The present paper describes a case of obstruction at reticulo-omasal orifice in a non-descript cow. A non-descript cow with chronic recurrent tympany not responding to treatment was reported to Nandini Veterinary Hospital. The cow showed severe ruminal tympany, distressed respiration, recurrent voluminous regurgitation, grunting, cyanotic mucous membrane and uneasiness. Metal detector revealed positive indication for the presence of metallic foreign bodies at the floor of rumen and reticulum.Emergency aided left flank laparo-rumenotomy was performed under inverted “L” block local infiltration analgesia with 2% lignocaine HCl solution.The abdomen was opened as per the standard procedures and a small opening was made on ruminal wall for escape of gases. External examination of rumen and reticular wall revealed the absence of intraperitoneal adhesions and pointed foreign bodies. Evacuation of rumen and reticulum revealed several non-metallic and metallic foreign bodies like polythene bags, nylon ropes, leather pieces, nails, marble stones, glass pieces etc. Further exploration of reticulum revealed a large rough polythene bag like structure with its part embedded within the reticulo-omasal orifice and was obstructing the passage of gastro-intestinal tract. The foreign body was pulled out slowly and it revealed an empty cement (L & T) bag with its latter part twisted along its axis.Before closing, 200 mL liquid paraffin was put into the lumen of reticulo-omasal orifice with a rubber tube for lubrication. Then 5L of fresh rumen cud, 500 g sugar and 8 boli of Yea Sacc were placed with in the rumen. The rumen, abdominal wall and skin were sutured in routine manner.The cow was treated with routine postoperative antibiotics, anti-inflamanatory drugs, fluid therapy and oval yeast tablets.The cow recovered uneventfully and started normal feeding and defecation from 3rd day onwards. The sutures were removed on 10th postoperative day.A wide variety of foreign materials such as metallic objects (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib005">Saini and Mahajan, 2001</xref>), clothes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib008">Venu <italic>et al.</italic>, 2001</xref>) and polythene bags (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib004">Narsimha Rao <italic>et al.</italic>, 2001</xref>) have been encountered in the gastro-intestinal tract of ruminants causing ruminal obstruction and occlusion. But, the incidence of gastro-intestinal tract obstruction by occlusion of foreign body at reticulo-omasal orifice is rare in bovines (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib007">Tyagi and Singh, 1993</xref>). In present case, the cow might have ingested several foreign bodies due to indiscriminate feeding habit as opined by Aher <italic>et al.</italic> (2001) and several nutritional deficiencies leading to pica (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib006">Sarma <italic>et al.</italic>, 1996</xref>).The clinical manifestations noticed in the present cow are in agreement with Blood and Radostits (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib002">1983</xref>) and Kohli <italic>et al.</italic> (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib003">1998</xref>), they opined that the secondary ruminal tympany occurs during obstruction due to foreign body occluding the passage of eructing gases.</sec></body><back><ack id="ack001"><title>Acknowledgement

IJVS

Indian Journal of Veterinary Surgery

0254-4105

Indian Society for Veterinary Surgery

ijvs-28-1-021

RESEARCH NOTE

An unusual case of reticulo-omasal obstruction in a cow

Chaudhary

P.S.

Veterinary SurgeonDeshmukh

V.V.

Veterinary PathologistDesai

S.N.

Chief Veterinary Officer^†Baviskar

M.P.

Veterinary Gynaecologist

Shri Surat Panjarapole Nandini Veterinary Hospital, Ghod Dod Road, Surat-395 007 (Gujarat)

^†Corresponding author

62007

28155102006

The present paper describes a case of obstruction at reticulo-omasal orifice in a non-descript cow. A non-descript cow with chronic recurrent tympany not responding to treatment was reported to Nandini Veterinary Hospital. The cow showed severe ruminal tympany, distressed respiration, recurrent voluminous regurgitation, grunting, cyanotic mucous membrane and uneasiness. Metal detector revealed positive indication for the presence of metallic foreign bodies at the floor of rumen and reticulum.Emergency aided left flank laparo-rumenotomy was performed under inverted “L” block local infiltration analgesia with 2% lignocaine HCl solution.The abdomen was opened as per the standard procedures and a small opening was made on ruminal wall for escape of gases. External examination of rumen and reticular wall revealed the absence of intraperitoneal adhesions and pointed foreign bodies. Evacuation of rumen and reticulum revealed several non-metallic and metallic foreign bodies like polythene bags, nylon ropes, leather pieces, nails, marble stones, glass pieces etc. Further exploration of reticulum revealed a large rough polythene bag like structure with its part embedded within the reticulo-omasal orifice and was obstructing the passage of gastro-intestinal tract. The foreign body was pulled out slowly and it revealed an empty cement (L & T) bag with its latter part twisted along its axis.Before closing, 200 mL liquid paraffin was put into the lumen of reticulo-omasal orifice with a rubber tube for lubrication. Then 5L of fresh rumen cud, 500 g sugar and 8 boli of Yea Sacc were placed with in the rumen. The rumen, abdominal wall and skin were sutured in routine manner.The cow was treated with routine postoperative antibiotics, anti-inflamanatory drugs, fluid therapy and oval yeast tablets.The cow recovered uneventfully and started normal feeding and defecation from 3rd day onwards. The sutures were removed on 10th postoperative day.A wide variety of foreign materials such as metallic objects (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib005">Saini and Mahajan, 2001</xref>), clothes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib008">Venu <italic>et al.</italic>, 2001</xref>) and polythene bags (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib004">Narsimha Rao <italic>et al.</italic>, 2001</xref>) have been encountered in the gastro-intestinal tract of ruminants causing ruminal obstruction and occlusion. But, the incidence of gastro-intestinal tract obstruction by occlusion of foreign body at reticulo-omasal orifice is rare in bovines (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib007">Tyagi and Singh, 1993</xref>). In present case, the cow might have ingested several foreign bodies due to indiscriminate feeding habit as opined by Aher <italic>et al.</italic> (2001) and several nutritional deficiencies leading to pica (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib006">Sarma <italic>et al.</italic>, 1996</xref>).The clinical manifestations noticed in the present cow are in agreement with Blood and Radostits (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib002">1983</xref>) and Kohli <italic>et al.</italic> (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib003">1998</xref>), they opined that the secondary ruminal tympany occurs during obstruction due to foreign body occluding the passage of eructing gases.</sec></body><back><ack id="ack001"><title>Acknowledgement

Authors are thankful to The Chairman, Managing Trustees and Board of Trustees for providing all the necessary facilities at Nandini Veterinary Hospital.

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