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Authors: Anderson DE, Constable PD, St Jean G, Hull BL
Publications: J Am Vet Med Assoc 1993;203:1178-1183
Species: Cattle
Diseases: Small-intestinal Volvulus
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Medical records of 35 cattle with small-intestinal volvulus were reviewed. Surgical correction was performed on 32 cattle, and 17 of these cattle were discharged from the hospital. Mean duration of clinical signs for survivors was not significantly different from that for nonsurvivors, and the most commonly recorded clinical signs were abdominal pain, anorexia, lethargy, abdominal distention, and dehydration. Physical examination of cattle with intestinal volvulus revealed tachycardia, tachypnea, and normothermia. Rectal examination findings included distended small intestine, scant feces or mucus, and tight bands coursing dorsoventrally in the middle portion of the abdomen. Clinicopathologic testing revealed azotemia, hypocalcemia, hyperglycemia, and leukocytosis with a left shift. Nonsurvivors had significantly lower mean preoperative venous blood pH and mean base excess and higher mean serum potassium concentration than did survivors. A diagnosis of volvulus of the entire small intestine was made during surgery in 25 cattle, whereas volvulus of the distal jejunum and ileum was diagnosed during surgery in 7 cattle. Survival rate following surgical correction of volvulus of the entire small intestine (44%) was not significantly different from survival rate following surgical correction of volvulus of the distal jejunum and ileum (86%). However, survival rate for dairy cattle (63%) was significantly higher than survival rate for beef cattle (22%). To determine potential risk factors for the development of small-intestinal volvulus, epidemiologic data from cattle admitted to veterinary teaching hospitals throughout North America were collected by searching records entered into the Veterinary Medical Data Base. Follow up information was obtained for 12 of the 17 cattle discharged from the hospital; 11 of the 12 had returned to production soundness. Epidemiological data was evaluated to determine potential risk factors for the development of intestinal volvulus. Between 1967 and 1991, 190 of 242745 cattle had small intestinal volvulus. Surgical correction was performed on 130 cattle, and 75 cattle were discharged from the hospital (overall survival rate, 39.5%; postoperative survival rate, 57.7%). Dairy cattle had an increased risk of developing small-intestinal volvulus, compared with beef cattle, and cattle >7 years old had a decreased risk, compared with cattle <2 months old.
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