Clinical and pathological analysis in 20 cases of intussusception in cattle ABSTRACT

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to report the frequency of intussusception in digestive disorders in cattle and describe the main clinical, laboratory, surgical and anatomopathological findings. Data were obtained from 20 cases of cattle aged one to 12 years with evident clinical signs of intestinal obstruction caused from intussusception of the distal jejunum and proximal ileum and treated at the Garanhuns Bovine Clinic of the University Federal Rural of Pernambuco (Brazil) between January 2002 and January 2010. Two animals were indicated for sacrifice and three for slaughter due to the unfavorable clinical state; four died prior to surgery; and 11 underwent surgery, one of which was sent to slaughter due to impaired intestinal loops, with the rupture of the ileum, six died shortly after surgery and four were discharged eight days following surgery. These findings reynforce the severity of cases of intestinal intussusception in cattle. The time factor in care is of fundamental importance, as surgery should be performed as soon as possible in order to improve the prognosis. Further studies are needed for the identification of the causes and risk factors related to intussusception in cattle, especially adult individuals, for which there is as-yet no well-defined cause.