Traumatic reticulitis: causes and signs, treatment of cattle and prevention

Feeding behavior of cattle can lead to diseases, such as the development of traumatic reticulitis. This is a non-contagious disease, an inflammatory lesion of the mesh as a result of foreign sharp objects entering it. Consider the causes and symptoms of reticulitis, diagnosis and treatment options, what is the danger of trauma to the wall and how to prevent it at home.

Reticulitis Causes

According to the nature of the course, traumatic reticulitis can be acute and chronic. The mesh in cattle is located in the front of the abdomen, near the diaphragm and liver.Only 2-4 cm separates it from the heart, so sharp objects can injure the pericardium, resulting in reticulopericarditis.

The development of traumatic reticulitis leads to the ingress of sharp objects into the mesh - metal wire, nails, other metal products and piercing the walls of the organ with them. Cows, grazing in the pasture, can swallow them along with the grass. Eating is facilitated by the weak sensitivity of the tongue of cattle (small cattle are less likely to swallow sharp objects, since their sensitivity is better).

Wire can also be found in hay, it is used to fasten bales. Delay objects in the grid and subsequent trauma contributes to its cellular structure.

The disease is diagnosed mainly in animals aged 3-9 years, highly productive individuals and pregnant women are more susceptible to it. Also, reticulitis is often found in animals that are underfed, whose diet is incomplete, or the feeding regimen is disturbed.The main reason for eating foreign objects can be considered a lack of mineral elements in the feed. Cows begin to lick and eat various inedible objects.

Swallowed with grass and hay, objects remain in the net, much less often - in the scar and book. Those that have blunt edges and a rounded shape can lie there for a long time without interfering with the animal. Sharp objects as a result of the reduction of the mesh can partially or completely pierce its walls. With full piercing, the object moves further and injures the diaphragm, peritoneum. The heart, lungs, liver, other digestive organs - spleen, abomasum, book may be affected. There are cases when sharp objects are squeezed back into the mesh, and then injure its wall in a new place.

Symptoms of the disease

In the place of perforation of the wall by a foreign body, inflammation develops, and infection often joins, causing putrefactive and purulent processes.Signs of traumatic reticulitis can be different, their manifestation depends on how intensely the inflammatory process proceeds, as well as on its duration. With an incomplete puncture of the mesh, the disease may be asymptomatic, only a decrease and weakening of the chewing gum and belching can be observed.

The acute form of reticulitis (perforation of the wall) in cattle is expressed in anxiety, loss of appetite, atony and hypotension of the proventriculus. The animal's temperature rises for a short time, the pulse quickens. Yields are drastically reduced. When traumatized, the animal experiences pain when moving, belching, and standing up. It often lies down or steps over its feet, it can make groans. In the chronic form (which happens more often), the severity of the symptoms is weak, but they are repeated repeatedly.No pain syndrome.

In addition to the above symptoms, cows periodically experience tympania of the proventriculus, weakening of intestinal motility.

How the disease is diagnosed

Traumatic reticulitis is characterized by a painful symptom, so one of the diagnostic methods looks like this: a stick is passed under the cow's belly and lifted from 2 sides. The pain that the animal will experience may indicate trauma to the stomach with a sharp object.

Diagnostic way to determine the disease in animals - the introduction of magnetic probes into the proventriculus. Probes not only help to accurately diagnose reticulitis, but also remove metal from the mesh. Before the procedure, the cow is not fed for 12 hours, only water is given (2 liters must be drunk before diagnosis). The probe is inserted through the nose, before the pharynx, a chain with a magnet is attached to it. The probe is inserted into the pharynx and the cow swallows it.The device is left in the grid for a day. Before removing the probe back, the animal is again given water. Remove it carefully in reverse order.

To detect metal objects in a cow's stomach, you can use a metal detector as an alternative to probes. X-ray examination is applied.

Technique for treating reticulitis in cows

Conservative and medical methods are used for treatment. With a conservative diet, roughage is removed from the diet and the cows are fed with talkers, mucous decoctions, which reduce the activity of the grid. With medication, antibiotics are injected, for example, penicillin in a novocaine solution. Antibiotics reduce inflammation.

If the object is only in the grid, has not pierced its wall, it can be pulled out with a magnetic probe.If it is stuck in the wall, surgery is indispensable. Access to the mesh in cattle is obtained through the rumen. The animal is fixed in the machine, local anesthesia is given, antipsychotics and muscle-relaxing drugs are used. Through the incision, the mesh is released from the contents, the metal object is removed, the cavity is treated with antiseptics. The incision is sutured and also treated with antiseptics.

Cow care after surgery consists of keeping the animal separately for 2 weeks. The first 3-5 days you need to reduce the amount of feed consumed. Stitches can be removed 10 days after surgery.

Possible danger

Traumatic reticulitis often results in the loss of a cow. If a sharp object pierces not only the mesh, but also other internal organs, bleeding may begin. But even any damage to the wall does not bring anything good to the animal - inflammation begins at the puncture site, which then turns into suppuration.Blood poisoning and livestock death may occur.

Prevention measures

It is necessary to clean pastures and walking areas from metal objects before grazing livestock on them. Keep feed and hay clean. Do not graze cattle near highways, landfills, construction sites.

Feed the animals right: monitor the content of mineral elements and important nutrients in the products. So that animals do not experience a deficiency of trace elements and they do not have a desire to eat inedible.

On large farms, to prevent reticulitis, animals are injected with magnetic rings that securely fix objects inside, preventing them from piercing the wall. Eating wire, nails and other metal objects is not such a rare case. Despite the fact that traumatic reticulitis lasts a long time and has almost no symptoms, the only way to help an animal is through surgery.Without treatment, it may die.