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BackgroundThe aim of this report was to describe duodenal obstruction caused by a rubber foreign body in a cow.Case PresentationThe clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic findings in a five-year-old Swiss Braunvieh cow with duodenal ileus caused by a calf feeding nipple are described. The main clinical signs were anorexia, ruminal tympany, decreased faecal output and abomasal reflux syndrome. Ultrasonographic examination revealed reticular hyperactivity and a dilated duodenum. A diagnosis of duodenal ileus was made and the cow underwent right-flank laparotomy, which revealed a dilation of the cranial part of the duodenum because of obstruction by a pliable foreign body. This was identified via enterotomy as a calf feeding nipple. The cow was healthy at the time of discharge four days after surgery and went on to complete a successful lactation.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first description of duodenal obstruction by a calf feeding nipple. This is an interesting case, which broadens the spectrum of the causes of duodenal ileus, which is usually caused by obstruction of the duodenum by a phytobezoar.

Im vorliegenden Fallbericht wird eine 10-jährige hochträchtige Braunviehkuh mit dem auffälligsten äusseren Befund eines stark dilatierten Abdomens mit konturlosem Übergang vom Euter zur ventralen Bauchwand vorgestellt. Die sonographische Untersuchung ergab einen hochgradigen Aszites und mehrere echogene knotige Verdickungen im grossen Netz. Aufgrund sämtlicher Befunde wurde die Diagnose nichtentzündlicher Aszites, vermutlich aufgrund des Tumors gestellt. Die Kuh wurde infolge infauster Prognose nach erfolgreich eingeleiteter Geburt euthanasiert und seziert. Bei der Eröffnung der Bauchhöhle flossen 248.5 Liter klare Aszitesflüssigkeit ab. Das grosse Netz war sulzig verdickt und teilweise mit unterschiedlich grossen, zystischen und flüssigkeitsgefüllten Hohlräumen durchsetzt. Aufgrund der histologischen, immunhistochemischen und elektronenmikroskopischen Befunde wurde die Diagnose biphasisches Mesotheliom mit Zystenbildung im gesamten Bauchraum gestellt. Abstract:A 10-year-old Swiss Braunvieh cow near term was referred to our clinic because of severe abdominal distension, which caused loss of demarcation between the udder and ventral abdominal wall. Ultrasonographic examination revealed marked ascites and multiple echogenic nodules in the greater omentum. Based on the findings, non-inflammatory ascites attributable to neoplasia was diagnosed. Rupture of the prepubic tendon from the pubic symphysis was also suspected. Because of a grave prognosis, parturition was induced and a live calf was delivered. The cow was euthanized and a postmortem examination was carried out. The abdominal cavity contained 248.5 litres of clear fluid. The greater omentum was thickened and oedematous and regionally contained fluid-filled cystic structures, which varied in size with a maximum diameter of 10 centimetres. Based on the histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopical findings, biphasic mesothelioma with cyst formation affecting the entire abdominal cavity was diagnosed. A 10-year-old Swiss Braunvieh cow near term was referred to our clinic because of severe abdominal 26 distension, which caused loss of demarcation between the udder and ventral abdominal wall. 27Ultrasonographic examination revealed marked ascites and multiple echogenic nodules in the greater 28 omentum. Based on the findings, non-inflammatory ascites attributable to neoplasia was diagnosed. 29Rupture of the prepubic tendon from the pubic symphysis was also suspected. Because of a grave 30 prognosis, parturition was induced and a live calf was delivered. The cow was euthanased and a 31 postmortem examination was carried out. The abdominal cavity contained 248.5 litres of clear fluid. 32The greater omentum was thickened and oedematous and regionally contained fluid-filled cystic 33 2 structures, which varied in size with a maximum diameter of 10 centimetres. Based on the 34 histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopical findings, biphasic mesothelioma with 35 cyst formation affecting the entire abdominal cavity was diagnosed. ...

BackgroundLaterality defects are rare in cattle and usually manifest as asplenia or polysplenia syndrome. These syndromes may be associated with situs ambiguus, which is a dislocation of some but not all internal organs. The objective of this report was to describe the clinical and post-mortem findings including the macroscopic and microscopic anatomy of selected organs in a cow with polysplenia and situs ambiguus.Case presentationA 3.5-year-old Brown Swiss cow was referred to the Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, because of poor appetite and recurrent indigestion. A diagnosis of situs ambiguus was based on the results of physical examination, ultrasonography, exploratory laparotomy and post-mortem examination. The latter revealed that the rumen was on the right side and lacked compartmentalisation. There were two spleens, one on the left (26.5 x 12.0 cm) and one on the right (20.5 x 5.5 cm), and the omasum was located craniolateral to the ruminoreticulum on the left. The abomasum was located on the right, although it had initially been displaced to the left. The three-lobed liver occupied the left and central cranioventral aspect of the abdominal cavity (cavum abdominis). Only the right and left hepatic veins (vena hepatica dextra and sinistra) drained into the thoracic segment of the caudal vena cava (vena cava caudalis), and histological changes in the liver were indicative of impaired haemodynamics. The mesojejunum was not fused with the mesentery of the spiral loop (ansa spiralis) of the ascending colon (colon ascendens). The latter was folded and the transverse colon (colon transversum) ran caudal to the cranial mesenteric artery (arteria mesenteria cranialis). Fibrotic constrictions were seen in the lumen of the caecum and proximal loop (ansa proximalis) of the ascending colon. Both kidneys were positioned retroperitoneally in a lumbar position. The lumbar segment of the caudal vena cava did not descend to the liver and instead drained into the right azygous vein (vena azygos dextra).ConclusionsRecurrent digestive problems and poor production in this patient may have been caused by a lack of rumen compartmentalisation, abnormal abomasal motility, constrictions in the large intestine (intestinum crassum) and fibrosis of the liver. The abomasum had abnormal motility most likely because it was anchored inadequately and only at its cranial aspect to the liver by the lesser omentum (omentum minus) and to the dorsal abdominal wall and rumen by a short greater omentum (omentum majus).

This case report describes the clinical, ultrasonographic and postmortem findings in an alpaca with Mycobacterium kansasii infection. The alpaca was referred because of chronic weight loss and weakness. The results of clinical examination, haematology and serum biochemistry were not diagnostic. Ultrasonography of the liver revealed multiple, hyperechogenic lesions with a diameter of 1 to 3 cm. Histological evaluation of a liver biopsy sample showed acute, multifocal, suppurative, necrotising hepatitis. Despite treatment with antibiotics, the alpaca died. Postmortem examination revealed nodular to coalescing lesions in the liver, lungs, mediastinum, pleura and greater omentum, which could not be differentiated macroscopically or histologically from lesions caused by tuberculosis. Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed massive numbers of rods within epithelioid macrophages, which were identified as Mycobacterium kansasii by polymerase chain reaction analysis.