Obstruction of the esophagus in cattle: causes and symptoms, treatment

Clogging of part of the esophagus in cattle often catches inexperienced owners by surprise. The disease develops rapidly, and any delay threatens the animal with death. Anxiety, a strained cough, strong salivation signal an impending disaster. In such cases, the assistance of an experienced veterinarian is necessary. The specialist will determine the cause of the pet's deterioration in well-being and provide emergency assistance.

What is it?

Primary occlusion of the upper GI tract is an accidental blockage of the lumen of the esophagus of an animal. A foreign body or large chunks of food acts as a cork.An accident entails a complete or partial blockage of the stomach. If the object is significantly larger than the lumen in the pet's stomach, the animal's esophagus begins to contract involuntarily. This mechanism is conceived by nature for self-disposal of the pet from foreign objects in the digestive tract. As a result of reflex actions, large chunks of food move along the excretory tract of the digestive tract.

Unfortunately, a pet rarely manages to get rid of foreign objects in a natural way. In most cases, contractions of the upper sections of the stomach lead to inflammation of the walls of the esophagus, so it is impossible to delay the treatment of the animal.

Secondary blockage occurs as a result of swelling, spasm and paralysis of the muscles of the esophagus

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Causes of blockage of the esophagus in cattle

The cause of a dangerous phenomenon may be random factors, severe illness or human negligence.

1. Eating large chunks of pumpkin, root vegetables, unground corn cobs, large amounts of bagasse and other unsuitable foods. Such a nuisance often happens with hungry pets. Animals convulsively swallow food without grinding it.
2. Cows are often the victims of accidents. Horned pets need constant mineral supplements. Lack of supplementation causes cows to ingest random items.
3. Sometimes a narrowing of the esophagus is the culprit for blockage in the stomach. Pathology occurs due to damage to the walls of the stomach. Actively growing tumors lead to injury. The formations squeeze the digestive organ, and the lumen is completely blocked. Diseases of tuberculosis or leukemia lead to a similar effect. Numerous lymph nodes injure the gastric mucosa and block the gap.
4. Paralysis of the esophagus often leads to disruption of the digestive tract. The cause of the collapse can be rabies, central paralysis or bruising of the organ.

Symptoms of disease

Changes in pet behavior and well-being happen suddenly.

1. The animal tries to make swallowing movements. Thus, the pet tries to push the stuck lump further down the esophagus.
2. Persistent urge to vomit.
3. Strong salivation. Due to the lack of chewing gum, the pet continues to work with its jaws in vain.
4. Convulsive, paroxysmal cough.
5. The pet is worried, waving its tail, moaning. Sometimes he tries to hit the abdomen with his limbs.
6. If a foreign object is stuck in the cervical esophagus, the affected area swells up. The spherical seal is clearly palpable in the region of the left jugular groove. After a few minutes, the tumor becomes inflamed and begins to hurt the animal.
7. If the lumen is only partially blocked, the pet can drink water and burp accumulated gases. In the event of a complete blockage of the digestive organ, gases accumulate in the body of the animal. In this case, the pet develops tympania.
8. Some individuals, even with a complete overlap of the body, try to eat and drink water. Unable to seep through the esophagus, the liquid rushes back and splashes out through the pet's nasal passages. The same story happens with food. However, in this case, food may settle in the stomach above the blocked area.

Cow treatment rules

To determine the exact diagnosis, the cow is examined. First of all, the specialist examines the jugular gutter and determines the degree of enlargement and swelling of the organ. The doctor carefully feels the neck of the pet, passing his fingers along the entire length of the jugular recess. In this way, a random object stuck in the upper part of the esophagus is detected.

In other cases, the probing method is used. The tool is selected according to the weight of the animal. The procedure allows you to push the stuck foreign body and let out the accumulated gases. In difficult cases, veterinarians resort to x-rays or esophagoscopy. With a complete blockage of the upper part of the stomach, emergency intervention is necessary. Otherwise, the cow will die from asphyxia. Methods of treatment depend on the location of the foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract of the pet.

In order to remove a stuck object, the cow is securely tied to a support or a tree. During the procedure, the mouth of the animal must remain open, so a spacer is inserted between the teeth of the pet - a wedge. The foreign body is removed from the cow's esophagus using a towel-wrapped hand or a probe. Using the tool, the object is pushed to the excretory tract of the gastrointestinal tract. The procedure is done with care, otherwise you can injure the stomach.

In mild cases, the stuck object is removed with vomit. To do this, the neck of the pet is stroked in the area of the jugular groove. The hands move towards the head of the cow. This activates the gag reflex. To facilitate the procedure, the cow is given 0.5 cups of vegetable oil.

In extremely severe cases, surgery (esophagotomy) is performed.

Folk remedies and recipes

After removing a foreign object, the gastrointestinal tract of the pet needs help. Proven folk methods will help to establish the work of organs:

1. Decoction of chamomile, yarrow or flaxseed. To prepare the product, 25-30 g of herbs are brewed in 1 liter of boiling water. For 30 minutes, the drink is simmered in a water bath. After cooling, the product is filtered and given to the pet for 2 days.
2. In some cases, gentle massage of the hungry fossa helps to cope with the problem. The procedure is done with a fist.
3. Yeast drink. To prepare the product, 150 yeast is dissolved in 1.5 cups of warm boiled water and left to infuse for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 0.5 cups of vodka and 100 g of sugar. Yeast infusion is added to the resulting mixture. As a result of preparation, 1 liter of the drug is obtained. The medicine is given to the animal a couple of times a day. The course of treatment is designed for 2 days. It should be remembered that a yeast drink is given to a pet only after removing a foreign object from the esophagus.

What is the danger of blockage?

Clogging of the upper stomach is deadly for an animal. With untimely assistance, the animal develops inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, swelling of the scar and tissue necrosis.The rapid development of the disease leads to inflammation of the lungs, compression of the heart and asphyxia. If rescue measures are taken within the first hours, disaster can be prevented.

Prevention

Responsible animal feeding helps avoid problems. Competent farmers do not allow horned pets to graze near potato and beet fields.Large root crops and corn cobs intended for animal feed must be crushed. The pasture and the place where the cattle are kept are regularly inspected. All foreign objects are removed. Vitamin and mineral supplements must be included in the diet of animals. Special licking s alt is placed in the feeder.

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