Foreign Body Syndrome in Bovines: A Major Fore-Stomach Disorder
Ingestion of indigestible foreign materials by cattle and buffaloes is a common problem worldwide, known as foreign body syndrome (FBS) . This syndrome is more common in bovine than in small ruminants because they do not use their lips for prehension and are more likely to eat chopped feed . Moreover, indiscriminate feeding habits, feed scarcity, industrialization and mechanization of agriculture are predisposing factors for FBS . The non-metallic foreign body syndrome is a silent killer disease resulting from ingestion of polywastes, rubber, plastics, leather materials, ropes, clothes and cement bags . The presence of foreign bodies in the rumen and reticulum hampers the absorption of volatile fatty acids, consequently leading to reduction in the rate of animal fattening . When a metallic object such as a wire or nail is swallowed and punctures the reticular wall, the condition is known as “Hardware Disease“, “sharp foreign body syndrome” (SFBS) or “traumatic reticuloperitonitis” (TRP). Several complications result from ingestion of indigestible foreign materials such as chellitis, gingivitis, glossitis, stomatitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, chock, esophagitis, rumenitis, ruminal impaction, acute or recurrent rumen tympany, localized or diffuse reticuloperitonitis, reticular adhesion and diaphragmatic hernia. Other consequences include pericarditis, reticular fistulation, reticular, diaphragmatic, mediastinal, hepatic, splenic, lateral and ventral abdominal wall abscesses, vagal indigestion, rupture of left gastro-epiploic artery, traumatic pneumonia and pleurisy . These complications depend mainly upon the nature, length and direction of penetration of the swallowed foreign body . This condition produces devastating economic losses due to severe reduction in milk and meat production, treatment costs, potential fatalities and fetal losses in affected pregnant animals . It may prove lethal because the bacteria and protozoa can contaminate the body cavity resulting in peritonitis and the heart and diaphragm may be punctured by the ingested object, causing their failure . Due to its high economic importance in dairy animals, FBS is still a matter of concern worldwide, therefore several recent advances in the diagnosis and prevention of the disease have been recorded.
ABSTRACT
Foreign body syndrome is a common fore stomach affection of bovines including cattle and buffaloes and is rarely seen in small ruminants like sheep and goat and in camels because of their indiscriminate feeding habit. With modernization and mechanization of farm and agricultural practices the incidence of foreign body syndrome are increasing day by day. Buffaloes seems to suffer more than cattle. The syndrome consists of a series of complications associated with ingestion of foreign bodies. Foreign bodies are mainly of two types: potential and non-potential. Potential foreign bodies have the ability to penetrate the reticular wall during rumeno-reticular contractions and causes serious complications like traumatic reticulitis, traumatic reticulo-peritonitis, traumatic pericarditis, abscesses and diaphragmatic hernia. Timely diagnosis and effective surgical intervention is required to relieve the clinical signs and to counteract the complications associated with the foreign bodies thereby reducing the economic loss to the farmers in the form of treatment costs and loss of production. The present article aims to educate the farmers about the occurrence, clinical signs and treatment involved with ingestion of foreign bodies so that they can seek timely clinical advice and effective treatment support.
INTRODUCTION
Dairy industry forms the backbone of Indian economy and is largely dependent on milk production. Among the various diseases of bovine fore-stomach, foreign body syndrome is the most commonly occurring fore stomach disorder and is the most serious disease condition causing huge production and economic loss to the dairy farm owners. Foreign Body Syndrome (FBS) traditionally knows as Traumatic Reticulo-Peritonitis (TRP) is a series of conditions caused by the ingestion of foreign bodies which causes serious problems to the gastrointestinal tract particularly the fore-stomach characterised by anorexia, recurrent tympany, reduced milk yield and absence of defecation. Foreign Bodies found in the forestomach of ruminants falls into two major categories: Potential and Non Potential Foreign Bodies. Potential foreign bodies are those that have the capability to penetrate the reticulum, peritoneum and/or diaphragm causing serious inflammatory conditions and includes nails, wires, needles and any sharp metallic pieces. Non-potential foreign bodies includes polyethylene bags, ropes, leather pieces that occlude the reticuloomassal orifice and pyloric orifice causing obstruction or causing impaction of rumen. Nonpotential foreign bodies do not cause much serious problems but produce similar clinical signs to that of potential foreign bodies. The various syndromes associated with foreign body are mainly traumatic reticulitis, traumatic reticulo-peritonitis, traumatic pericarditis and diaphragmatic hernia whereas reticular abscess, liver and spleen abscess, vagal indigestion, ruminal impaction and pleurisy are of minor importance but all of which causes progressive decline in health and production.
Incidence
The incidence is high in bovines particularly due to their indiscriminate feeding habits and among bovines, buffaloes seems to suffer more than cattle. Incidence of occurrence in small ruminants is rare. With the mechanization in agriculture and farm management, the incidence of foreign body syndrome has increased significantly due to the large amount of metallic debris generated during the process. The practice of confined rearing of animals rather than pasture grazing has also increased the chances of its occurrence. The incidence foreign body syndrome is found to be higher in pregnant animals because of the increased pressure exerted on the abdomen due to the developing foetus that causes further penetration of the foreign body.
Factors Contributing To Foreign Body Syndrome
- Industrialization and modernization of agriculture and farm practices has resulted in increased incidence of foreign body syndrome particularly due the production of metallic debris.
- · Increasing the production status of the animal for high milk production has resulted in nutritionally deficient states that forces the animal to consume non nutritional feed stuffs like polyethylene, rope and leather pieces to cause foreign body syndrome.
· Modern dairy farms rely greatly on stall feeding systems rather than open grazing systems that mainly depends on farm equipments like chaff cutters for fodder cutting that by chance increases the chances of metallic parts mixed with feed contents.
· Increased generation of plastic and dumbing of polyethylene related items in the environment has prompted animals to consume such when left for open grazing.
Pathogenesis
Foreign bodies ingested by the animal gets lodged in the reticulum. Reticular contractions during digestion causes the potential foreign bodies like nails, wires and metallic pieces to penetrate the reticular wall causing traumatic reticulitis. Repeated trauma can result in perforation of the reticular wall causing traumatic peritonitis and perforation ofdiaphragmatic wall causing diaphragmatic hernia. Complications associated with potential foreign bodies include reticular and rumen abscess, diaphragmatic abscess, liver and spleen abscess, reticular fistula, pyothorax and traumatic pericarditis. Non potential foreign bodies like polyethylene, leather and rope pieces gets mixed with the rumen ingesta and may cause obstruction of reticulo-omasal orifice or pyloric orifice causing impaction or it may pass out freely in the faeces. These foreign bodies also causes similar clinical signs but are associated with only few complications that are not so serious.
Clinical Signs
- Animals affected with this condition appears dull and depressed.
· Recurrent tympany and anorexia non-responsive to medical treatment.
· Retarded or suspended rumination ·
- Sudden decrease in milk production.
· Physiological parameters like heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature are elevated.
· Animal passes dry and scanty faeces.
· Stiff stance with abducted elbows and the animal appears reluctant to move.
· There is pain on palpation of xiphoid and reticular area.
· Animal stands for longer period of time and is disinclined to move or sit.
· Progressive deterioration of health
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be made mostly based on history and clinical signs like anorexia, recurrent tympany, passage of dry scanty faeces and disinclination to move. Haematological parameters shows leucocytosis with shift to left neutrophilia. Radiography can be used to detect the presence of potential foreign bodies in the reticulum. Apart from these, radiography can also be used to detect the presence of abscess and the involvement of any complications associated with foreign bodies. Ultrasonography can also be used as an effective diagnostic aid to detect the presence of foreign bodies. Traditionally used pole test can also be used.
Treatment
Conservative treatment is started initially in cases with anorexia and recurrent tympany. It includes administration of purgatives and saline cathartics to promote evacuation of rumeno-reticular contents, supportive fluid therapy, antibiotic and analgesic therapy. Laparo-rumenotomy is indicated in cases wherein medical treatment is unresponsive and in which potential foreign bodies are detected on radiographic examination. Left flank rumenotomy is an effective surgical procedure indicated to remove the foreign bodies from rumen and reticulum and to relieve the clinical signs and complications associated with the syndrome. Laparo-rumenotomy is rapid and successful method todetect the presence of any abscess and to conform diaphragmatic hernia. Any abscess can be drained easily into the reticulum. Once the contents are evacuated, either freshly collected rumen fluid from another animal or yeast preparations are added to the remaining contents. Any cases of impaction can be treated by administration of paraffin solutions.
Prevention
Prevention of foreign body syndrome is difficult but at the same time can be achieved by good farm management practices. Passing of feed and fodder over ferromagnets can help avoid any potential foreign bodies. Avoid unsupervised grazing of animals and in areas near to construction sites or industries. Avoid animals grazing in places heavily polluted with plastics and related items. Nutritional status of the animal must be monitored daily and additional supplementation of vitamins and minerals if required must be provided. Prophylactic reticular magnets can be administered at early ages to prevent complications associated with the syndrome. These magnets gets deposited in the reticulum where they attract any potential metallic foreign objects ingested by the animal and consequently prevent the penetration of reticulum as easily as it would have been when free.
It is difficult to prevent FBS in cattle and buffaloes, however certain precautions have decreased the incidence. These precautions include removal of ferrous and other potentially hazardous objects from field and lane edges, good nourishment and management of the animals, passing of processed foods over magnets to remove metallic objects, avoiding the use of baling wire, completely removing old buildings and fences, keeping animals away from sites of new construction, avoiding the pollution of grazing lands with plastic bags, hair, hoof, wool and avoiding the unsupervised grazing of animals . Moreover, administration of reticular magnets at the age of 1.5-2 years has become a popular preventive measure for hardware disease . After oral administration, most magnets drop firstly into the rumen then move to the reticulum by ruminoreticular contractions. Metallic foreign bodies are attracted and fixed to the magnets, and consequently do not penetrate the reticulum as easily as when they are free. The extensive prophylactic use of these has reduced the incidence of TRP by 90-98% in cattle and 89-91% in buffaloes. A time dependent increase in the proportion of buffaloes developing TRP is noticed after 4 years of magnet administration, not due to loss of magnetic power but due to fixation of numerous foreign objects on the magnet. Therefore, reapplication of a second new magnet is recommended after four years of the first one particularly in animals at high risk.
CONCLUSION
Incidence of foreign bodies are common in buffaloes when compared to cattle. Timely diagnosis and surgical treatment can help reduce many of the complications associated with foreign bodies. Surgical intervention is required in those cases non responsive to medical treatment and in cases where a potential foreign body is lodged in the reticulum. As forestomach disorders are a major concern of health and production in animals, timely treatment can help the dairy farm owners avoid economic loss associated with treatment, loss of production and mortality. Foreign body syndrome of cattle and buffaloes is still a challenge in veterinary field all over the world particularly in developing countries. Although the condition has no specific clinical signs, it has several hematological, biochemical and radiographic characteristics. Moreover, ultrasonography provides recent advances in diagnosis and prognosis of this syndrome.
Compiled & Shared by- This paper is a compilation of groupwork provided by the Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
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