Digestive Diseases in

Animals
Dr.Kedar Karki.
Central Veterinary Laboratory Kathmandu
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Objectives:
– Discuss the various digestive diseases
associated with animals
– Comprehension of and awareness of
causes, symptoms, and treatments of
these diseases
– Awareness of preventative measures
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Foot & Mouth Disease
– Highly contagious, febrile
– Affects:
• Cattle, swine, sheep, goats
• Horses are resistant
– 9 outbreaks in U.S. history
• Last one in 1929
– Quarantines are established for control
– Continues to be a threat to the industry
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Cause
• Viral infection
• 7 strains w/ additional subtypes
• Infection may be caused by one or more
• Infected animals my suffer repeated
attacks due to short lifespan of immunity
– Immunity from one type doesn’t provide immunity
against another type
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Transmission
• During febrile stage:
– Virus found in: saliva, blood, urine, milk, muscle
• Virus remains alive in carcasses, animal by-
products, contaminated feeds, bedding,
equipment, utensils
• Contact w/ infected animals or contaminated
materials
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Clinical Signs
• Fluid-filled blisters form on mucous
membranes of tongue, lips, cheeks, palate
– Toes and hoof area, and udder
• Vesicles rupture w/in 24 hrs
– Tremendous pain
– Profuse salivation
– What other symptoms might you see?
• Body temperature rises rapidly in first 48
hrs, but will fall back close to normal
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Infection may localize in a major organ
resulting in abortions, mastitis, death
– Prevention
• No vaccination available
• Basis for prevention:
– Federal restrictions on the importation of
susceptible livestock & contaminated by-products
– Immediate quarantine for an outbreak
– Eradication of infected & exposed animals
– Thorough cleaning & disinfection
– Restock w/ a few susceptible animals to test site
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Treatment
• No treatment available.
• Must report suspicious cases to government
• Bloat
– Non-contagious disorder or ruminants
– Excessive accumulation of gas in the first two
compartments of the stomach
• Inability to expel the gas, not too much gas
production
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Animals can become chronic or acute
– Cause
• No specific known causes
– Or, little disagreement or causes
• Associated factors
– Animal susceptibility
– Type of feed
– Environment in which animal is fed
• Causative theories (none proven)
– Lack of coarse roughage
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Density of feeds
– Saponins
» Formation of soaps & glycerols
– Excess gas production
» Unlikely since healthy animals often eat the
same diet
– Formation of toxic substances
– Saliva production and/or composition
» Important for bloat prevention more than a
causative agent
– Animal differences
» Is somewhat genetic
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Clinical signs
• Distention of left side
– May enlarge up and over back
• More difficult to detect in overweight
animals, or sheep w/ full fleece
• Off-feed, uneasy movement, stand w/ head
extended
• May slobber, grunt, labor breathing
• May have difficulty standing as condition
worsens
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Prevention
• Reduce and eliminate possible causative
agents
• Strategies
– Avoid straight legume pasture & immature
legumes
– Feed coarse grass hay prior to lush pasture
– Feed dry forage along w/ pasture
– Avoid rapid eating from empty start
– Keep animals on pasture continuously once turned
out
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Keep water & salt available at all times
– Avoid frosted pasture
– Use preventative treatments if necessary
– Treatment
• Prompt treatment is essential
• Producer should know how to handle minor
instances
• Walk animal, tie w/ front end elevated
• Acute cases
– Pass hose into stomach to let off gas
» Must move constantly to catch gas pockets
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Trocar & cannula
» Insert in side between hip, last rib, and loin
edge
» Let gas leak out of side
» Place on penicillin to minimize infection of
puncture site

• Traumatic Reticulitis (Hardware)

– Acute or chronic mechanical injury to
reticulum
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Cause
• Ingestion of sharp metal that punctures the
reticular wall
– Nails, wire, screws, etc.
» Wire accounts for 75% of the cases
» Nails 20%
» Pieces 2-4” are most troublesome
• Mixed and coarse feeds are good at hiding
sharp foreign materials
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Clinical Symptoms
• Anorexia, reduce milk production, slow
movement, arched back
• Stand w/ feet wide apart, toes pointed in
• Difficulty w/ defecation & urination
• Moderately febrile, elevated resp. rate
– Prevention
• Administer bar magnet
• Permanent in reticulum, only recovered upon
slaughter of animal
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Treatment
• May treat w/ antibiotics to control infection,
if case is mild
• Severe cases require surgical repair to remove
object
– Hardware often leads to peritonitis or
pericarditis, if not caught early
• Impaction
– Ingestion of large amounts of high
carbohydrate feeds due to excess
production of lactic acid
 Cont:
– Causes severe toxemia, dehydration,
blindness, recumbency, cessation of
rumen motility, high mortality
– Cause
• Accidental access to large quantities of
whole or ground grain
• Feeder cattle and lambs brought into
feedlot situations most susceptible, or an
animal restricted from feed
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Rapid fermentation of feed increases
concentration of lactic acid in rumen
– Decreases rumen motility, and eventually stops it
– Clinical signs
• Onset is faster with ground feeds
• Severity increases w/ the amount of feed
eaten
• Severe cases identified w/in 12 hrs
• Abdominal pain, depression, grunting, teeth
grinding, foul-smelling diarrhea
• Increased pulse, suppressed temperature
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Staggery, drunken gait, may appear blind
• Rapid development of severe symptoms
often leads to death
– Prevention
• Feed additives (sodium bicarb) help to
decrease susceptibility
– Treatment
• Remove grain, feed hay
• Treat w/ penicillin
• May mix baking soda w/ sterile water IV for
cattle
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• 1g of mineral oil orally
– Can have impaction of omasum,
abomasum, large intestine
• Acidosis in Horses
– Occurs after hard working periods
– Also can happen after diarrhea
– Cause
• Heat exhaustion & severe diarrhea
– Drastic loss of bicarbonate
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Heavily exercised horses can lose 10-12L of
sweat/hr
– Clinical Signs
• Rapid, shallow breathing, poor appetite,
weakness, lastitude, coma
– Treatment
• Oral & IV sodium bicarbonate
• Addition of salt to the diet
– 2 Tablespoons/d
– Stimulate the horse to drink water
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Acidosis in Cattle
– Can occur in feedlot or dairy cattle
– Cattle deprived of feed
– Cause
• Changes in feed
• Alteration in feeding schedule
• Stress
• Pushing too hard w/ grain (too high energy
level)
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Drastic changes in rumen pH
– Protozoa & gram + bacteria cannot survive
» Low pH organisms take over & produce more
lactic acid
– Clinical Signs
• Abdominal pain
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• Teeth grinding
• Diarrhea (bubbly & smelly)
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Prevention
• Gradual changes in feed
• Reduce stress
– Deworm
– Vaccinations
• Keep feed available
• Feed sodium bicarb
– Treatment
• Remove grain
• Feed hay
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Penicillin & sodium bicarb
• Severe cases
– IV sodium bicarb w/ sterile water
– Mineral oil
– Effects
• Acidosis will tend to have associated
problems
– Founder
– Anorexia
– Liver abscesses
– Bloat
– Anaphylaxsis
– Death
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Peritonitis
– Inflammation of peritoneum
– Tenderness, pain, constipation
– Cause
• Penetration of peritoneal wall
• Perforation of digestive or genital tracts
• Can be due to external injury, or internal
problem
– Internal causes are more often fatal
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Clinical Signs
• Elevated temperature & depression
• Rigid stance, don’t lie down
• Dehydration
– Although may still drink lots of water
• Constipation early, then profuse diarrhea
• Rapid pulse
– Treatment
• Surgery to correct perforations, if
appropriate
• Broad spectrum antibiotics
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Displaced Abomasum
– Abomasum is displaced either to the
left or right side
• Locations of displacement
– Often occurs in dairy
• Early in lactation
• Associated with other metabolic/health
problems
– Can also include torsion
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Cause
• Low-fiber, high soluble carbohydrate diets
• Low rumen pH
– Decreased rumen motility increases gas in
abomasum
• Mixing errors
• Ketosis, milk fever, RP, mastitis, lameness
– Clinical signs
• Abnormal appetite
• Rapid weight loss
• Normal temp, resp., pulse
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Gaunt appearance
– Detection
• Stethoscope
• Thump/flick left and/or right side
• Will hear distinct “ping”
– Treatment
• Requires surgery for either left or right DA
• Can roll & toggle
• RDA’s are more difficult to recover
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Bovine Viral Diarrhea
– Acute, contagious disease of cattle
– Present across the U.S.
– Cause
• Spreads readily by contact
– Also vectors, traffic (footwear & vehicle)
– Clinical Signs
• Can have severe fever (103-108)
• Cough, mouth & nasal discharge
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Mouth lesions
• Possible lameness
• Diarrhea
• Rapid wt. loss
• May cause abortions from d58 of gestation
to 7th month
– First trimester – likely to abort (may or may not
observe)
– Second trimester – may survive but w/
incomplete development of major organs
– Third trimester – may show mild infection, but
have high level of antibodies, tend to recover
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Calves can also become PI’s
– Recognize the disease as “normal”
– Will shed the virus constantly
– Can infect many others, extremely quickly
• Chronic BVD
– Occurs in herds w/ persistent, subclinical
symptoms
» Poor nutrition & mgmt contribute
– Constant emaciation, poor appetite, slow growth
– Periods of diarrhea
– 2-6 mo. Cycles
– 10% death rate
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Prevention
• Vaccination (MLV or Killed)
– MLV – don’t vaccinate pregnant cows
– Vaccine may be ineffective in calves <6 mos.
– Treatment
• Antibiotics are somewhat effective
• Keep hydrated
• Avoid rebreeding infected animals, or cull
form herd
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Colic in Horses
– Acute indigestion
– Severe abdominal pain
– Cause
• Windsucking
• Eating spoiled grain
• Impaction of stomach or intestine
– Too much grain
– Coarse hay
– Sudden change
– Lack of water or exercise
– parasites
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Cramping
– Large amount of very cold water
– Very cold water after exercise
• Twisted intestine
– Horse rolls in pain
– Pulse rate will be >100
– Surgery is recommended
• Intussusception
– Intestine telescopes inside itself
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Clinical Signs
• Pain may come & go
• Groaning, pawing, looking at sides, lying
down, sweating, rolling
• Pulse & respiration rates increase
• No appetite
• No bowel movements
– Prevention
• No sudden feed changes
• Regular exercise
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Plenty of clean water
• Clean, dry hay, not too coarse
• Free choice salt
• Don’t feed on the ground
• Deworm
– Treatment
• Walk the horse
• Call vet
• Keep from lying down or rolling
– Never let roll
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• May require surgery
• Vet may pass tube to alleviate gas, or use
laxatives
• Often use pain-relievers
• Swine Edema Disease
– Usually occurs from 4-14 wks of age
– Can easily be confused w/ other
diseases
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Cause
• Colonization of E. coli in the intestine that
produce a toxin
• Often associated w/ stress
– Clinical signs
• Sudden death of apparently healthy pigs
• Typically occurs after: weaning, vaccination,
castration, feed change
• Mild listlessness, wobbly gait, poor appetite
• May be febrile
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Short time period
– Mild problem – recover in 36-48 hrs
– Severe – die w/in 6-24 hrs
• Dramatic symptoms
– Lack of coordination
– Wandering, or circular walking pattern
– Apparent blindness
– Muscle tremors, convulsions
• Edema of eyelids, ears, face, jowl
– Post-mortem exam will show edema of stomach
– Edema of brain causes the wandering, blindness
– Edema can also be in respiratory tract
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Hemorrhagic lesions on belly and/or legs
– Prevention
• No recommended vaccine
• Reduce stress
• Use antibiotics
– Treatment
• Not very successful
• Feed antibiotic if anticipating a sudden
change
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Scours
– Can affect foals, pigs, and calves
– Foals
• Usually not too problematic
• Cause
– Mare’s first heat after foaling
– Diet changes
– Parasites
– Infections
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Clinical signs
– Usually mild
– Watery, smelling diarrhea
– Poor appetite for 24-36 hrs
– Can be profuse diarrhea
» Causes extreme dehydration
• Prevention
– Sanitation
– Adequate colostrum
– No vaccination
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Treatment
– If severe:
» Electrolytes & fluids
» Call vet
– If mild
» Monitor closely for other symptoms
– Pigs
• Can be highly fatal
• Occurs in first few days
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Cause
– E. coli
– Usually aided by chilled body temps following
farrowing
– Poor farrowing conditions & improperly fed sows
– Infection through naval cord
– Ingestion of infected feces
• Clinical signs
– Watery – yellow diarrhea
– Wt. loss, listlessness
– Secondary infections – blood poisoning,
pneumonia, infection of abdominal lining
– Mortality can be 100%
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Prevention
– Sanitation & disinfection
– Broad spectrum antibiotics and/or sulfa drugs
» Can be administered through the water
– Vaccinate sows
» Make endogenous vaccine specific for the
farm
– Calves
• 3 contributing factors
– Faulty nutrition
– Stress
– Infectious organisms
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• One of most serious health risks in calves
• Disrupts growth, weakens immune system
• Cause
– E. coli
» Causes scours from 1-3d old
– Rota and/or corona virus
» Causes scours from 5-15d old
• Clinical signs
– Cold nose & extremities
– White, watery scours (first 48-72 hrs of life)
– What else will you see?
Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Febrile
» 103-106 temp
– Calf becomes anorexic, unthrifty looking, pot
bellied
• Prevention
– Reduce exposure to newborn calves
– Optimal amounts of colostrum w/in specified time
– Vaccinate dam 2-6 wks before parturition
• Treatment
– Discontinue milk feeding for 2-3d
– Administer fluids (oral & injection)
– Antibiotics
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Coccidiosis
– Parasitic disease of cattle, sheep, swine
– Usually occurs in situations where cattle are
confined to smaller areas
– Mature animals carry coccidia & shed in the
fecal matter
– Many young have a low-grade coccidia infection
throughout life
• Become resistant to coccidiosis, unless their
resistance is lowered significantly by another factor
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Cause
• Protozoan parasite Coccidia
– No cross infection between species
• Influences on a coccidiosis outbreak
– Sanitation
– Stress (weaning)
– Shipping
– Overcrowding
– Feed changes
– Other diseases
– Weather
– Birds (carriers of coccidia)
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Clinical signs
• Commonly in young animals
• 2-3 wks after birth, or shipping
• Diarrhea (blood-stained, except swine)
• Loss of appetite (slight)
• Pneumonia
• Severe infection – death 4-6d
• Most will survive
– Prevention
• Avoid feed & water contamination
• Quarantine affected animals
• Expose infected area to sun
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Feed an ionophore
– Treatment
• Amprolium, Lasalocid, or Deccoquinate
• Salmonellosis
– Two forms
• Infection of genital tract (abortions in
mares, ewes)
• Paratyphoid dysentery of farm animals
– Young or old
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
– Can infect the meat of the animal and
pass to humans, or back to animals in
feeds
– Cause
• >1000 Salmonella species
– Most can cause problems
– Clinical Signs
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• High fever
• Water, odorous diarrhea (blood-streaked)
 Digestive Diseases in
Animals
• Pregnant females may abort
– Prevention
• Must control more than prevent
– Restrict entrance of new animals into herd
– Contaminated feed
– Birds
• Quarantine infected animals
– Treatment
• Antibiotics