturbances
4-Lack of exercise/confinement
5- High producing diary cows
– Large abdominal cavities more room DA
– Genetic selection
6- Finally, subclinical and clinical ketosis increase the risk
of DA

Ali Sadiek 11
 Clinical signs.
1-General symptoms of indigestion
 Sudden decreased appetite
 Sharp decrease in Milk yield.
2-Soft pasty scanty black feces, may diarrhea.
3-Obvious bulge may be observed and palpated
behind the last rib in the left Para-lumbar
fossa” “slab-sided” abdomen
4-Muffling of ruminal sound.
5-Rectal palpation, the rumen is felt small while
the abomasum is palpable to its left or may
be felt so high in the right

Ali Sadiek 12
 Clinical signs.
6-Auscultation at each intercostals
space:
Reveal the characteristic tinkling or
splashing sounds (church belling)
Steal band effects on Auscult /
Percus.
• Tympanic swelling -gives resonant
sound on percussion (gasses +
fluid).
Ali Sadiek 13
Auscultation -percussion space

Ali Sadiek 14
 (Clinical Signs (continued
7-Variable degrees of second. ketosis.
8- Fatty liver
9- Deteriorat, loss of weight and death (20 %)
10- Signs of Mild hypocalcemia (Atonic
rumen, cold ears, widely dilated
pupils).
11-DA is usually complicated by :
– Dehydration.
– Metabolic Alkalosis.
– Hypochloremia.
– Hypokalemia
Ali Sadiek 15
 Diagnosis of DA
• Age: older lactating dairy cattle.
• Timing: 90% during first 6 wks postpartum
• Nutrition: Dry cow rations of High grain/
low roughage

Concurrent disease:
40% of DA’s have retained placenta,
mastitis, or metritis

Ali Sadiek 16
 Clinical pathology
• Normal CBC, or increased PCV, Hb & protein
• Metabolic alkalosis (slight)
• Hypo: Ca, K, Cl
• Ketosis (mild)
• Dehydration
• Hypoglycemia ?
• Hyperbilirubinemia
• Puncture of displaced objects: No protozoa,
pH (2)

Ali Sadiek 17
 Differential Diagnosis
• LDA
– 1ry ketosis (non-pinging LDA)
• RDA
– 1ry ketosis (non-pinging RDA)
– Other Right-sided pings:
• Uterus, cecum, peritoneum, colon, rectum
• “off feed” ping

Ali Sadiek 18
 Therapeutic Goals
• Return Abomasum to proper position
• Create a permanent attachment
• Correct electrolyte, acid-base, &
hydration deficits
• Treat other concurrent diseases

Ali Sadiek 19
 Non-Surgical Technique: Rolling
• Cast cow with ropes into right lateral
recumbency
• Roll onto back & extend the rear legs
• Roll in a 90-degree arc for 3 minutes, ending
in left lateral recumbency
• Bring the cow to sternal position & allow to
stand
• Ascult. the left thorax to ensure LDA is
relieved

Ali Sadiek 20
 Rolling Technique
• Advantages
– Quick & easy technique
– No invasive surgery
• DISADVANTAGES
– >50% relapse.
– If RDA or RTA are present, can exacerbate
problems

Ali Sadiek 21
 Surgical Techniques- Roll & Toggle

• +/- Tranquilization or
Sedation
• Cast cow onto right
side & roll onto back
• Clip & scrub
operational site:
– Area of loudest “ping”
– 4-7 inches behind
Xiphoid

Ali Sadiek 22
Surgical Techniques: Right Flank Omentopex

• Paravertebral/Invert-
ed L/ Line Block
• 20 cm vertical
incision in right
paralumbar fossa
• Left arm moves over
top of rumen to left
side of abdomen,
locates abomasum

Ali Sadiek 23
 Right Flank Omentopexy
• Feel abomasum for
adhesions
• Deflate gas
• Bring arm under
rumen, grab top of
abomasum & scoop
back to ventral
position

Ali Sadiek 24
 Right Flank Omentopexy
• Pull out omentum
through incision until
pylorus can be seen
• Mattress sutures
through peritoneum,
omentum, & muscle
• Continuous sutures on
inner layers of muscle
incorporating omentum

Ali Sadiek 25
 Right Flank Omentopexy
• Advantages:
– High success rate in experienced surgeons
– Standing procedure
– Can perform exploratory
• Disadvantages:
– Omentum can tear &
redisplacement
– Cannot see abomasum to evaluate
– Need long arms to reach across abdomen!

Ali Sadiek 26
 Abomasal Ulcer

It occurs in adult cows and calves and ch. by:

• Acute bleeding, indigestion, melana
• It may penetrate abomasal membrane
leading to:
1- Acute pain
2- Acute local peritonitis.
3- Diffuse peritonitis and death

Ali Sadiek 27
 Probable Causes
Stress of parturition, High
lactation, excessive feeding on
grains.
Ingestion of F. bodies, or tough
food.
Associate BVD, DA, A. Torsion,
Vagus indigestion.
Probably genetic predisposition
Ali Sadiek 28
 Pathogenesis
Ulcers
▼
Excess H+, Pepsin onto the wounded epithelium
▼
Damaged epith and wall
▼
pain and bleeding.
Types of Abomasal Ulcer:
1- Non penetrating Ulcer.
2- Ulcer causing blood loss.
3- Penetrating Ulcer with Acute Local peritonitis
4- Penetrating Ulcer with Acute diffuse peritonitis

Ali Sadiek 29
 Clinical signs
Varies acc. to type and consequence of ulcer
Acute abdominal Pain.
Black tarry feces (Melana) may continue for 4-6
days, then animal may recover or die within 24
hrs with acute bleeding.
Signs of anemia and Tachycardia
Death rate (25, 100, 50, 100 %) in types 1, 2, 3, 4
respect.
Bouts of diarrhea may occurs.
Sudden loss of appetite
Shock and Death in 7 hrs if acute local or
diffuse peritonitis occurs.

Ali Sadiek 30
 Lab. Findings and Diagnosis
• Occult test: To detect hidden blood in stool
• Neutrophilia ► Peritonitis
• Acute anemia: ▼ PCV, Hb, RBCs
Diagnosis:
• History of High lact. Heavily fed cows.
• Clinical signs is sufficient (melana,
anemia, abd. Pain)

Ali Sadiek 31
 Treatment :
• Blood transfusion, fluid therapy (if
PCV < 12 %)
• Vit. K & Ca
• Caolin and pectin
• Antacids (100 g Mg silicate daily).
• Surgical inteference is gaurded.

Ali Sadiek 32
 Abomasal impaction
• Associate V. indigestion.
• Feeding on fine ground grains, sandy
feed.
• In suckling calves (Excess casein in
milk )

Ali Sadiek 33
 :It Ch. Clinically by
• Abd. Distension (Lower right abd.)
• Ruminal atony
• Constipation and absence of feces.
• Loss of appetite & weight
• On auscult: ping over rumen
similar to that of DA.
• salivation
Ali Sadiek 34
 Diagnosis and treatment
• Rectal palpation may help in sever
omaso-abomasal impaction
• Laparotomy reveals distended hard
abomasum
• Treatment: unfavorable.
• Animal may die due to dehydration,
Metabolic alkalosis, hypokalemia,
hypochloremia.
Ali Sadiek 35
Abomasal impaction

Ali Sadiek 36