Ruminal Tympany

17/6/23, 12:04 Ruminal Tympany
VIVO Pathophysiology Digestive System > Digestive Physiology

of Herbivores
Ruminal Tympany (Bloat, Hoven)

Prodigious volumes of gas are continually generated in the rumen through the
process of microbial fermentation. Normally, the bulk of this gas is eliminated by
eructation or belching, which ruminants are spend a lot of time doing. Certainly,
anything that interferes with eructation will cause major problems for a ruminant.
The problem, of course, is called ruminal tympany or, simply, bloat.
Pathogenesis
Bloat is the overdistension of the rumen and reticulum with gases derived from
fermentation. The disorder is perhaps most commonly seen in cattle, but certainly
is not uncommon in sheep and goats.
Two types of bloat are observed, corresponding to different mechanisms which

prevent normal eructation of gas:
1. Frothy bloat (primary tympany) results when fermentation gases are trapped
in a stable, persistent foam which is not readily eructated. As quantities of this
foam build up, the rumen becomes progressively distended and bloat occurs.
This type of bloat occurs most commonly in two settings:
Animals on pasture, particularly those containing alfalfa or clover (pasture

bloat). These legumes are rapidly digested in the rumen, which seems to
results in a high concentration of fine particles that trap gas bubbles.
Additionally, some of the soluble proteins from such plants may serve as
foaming agents.
Animals feed high levels of grain, especially when it is finely ground (feedlot
bloat). Again, rapid digestion and an abundance of small particles appear to
trap gas in bubbles. Additionally, some species of bacteria that are
abundant in animals on high concentrate rations produce an insoluble slime
that promotes formation of a stable foam.
Bloat on pasture is frequently associated with "interrupted feeding" - animals that

are taken off pasture, then put back on, or turned out on pasture for the first time
in the spring.
2. Free gas bloat (secondary tympany) occurs when the animal is unable to
eructate free gas in the rumen. The cause of this problem is often not discovered,
but conditions that partially obstruct the esophagus (foreign bodies, abscesses,
tumors) or interfere with rumenoreticular motility (i.e. reticular adhesions, damage
to innervation of the rumen) clearly can be involved.
Another cause of free gas bloat that should be mentioned involves posture. A
ruminant cannot eructate when lying on its back, and if a cow falls into a ditch and
is unable to right itself, she will bloat rapidly. Ruminants that are to undergo
surgery in dorsal recumbancy should be starved for 12 to 24 hours prior to
www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/herbivores/tympany.html 1/4
surgery, or by the time the surgeon is ready to make the incision, the abdomen
will already be distended.
Regardless of whether bloat is of the flothy or free gas type, distention of the
rumen compresses thoracic and abdominal organs. Blood flow in abdominal
organs is compromised, and pressure on the diaphragm interferes with lung
function. The cause of death is usually hypoxia due to pulmonary failure.
Clinical Signs
In animals that are not observed frequently, bloat is commonly manifest as
sudden death, reinforcing the concept that this is an acute disease with a short
course.
Diagnosis of bloat is typically straightforward, and the clinical picture largely

reflects how long the condition has existed. Signs include:
abdominal distension: the rumen is on the left side, and hence, distention is
typically most prominent on that side. As distention continues, the entire
abdomen may become distended.
reluctance to move and cessation of feeding
signs of distress: anxiety and vocalization
respiratory distress: rapid breathing, neck extended with protruding tongue
staggering and recumbancy: once a animal with bloat is recumbant, death
occurs rapidly.
Although bloat is primarily an acute disorder, chronic, recurrent forms are

recognized in calves.
Pathology
Animals that die from bloat have rather

characteristic lesions, including
congestion and hemorrhages in the
cranial thorax, neck and head, and
compression of the lungs. Pressure
from the distended rumen leads to
congestion and hemorrhage of the
esophagus in the region of the neck,
while the esophagus in the thorax is
pale. This demarcation between
congestion and pallor seen in the
region of the thoracic inlet is called the
"bloat line", as depicted below. Usually,
the liver is also pale because of displaced blood and interruption of blood supply.
Obvious distension of the rumen is certainly observed in animals that die of bloat,
but also occurs rapidly after death from almost any cause in ruminants, and is not
a useful diagnostic lesion.
Treatment and Control
Bloat is a life threatening condition and must be relieved with haste. For animals
in severe distress, rumen gas should be released immediately by emergency
rumenotomy. Insertion of a rumen trochar through the left flank into rumen is
sometimes advocated, but usually not very effective unless it has a large bore
(i.e. 1 inch), and is often followed by complications such as peritonitis.
In less severe cases, a large bore stomach tube should be passed down the
esophagus into the rumen. Free gas will readily flow out the tube, although it may
need to be repositioned repeatedly to effectively relieve the pressure. In the case
of frothy bloat, antifoaming medications can be delivered directly into the rumen
through the tube; the animal should then be closely observed to insure that the
treatment is effective and the animal begins to belch gas, otherwise a
rumenotomy may be indicated.
A variety of antifoaming agents have been used to relieve frothy bloat. These
include common items such as vegetable oils (corn, peanut) or mineral oil, which
are administered in 100-300 ml volumes to cattle. A number of effective
commercial products are available that include such agents as polaxalene (a
surfactant) or alcohol ethoxylate (a detergent).
Control of bloat relies on management coupled sometimes with medications, but

despite best efforts, is rarely totally effective. Also, some of the techniques
advocated may be applicable to small herds, but are too labor intensive to use
with large herds. Many of the techniques used are based on reducing the rate of
fermentation that occurs in the rumen. Examples of control strategies include:
maintain pastures that have grasses mixed with legumes such as alfalfa
feed animals hay before turning out on bloat-inducing pastures
in feedlots, feed roughage such as straw or grass hay in addition to
concentrate
for animals on high grain rations, the grain should be cracked or rolled
rather than finely ground
apply antifoaming agents prophylactically, either by drenching individual
animals, incorporating into feed, or spraying on small pastures
Although not well defined, a genetic component to susceptibility to bloat has been
identified, which might be exploited to some extent in reducing herd prevalence of
this condition.
Herbivores: Introduction and Index Herbivores: Introduction and Index
Updated January 2020. Send comments to [email protected]

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17/6/23, 12:04 Ruminal Tympany

VIVO Pathophysiology Digestive System > Digestive Physiology

Ruminal Tympany (Bloat, Hoven)

Two types of bloat are observed, corresponding to different mechanisms which

Animals on pasture, particularly those containing alfalfa or clover (pasture

Bloat on pasture is frequently associated with "interrupted feeding" - animals that

Diagnosis of bloat is typically straightforward, and the clinical picture largely

Although bloat is primarily an acute disorder, chronic, recurrent forms are

Animals that die from bloat have rather

Treatment and Control

Control of bloat relies on management coupled sometimes with medications, but

Herbivores: Introduction and Index Herbivores: Introduction and Index

Updated January 2020. Send comments to [email protected]

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