Clinico-haematobiochemical Evaluation of Diaphragmatic Hernia and its Surgical Management in Cattle and Buffaloes-A Retrospective Study of 32 Cases

Abstract

Background: Diaphragmatic hernia is an emerging threat in dairy animals due to accidental ingestion of potential foreign body via feed or fodder leads to traumatic reticulo pericarditis and net results into loss of milk production. Loss of milk production due to diaphragmatic hernia in dairy animals is worrying situation among the milkman and it needs to be addressed in early stage. Considering the livelihood of poor to marginal farmers on dairy animals, the present study aimed to evaluate the clinico-haematological changes and surgical management of diaphragmatic hernia in cattle and buffalo. Methods: The present retrospective study was carried in thirty two clinical cases of diaphragmatic hernia in cattle (17) and buffaloes (15) presented to teaching veterinary clinical complex from the rural area irrespective breeds, age and no. of lactation of animals. Result: The incidence was higher in recently parturited followed by advanced pregnant animals aged between 3.5-14 years (7.109±0.406) with duration of illness ranged between 4-35 days (16.563±1.627). All animals showed recurrent tympany, suspended rumination, constipation, neutrophilia, alkaline ruminal pH, lymphopenia and increased level of muscle enzymes and non-responsive to medicinal therapy. Plain radiography of thoraco-abdominal region showed break in continuity of diaphragmatic line and herniation of reticulum into thoracic cavity. All animals were subjected to surgical correction of diaphragmatic hernia under isoflurane general anaesthesia. Out of 32, 27 animals were recovered uneventfully and remaining five animals were succumbed during surgical repair of hernia due to cardiovascular failure. The present study concludes that, diaphragmatic hernia is common wasting disorders in dairy animals characterized by scanty faeces, recurrent tympany, neutrophilia, increased level of muscle enzymes due to chronic inflammatory changes and it can be treated successfully with herniorrhaphy under isoflurane general anaesthesia.

An Updated Review on the Diaphragmatic Hernia in Bovines

“…Significantly elevated total leucocytes with neutrophilia and total protein is a consistent finding on bovines positive for DH (Kaur and Singh, 1994;Rose et al, 2009;Abdelaal et al, 2014;Attia, 2016;Ghanshym et al, 2020) irrespective to the presence of foreign body, which was correlated to the destruction of lymphocytes due to stress (Jain, 1986) tissue damage and suppuration at the site of injury (Kaur and Singh, 1994). The SGOT, Creatinine Kinase and Serum Creatinine (Ghanshym et al, 2020, Suryawanshi et al 2023 are significantly high and SGPT to be significantly low in DH buffaloes as compared to normal (Kaur and Singh, 1994;Rose et al, 2009). DH may cause reduced serum total bilirubin, AST, BUN, creatinine glucose, lactate and fbrinogen in buffaloes (Hussain et al, 2021).…”

“…DH is rarely reported in cows/cattle (Dollar, 1895;Milne, 1951;Hall, 1963;Deshpande et al, 1977;Saini et al, 2007;Sharma et al, 2024). However, a latest report showed an equal occurrence of DH in cattle and buffaloes (Suryawanshi et al 2023). DH in a buffalo has been earliest documented in an MVSc thesis from Bombay Veterinary College, India (Deshpande, 1965), where it was an incidental finding during laparo-rumenotmy.…”

On 3D printed intelligent diaphragmatic hernia sensor

“…Saini et al (2000) reported case studies on buffaloes that did not survive during the recovery period treatment of DH. Suryawanshi et al , 2023 outlined the absorption of a foreign body through feed or fodder, which causes traumatic reticulopericarditis and ultimately reduces milk supply. Asrat and Velappa, 2016 highlighted that adult calves commonly experience several forestomach problems, including traumatic reticuloperitonitis, ruminal acidosis and bloat, as well as surgical remedies such as rumenotomies and DH surgery.…”