Internal Diseases of Farm Animals:

Intestinal Diseases
in Cattle

Krystyna Lidia Wędrychowska, DVM

Sub-Department of Internal Diseases of Farm Animals and Horses
Department and Clinic of Animal Internal Diseases
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
 Intestinal Diseases in Cattle

• Acute Intestinal Obstructions

• Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
• Winter Dysentery
Acute Intestinal Obstructions

• intestinal obstructions are functional or mechanical in

nature and result in a decrease or absence of feces
• diagnosis is based on abnormal findings during examination
via palpation per rectum, transabdominal ultrasonography,
clinicopathologic testing including peritoneal fluid analysis,
and exploratory laparotomy
• treatment depends on the cause of the obstruction
Acute Intestinal Obstructions

luminal
mechanical strangulating
obstructions extraluminal
simple
functional
obstruction
Acute Intestinal Obstructions

• interruption of the flow of ingesta

• mechanical or functional in nature
• mechanical intestinal obstructions are characterized as being luminal or
extraluminal
• extraluminal obstructions include strangulating obstructions in animals
with volvulus of a portion of the GI tract, or simple extraluminal
obstruction in animals with an abdominal mass
• functional obstructions - a generalized hypomotility or ileus
• functional obstructions occur more often than mechanical obstructions
Acute Intestinal Obstructions

Clinical presentations in two calves

affected with intestinal obstruction.
Depression of the cases and recumbency
is evident. Pictures B and D point to
mucus in the perineal region.
Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Etiology and Pathogenesis
• cause of a functional intestinal obstruction often is not determined
• associated with altered intestinal motility, often due to dietary or
management factors, phytobezoars, parasitic infection, enteritis,
peritonitis, or electrolyte abnormalities
• congenital motility disorders such as megacolon
• mechanical obstructions (physical blockage of ingesta) occur because of
abnormalities in the bowel lumen, bowel wall, or obstructions external to
the GI tract
• mechanical obstructions include congenital obstructions (e.g., atresia
jejuni, coli, recti, and ani in calves; atresia ani in lambs and pigs) that
block the passage of feces from birth
Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Clinical Findings and Diagnosis
• decreased or absent feces and variable abdominal distention
• presence of abnormalities during palpation per rectum,
transcutaneous ultrasonography, clinicopathologic and peritoneal
fluid analysis, and exploratory laparotomy
• treading of the hind limbs, stretching, restlessness, kicking at the
abdomen, and grinding of teeth; rolling and bellowing rarely occur
• clinical signs of intestinal obstruction in cattle are generally more
subtle than in horse
Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Clinical Findings and Diagnosis
• cattle with intestinal obstruction are anorectic and pass few or no feces,
and milk production in lactating cows drops suddenly
• passed feces may be covered with mucus, or mixed or coated with blood
• thick, raspberry-colored blood mixed with scant feces is characteristic of
small-intestinal bleeding, particularly that associated with
intussusception or hemorrhagic jejunitis
• blood from the colon or rectum is generally brighter red
• calves with atresia coli are healthy at birth; however, they have
progressive abdominal distention and decreased appetite during the first
few days of life.
Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Clinical Findings and Diagnosis
• profound changes in cardiovascular parameters, such as tachycardia,
abnormal color of the mucous membranes, prolonged capillary refill
time, and dehydration, are most commonly associated with hemorrhagic
strangulating obstructions such as volvulus of the jejunal-ileal flange of
the small intestine
• metabolic derangements range from hypokalemic, hypochloremic
metabolic alkalosis in longstanding small-intestinal and duodenal
obstructions to severe metabolic acidosis with strangulating obstructions
• there are no metabolic derangements in mild functional obstructions and
early (simple) mechanical obstructions, particularly if a relatively distal
portion of the intestinal tract is involved. Hypocalcemia can develop,
presumably because of decreased calcium absorption from the
duodenum
 Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Treatment
• based on the cause of the obstruction
• usually medical in functional obstructions and surgical in mechanical obstructions
• treatment of functional intestinal obstruction is generally symptomatic and supportive
after identifying and eliminating the inciting cause
• dehydration and electrolyte imbalances should be corrected by appropriate fluid
therapy (oral or intravenous)
• lactating cows often benefit from calcium chloride gels administered orally or calcium
borogluconate or calcium gluconate administered subcutaneously, and oral potassium
chloride (120 g twice at 12-hour interval)
• Erythromycin (10 mg/kg, IM, every 12 hours) is the most effective pharmacologic
method purported to increase abomasal emptying rate
• mechanical obstructions almost always require surgery!
 Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Treatment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc3Zi8QSQM0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4kYnILZsvc
Acute Intestinal Obstructions
Prevention
• prevention of all, or even most, cases of intestinal
obstruction is not possible
• abrupt changes in feeding and management
• inadequate water intake
• parasite infection
• dental abnormalities
• and access to coarse feeds, highly fermentable
feedstuffs, and foreign material should be avoided
or corrected
Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome (HBS)

• sporadic disease
• uncertain etiology
• increasing frequency in cattle
• sudden onset of abdominal pain and obstipation progressing
to sternal recumbency, shock, and death
Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Etiology and Pathogenesis
• Etiology is believed to be multifactorial
• Clostridium perfringens type A, a normal inhabitant of the bovine digestive tract
was isolated from the intestines of occurring cases more often than with other
intestinal diseases
• Aspergillus fumigatus, a common fungus in feed and forages
• Pathogenesis
• acute, localized, necrotizing, hemorrhagic enteritis of the small intestine leads to
development of an intraluminal blood clot
• The clot causes a physical obstruction, with proximal accumulation of intestinal
fluid and gas and development of abdominal distension, dehydration, and varying
degrees of anemia.
• The hemorrhagic enteritis is progressive. Ischemia and necrosis extends through
the intestinal wall, and, if untreated, there is a fibrinous peritonitis within 24–48
hours, followed by profound toxemia and death
Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Epidemiology

• occurs sporadically
• primarily in mature lactating dairy cows but also beef cattle
• North America and Europe
• highest incidence rates during the cold months of the year
• Possible risk factors:
• high fermentable carbohydrate content of the diet
• feeding a total mixed ration (TMR)
• incidence rate is estimated to be 1%–2%
• morbidity rates of ≥10%
• mortality is high, with 80%–100% of affected animals dying within 48
hours
 Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Clinical Findings
• sudden anorexia and depression
• sudden and pronounced drop in milk production
• abdominal distention and pain, with kicking at the abdomen
• dark, bramble jelly-type feces, scant in amount
• dullness and weakness progressing to recumbency
• dehydration, pale mucous membranes
• increased heart and respiratory rates
• there can still be good rumen fill, but the rumen is atonic
• dark red blood clots with a sticky bramble jelly-type consistency are present in the feces
• the rectum appears dry and sticky, only containing small amounts of dark feces
• the small intestine proximal and the abomasum are distended with gas and fluid
• the hemogram is variable
• hypokalemia and hypochloremia
Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Lesions

• necrohemorrhagic enteritis
• anywhere in the small intestine
• severe but localized intraluminal hemorrhage
• affected segment of intestine is dark red and dilated, with
tags of fibrin on the serosal surface
• the lumen contains a firm blood clot adherent to the mucosa,
and at advanced stages the affected segment of intestine
becomes necrotic and feels friable on palpation
Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Lesions

Feces of cows with hemorrhagic

bowel syndrome have a sticky,
bramble, jelly-like consistency.

Courtesy of Dr. Walter Grünberg

A. Hemorrhage on mucosa and obstruction due to completely filled with
blood clots of the jejunal lumen
B. Jejunal lumen (L) narrowed due to submucosal (Sb) bleeding
 Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Lesions

Small intestine affected by

necrohemorrhagic inflammation, with
its serosal layer covered with fibrin.
The part proximal to the segment
obstructed by a blood clot is distended
by fluid accumulation, whereas the
distal part of the small intestine
appears empty.

Courtesy of Dr. Sameeh M. Abutarbush.

Jejunum.
A. Extensive hemorrhages in submucosa (Sb) and lamina propria (Lp), eosinophilic
granulocyte and mononuclear cell infiltrates in lamina propria, H&E,
B. B. Intensive Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria around of necrotic and hemorrhagic
areas in the lamina propria. Brown-Brenn Gram’s stain
 Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Diagnosis Differential diagnoses
• characteristic lesions in the small • other causes of physical or functional
intestine determined during obstruction of the small intestine
exploratory laparotomy or at (eg, intussusception, cecal dilatation
necropsy and volvulus)
• tentative diagnosis can be made • diffuse peritonitis, from right-
based on signs of intestinal sided torsion of the abomasum or
obstruction in combination with the torsion at the root of the mesentery
characteristic appearance of the • diseases causing melena
feces (eg, abomasal ulcer)
 Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome
Treatment and Control

• surgery to localize small intestinal loops and manually reduce and dislodge
blood clots within the intestinal lumen - the most efficient treatment option
in the early stages
• fluid and electrolyte therapy
• advanced stages: resection of the affected segment of the intestine
• prokinetic substances to enhance intestinal passage
• heparin to prevent new clot formation in the intestinal lumen
• the fatality rate is high
• the prognosis is grave
• no preventive strategies
• C perfringens type C and D vaccine ?
Winter Dysentry

• an infectious disease that affects all ages of cattle

• extremely infectious with up to 100% of cattle being affected
• death is very rare
• cause is unknown but acoronavirus is the current favourite
Winter Dysentry
Clinical signs

• Severe, watery, foul-smelling dark brown diarrhoea

• The diarrhoea may be explosive
• There may be some blood in the faeces
• Usually seen in one or two cattle at first, but spreads rapidly,
with most older cattle being affected within two weeks
• Appetite is usually normal, but milk yield may be reduced by 50%
• Usually lasts two to three days
Winter Dysentry
Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis Treatment
• On the clinical signs described • No effective treatment, and most
above cows recover within three days
• Initial cases may look like a • If dehydration occurs then
poisoning or feed problem, but electrolytes (by mouth or by vein if
rapid spread and severity (without very severe) are essential
death) makes diagnosis relatively
easy
Winter Dysentry
Prevention
• The disease may be brought on farm by outside personnel, such as
veterinarians, consultants, hoof trimmers, and representatives. So ensure
that such staff are clean prior to entry
• Bought-in cattle are also an important source of disease
• If an outbreak occurs, no cattle or unnecessary personnel should enter the
farm and strict disinfection should occur before anybody leaves the farm
• After an outbreak, herd immunity tends to reduce the risk of another
outbreak for about five years
Winter Dysentry

READ MORE:
Credits
• https://www.msdvetmanual.com/digestive-system/intestinal-diseases-in-
ruminants/intestinal-diseases-in-cattle
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-
sciences/forestomach
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7152355/pdf/main.pdf
• https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-a-z/cattle/winter-dysentry/
• https://www.veterinaryhandbook.com.au/Diseases.aspx?diseasenameid=109
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc3Zi8QSQM0

• M. Çi̇ftçi̇, O. Yavuz, F. Hatipoglu, Ozgur Ozdemir -Hemorrhagic bowel

syndrome in a Holstein cow - case report, Kafkas Universitesi Veteriner
Fakultesi Dergisi