Atony of the scar in a cow: treatment

Treatment of atony of the proventriculus in a cow proceeds quickly and without consequences, but only if the disease is diagnosed in a timely manner. In the later stages of development, atony of the rumen in cattle is accompanied by intestinal obstruction, which can lead to the death of animals from exhaustion.

The disease is classified as seasonal – the peak incidence of scar atony occurs in spring and autumn. In the risk group are primarily cows, in second place – goats.

What is atony of the proventriculus of cattle

Atony of the rumen in a cow is a disease of the digestive system, which is expressed in a weakening of the tone of the muscles of the proventriculus. This causes them to stop contracting and cause stagnation of undigested food. If treatment is not started in time, the cow begins to starve and may eventually die from exhaustion.

Forms of the disease

It is customary to distinguish 2 forms of rumen atony in cows, which differ from each other only in the factors of occurrence:

1. The primary form of atony of the proventriculus develops as a result of disruption of the digestive organs caused by gross errors in the organization of feeding animals, the lack of walking in the winter season and insufficient water intake.
2. The secondary form of the disease can occur if any pathologies develop in other organs not related to digestion. For example, atony of the scar provokes metabolic disorders, vitamin deficiency, dysfunction of the kidneys and liver, as well as severe infections.

Causes of hypotension of the proventriculus in cattle

Atony of the proventriculus in a cow can occur for a number of reasons, which include:

1. Irregular feeding, when fasting alternates with intensive feeding of animals.
2. Feeding cattle with heavy feed (straw) or poor quality hay (stale, rotting, damp). Also included here are cheap concentrates.
3. Inclusion in the diet of cows of spoiled products: feed, expired, moldy vegetables, sprouted or rotting potatoes.
4. Sudden changes in the diet of cows. Atony of the proventriculus in cows in most cases develops in September-October, when the herd switches from fresh feed on pastures to mixed fodder.
5. Dirty stagnant water or its lack. An additional factor in the development of rumen atony is the supply of cold water to animals. It is recommended to warm it up at least a little.
6. uniformity of feeding. You can not feed animals only combined feeds. A complete diet of cows provides for feeding with succulent feed.
7. Infection with parasites or ingestion of intestinal infections in the body of an animal.
8. Stagnation of livestock. If you do not walk cows in the winter, the likelihood of rumen atony increases significantly.
9. Driving cattle over long distances during the summer months.
10. Too much industrial noise.

Symptoms of cattle rumen hypotension

Symptoms of atony of the proventriculus in a cow include the following signs:

• complete or partial cessation of lactation;
• the animal refuses food;
• behavior becomes lethargic, apathetic;
• heat;
• rapid weight loss;
• the cow begins to stale;
• belching stops;
• a seal is formed in the scar;
• scar muscles do not contract;
• animal feces are too dense;
• the animal stops defecating;
• diarrhea;
• lack of chewing gum.

The normal number of rumen contractions in a cow before feed intake is 2-3 times within 2 minutes. After eating, this figure increases to 4-5 times in 2 minutes. With atony of the proventriculus, the scar contracts only 1 time at the onset of the disease; in the later stages, the contraction disappears completely.

Course of the disease

The case history of rumen hypotension in cattle suggests the following changes in the animal body:

1. Oxidation of swallowed food in the cavity of the scar provokes pathological processes of the digestive organs.
2. The ratio of fatty acids is disturbed.
3. The number of microorganisms in the rumen is reduced. As a result, the digestion of fiber in food slows down.
4. 2-3 hours after the consumption of poor quality feed or a spoiled product, ciliary ciliates begin to divide.
5. On the 2nd day, ciliates begin to encyst.
6. The high concentration of toxins in the stomach kills these microorganisms.
7. Toxic products, when absorbed in the intestines, begin to depress the nervous system of the animal, which causes the refusal of food and the cessation of chewing gum.
8. Intermediate exchange is broken.
9. The reserve alkalinity of the blood decreases.

Diagnosis of atony of the proventriculus in cows

The history of the disease in most cows with atony of the rumen begins with the fact that the animal is stale and stops regurgitating food. The manifestation of these symptoms is a good reason to call the veterinarian. Before this, you can feel the belly of the cow. In the case of atony of the proventriculus, the scar is clearly felt in animals.

When making a diagnosis, there is always a risk that atony may be confused with an injury to the animal. In particular, the clinician must rule out the presence of traumatic reticulitis in the cow before reaching a final verdict.

Also, the absence of contractions of the proventriculus can be caused by damage to the walls of the esophagus and the proventriculus itself. This happens if the cow swallows a sharp foreign object. As with rumen atony, food stops being digested.

Treatment of atony of the proventriculus in cattle

At the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to consult a specialist. Examination by a veterinarian and subsequent consultation regarding the further treatment regimen significantly increase the chances of the animal to recover. With an independent choice of treatment methods, errors are possible in determining the dosages of drugs and a violation of the recommended diet.

A set of measures to combat atony of the scar is aimed at solving the following problems:

• normalization of the secretion of the pancreas;
• restoration of motor functions of the muscles of the scar;
• stop the decay of food in the stomach;
• elimination of intoxication processes.

The general treatment plan for scar atony is as follows:

1. The amount of feed on the 1st day of treatment is reduced to a minimum or completely stopped feeding. At the same time, cows continue to be given water. It is recommended to add table salt to it at the rate of 10 g per 10 liters of water.
2. On the 2nd day, animals are fed some greens, vegetables or high quality hay.
3. On the 3rd day, start feeding the combined feed.
4. For a speedy recovery, you can add a medicinal talker, which is made from Glauber’s salt, to the feed. 150 g of the substance is diluted in 1 liter of water and 450-700 g of vegetable oil.
5. From time to time, the scar area is massaged with a fist. Massage frequency: 4 times a day for 10-12 minutes.
6. When the disease starts, physiotherapy measures are carried out, agreed with the veterinarian.

In addition to adjusting the diet of cows, it is also necessary to choose drugs for the treatment of sick animals. They are prescribed by a veterinarian.

Most often, with atony of the scar, the following drugs are prescribed:

1. “Prozerin”. The treatment is combined with the introduction of a special yeast solution into the diet of the animal. To do this, 100 g of yeast is mixed with 200 g of sugar and diluted in 1 liter of water, followed by the addition of ethyl alcohol (no more than 45-50 ml). The solution is given to cows 1 time per day after 2 days.
2. With severe intoxication, cows are given injections of magnesium and glucose.
3. Fermentation in the digestive organs is stopped with a solution of “Ichthyol” in the proportion of 15 ml per 1 liter of water. Frequency of use: 2 times a day every day. You can also use Protosubtilin.
4. Acid balance is corrected with lactic acid. To do this, 1-30 ml of the substance is diluted in 70 liter of water. The mixture is given to sick cows every 2 days.

Alternative methods of treatment include the use of solutions and infusions from medicinal herbs. These include the following plants:

1. Hellebore normalizes bowel function. The grass is insisted and the sick animal is watered for 2-3 days.
2. Wormwood improves appetite. The infusion is given to cows 2 times a day for 15 g.
3. Cucumber pickle. The recommended rate per day is 300-400 ml.

Forecast

The chances of recovery from atony of the stomach in a cow are quite high. The prognosis for the success of treatment is especially favorable if the disease was diagnosed on time – in the early stages, the animal recovers in a matter of days.

If atony of the proventriculus caused complications in the form of inflammation of the abomasum and intestines, and the book overflowed, the treatment is delayed for 1-2 weeks. If the disease is detected in the later stages of development, it can become chronic.

preventive measures

In order to prevent the occurrence of atony of the proventriculus in a cow, it is necessary to properly organize the feeding of the animal. In addition, it is important to adhere to the general recommendations for the care of cattle, so the prevention of atony of the proventriculus includes the following set of measures:

1. Cows should drink clean, fresh water. In stagnant water, into which foreign objects or food particles have fallen, harmful microorganisms will soon develop. When they enter the body of a cow, they provoke the development of atony of the proventriculus.
2. The selection of feed for animal nutrition must be carried out carefully. In no case should you feed cattle with musty hay, straw, rotting root crops, sprouted potatoes or moldy greens. Of course, providing cows with quality food is costly, however, the cost of treatment after the development of atony will be even higher.
3. The transfer of animals from one type of feed to another is carried out gradually. Abrupt changes in the diet lead not only to atony, but also to general disorders in the digestive tract.
4. Cattle are fed in a standardized way, taking into account the recommended dosages and frequency, which are calculated based on the age of the animals. Fasting, even short-term, followed by increased feeding, designed to compensate for hungry days, has a particularly negative effect on the health of cows.
5. Roughage is given to animals only after preliminary steaming or mixing with succulent feed.
6. In the winter months, it is recommended to let the cows out of the house for a walk at least 1-2 times a week. A 2-hour warm-up is enough to reduce the risk of developing atony.

You can learn more about the treatment of scar atony from the video below:

Reviews on the treatment of atony of the proventriculus in a cow

Conclusion

Treatment of atony of the proventriculus in a cow in most cases ends in success. The most important thing is to diagnose the disease in time, since in the early stages the chances of recovery are much higher. If delayed with treatment, atony of the proventriculus in a cow can lead to the death of the animal.