Biomedical subjects

J Rehage

Publications and source records attributed to J Rehage.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Arthrotomy and arthrodesis in the treatment of complicated arthritis of the fetlock joint in adult cattle.

One Galloway bull and three German Holstein-Friesian cows aged between three and five years with complicated arthritis of the fetlock joint were treated by arthrotomy (on the bull and two of the cows) or by arthrodesis (on the other cow). Arthrotomy involved four vertical dorsolateral/dorsomedial and palmolateral/palmomedial incisions 5 cm long to give access to the joint cavities and allow fibrin, debris and necrotic tissue to be removed. Arthrodesis consisted of lateral and medial (abaxial) horizontal 5 cm incisions along the joint space. After debridement, the joint surfaces (cartilage and superficial bone tissue) of the metacarpus and first phalanx were completely abraded with a high-speed surgical drill. The interdigital region, palmar and dorsal tendons, vessels and nerves were conserved during both arthrotomy and arthrodesis, and the pouches were flushed during the surgery. The incisions were sutured and a casting tape was applied. Six weeks later, the cast was removed and a supporting bandage was applied. Each animal received 10 mg/kg ampicillin subcutaneously twice a day from one day before surgery until a mean (sd) of 23 (4) days after the arthrotomies and 36 days after the arthrodesis. After a recovery period of at least one year, all the animals could be used without restrictions.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Post surgical development of inflammatory adhesions and reticular function in cows suffering from traumatic reticuloperitonitis.

Inflammatory adhesions between reticulum and ventral abdomen in patients suffering traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP) may induce a massive inhibition of reticular contractions and thereby an impairment of the separation process of particles in the reticulorumen. However, a substantial disturbance of digesta passage (Hoflund-syndrome) is found only in a few TRP-cows. We hypothesized that this is due to a retrieval of reticular motility due to rebuilding and degradation of adhesions within months after the removal of the foreign body as the primary inflammatory stimulus. Accordingly, it was the objective of this study (a) to assess the extent and structure of inflammatory adhesions in cows with TRP over a period of six months following surgery and (b) to persecute reticular function by characterizing the sequence of reticular contractions sonographically and by assessment of particle size distribution in the faeces of patients by means of wet-sieving. Twenty-six cows suffering from TRP were studied on the day of rumenotomy (day 1) and on day 6, day 12 and 6 months post operationem. Additionally, six healthy control cows were investigated once. All cows were on a hay and concentrate diet. On day 1, the reticular floor and the reticular wall were affected by adhesions in varying extent in all cows; the contraction distance and contraction velocity of the reticulum were markedly reduced and the portion of large particles in the faces increased compared to healthy cows. On day 12, the portion of large particles did not vary any more from that of control cows; a tendency towards an increased contraction distance compared to day 1 was found. Sonographically, only marginal differences were detected in respect to extent and consistency of adhesions. Six months after rumenotomy, in 9 of 16 re-investigated cows sonography revealed no adhesions at the reticulum at all, in other cases the extent of adhesions shrunk considerably. Contraction distance and contraction velocity and particle size distribution in the faeces were found to be nearly comparable to that of control cows. It is concluded that inflammatory adhesions disappear in the majority of the TRP-patients, as a consequence reticular function normalizes. A serious disturbance of digesta passage seems to develop exclusively in those patients with the most extensive adhesions and may be also in such cows, where the primary adhesions cause the development of extensive abscesses.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

[Case-report. Malignant nerve sheath tumor in a cow with symptoms of suspected BSE].

We report here on a 3 1/2-year-old mother cow with a malignant perineural tumour near the pontine angle of the cerebellum, but which first drew attention because of clinical signs of BSE. Neurological symptoms that manifested during the course of the disease included disturbances in behaviour, movement and aesthesia, as described by BRAUN et al. (2001) in cases of BSE. Inconsistent with a diagnosis of BSE were focal neurological disturbances (head held aslant to the right, tendency to fall to the right, right-sided facial weakness, left-sided nystagmus and ventral strabismus). Following euthanasia, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a tumour in the cerebellopontine angle. Histological findings describe a malignant peripheral nerve tumour of the vagal nerve with rhabdoid differentiation (a so-called Triton tumour) with an intracranial and an extracranial part.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Rumenocentesis (rumen puncture): a viable instrument in herd health diagnosis.

The use of rumenocentesis as a tool in veterinary practice is to be evaluated; this publication describes the technique and reports results of a field study. From 164 dairy cows samples of ruminal fluid have been collected by means of rumenocentesis. In order to compare reaction of the individuals towards rumenocentesis, reaction has been scored on a five-point scale. In the period after rumenocentesis, the animals were observed and examined clinically in case of any pathologic alteration. To test a possible pain-reducing treatment, two study groups received local anaesthesia, while a third group had been sampled without. About 50% of all animals examined did not show resistance during rumenocentesis, while the rest of the population reacted at different levels. In four animals ruminal fluid sampling was not carried out due too heavy resistance, while six samples showed visible contamination with blood. Local anaesthesia with 2 ml of 2 % lidocaine s. c. and i. m. had influence on reaction of the individual samples, but did not have effect on sample size collected and pathologic alterations post punctionem. In total, 5.5 % of the study population showed alterations at the puncture site as haematomas and abscess forming; in three individuals the general health status was impaired after collection. The authors consider rumenocentesis a viable diagnostic procedure in bovine health diagnostics.

Acidosis↗

PubMed2003

Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA): a review.

Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is likely to arise when an easily palatable, high-energy diet meets a ruminal environment not adapted to this type of substrate. Increase of short-chained fatty acids (SCFA) will occur. Eventually, this may result in a transient nadir of ruminal pH below 5.5. Two situations are likely to represent the risk of SARA. First, fresh lactating cows are confronted with a diet considerably differing from that in the dry-period. A diet change carried out too rapidly or without proper transition management will put the animals at risk. Secondly, further in lactation, inaccurate calculation of dry-matter-intake (DMI) leading to wrong roughage/concentrate ratio, an inadequate content of structure within the diet or mistakes in preparing of total mixed rations may produce SARA. The consequences of SARA are diverse and complex. Laminitis is regularly connected to SARA and the negative impact of organic acids on the ruminal wall may lead to parakeratosis enabling translocation of pathogens into the bloodstream provoking inflammation and abscessation throughout the ruminant body. Moreover, milk-fat depression (MFD) can be related to SARA. In order to achieve a proper diagnosis, SARA has to be understood as a herd-management problem. A screening of the herd for SARA by means of a rumenocentesis, performed on a sample-group, preferably 12 individuals, may reveal the presence of SARA. The herd screening should include the risk group suspected, preferably. The prevention of SARA applies to the principles of ruminant feeding. Careful transition management from the dry to the lactation period and control of fibre-content and ration quality should be more yielding than the use of buffers or antibiotic drugs.

Acidosis↗

PubMed2001

[Applied anatomy of the distal "vinculum tendinis" in the fetlock tendon sheath of the hindlimb in cattle].

A relatively thick (diameter approximately 2 mm), ropelike (length ca. 20 mm) and elastic "Vinculum tendinis" connects--within the fetlock tendon sheath--the dorsal side of the deep digital flexor tendon with the dorsal part of the Manica flexoria (the communicating band of the Musculus interosseous medius to the superficial digital flexor tendon). The extensive fetlock tendon sheath can be involved in diseases such as aseptic and septic inflammations. Spreading of these inflammations makes in some of these cases the partial resection of the tendon of the deep digital flexor muscle and the cutting of these Vincula necessary. The results of this contribution, collected from 60 hindlimbs of adult bovines show variations in number, length, diameter and extent and the inner structure with blood vessels and nerves.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

A study of lipid peroxidation and vitamin E in dairy cows with hepatic insufficiency.

Sixteen dairy cows were studied to assess the status of the natural antioxidant vitamin E and lipid peroxidation in their livers. Cows with liver failure (n = 7) showed clinical signs of a hepatic encephalopathy and had the following values of selected blood indices: AST > 80 U/l and GLDH > 15 U/l in serum, and venous plasma ammonia > 35 mmol/l. The control group (n = 9) consisted of dairy cows which were recovering from surgery (omentopexy) and were free of any health complications. Blood was analysed for alpha-tocopherol, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, total bilirubin, ammonia, cholesterol, albumin, free fatty acids, glucose, and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Alpha-tocopherol, triglyceride and malondialdehyde were measured in wet liver tissue. The cows with hepatic failure were clearly low in alpha-tocopherol and had significantly lower (P < 0.01) plasma alpha-tocopherol than the controls. Both liver triglycerides and MDA were higher (P < 0.05) in the cows with fatty livers. It is concluded that the cows with liver failure had an increase in the intensity of hepatic lipoperoxidative processes and a low antioxidative status, which should be taken into consideration in cases where treatment of the disease is proposed.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Total serum bile acid concentrations in dairy cows with fatty liver and liver failure.

In forty-five Holstein Frisian dairy cows (1-6 weeks post partum; mean age: 5.1 +/- 1.2 years) the serum total bile acid concentrations (SBA) were measured enzymatically. In all cows a left sided abomasal displacement was corrected surgically by right side laparotomy and omentopexy three days before investigation. The liver fat content was determined in all cows histologically. Liver failure was assumed if typical clinical signs (ataxia, general depression, recumbency or coma), an increased venous plasma ammonia level (> 35 mumol/l) and a decreased plasma amino acid index (< 4.0) were found. Cows without liver failure (N = 29) were grouped according to the liver fat content as cows with mild (N = 5), moderate (N = 19) or severe hepatosteatosis (N = 5). Histological examination of liver biopsies in cows with liver failure (N = 16) revealed in twelve cases a severe fatty liver and in four cases a hydropic degeneration of the liver tissue. Although in cows without liver failure mean SBA concentrations were higher in the group with moderate (47.3 +/- 30.9 mumol/l) or severe fatty liver (32.9 +/- 21.7 mumol/l) than in that with mild lipidosis (18.0 (16.8 mumol/l), differences were not significant. The mean SBA concentration in cows with liver failure (70.5 +/- 49.5 mumol/l) was only significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared to cows with uncomplicated mild hepatic lipidosis. In conclusion, the determination of SBA concentrations is of little value in the recognition of fatty liver or even liver failure due to the considerable variance of SBA concentrations in dairy cows.

Abomasum↗

PubMed1998

Ultrasonographic findings in calves with respiratory disease.

The aim of this study was to assess the value of ultrasonography as an imaging technique for the assessment of respiratory diseases in calves. Postmortem findings were used as a 'gold standard'. Eighteen calves aged up to five months which suffered from pneumonia or bronchopneumonia were used. Ultrasonographic and postmortem findings were recorded in eight segments of the lungs of each animal and compared. Ultrasonography of health pulmonary tissue yielded only the pleural reflective band and repetitive artefacts. Pulmonary tissue with bronchopneumonia was detected as a basic echogenic pattern containing hyperechogenic zones. The sensitivity and specificity of the technique for the detection of bronchopneumonia were calculated to be 0.85 and 0.98, respectively.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Plasma and liver alpha-tocopherol in dairy cows with left abomasal displacement and fatty liver.

Thirty dairy cows with left abomasal displacement (LAD) and 14 healthy control cows were studied to assess the status of the natural antioxidant vitamin E, lipid peroxidation in the liver (malondialdehyde-formation) and its relationship to hepatic lipidosis. Blood concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, aminotransferase, glutamin dehydrogenase, free fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate and glucose were determined. alpha-tocopherol, tryglyceride, glycogen and malondialdehyde (MDA) in wer liver tissue samples were examined. The dietary alpha-tocopherol intake and its plasma changes in LDA cows were also investigated. Cows were divided into four groups according to their liver triglyceride contents (< 20; 20-80; > 80 mg/g of fresh tissue; and control groups). The lowest plasma vitamin E and the highest liver vitamin E levels were found in cows with highest hepatic triglyceride content. The highest increase in plasma alpha-tocopherol within 5 days was seen in cows with the lowest liver triglyceride (P < 0.01). The liver triglyceride was positively correlated with liver MDA (r = 0.38; P < 0.05) and negatively with plasma alpha-tocopherol (r = -0.41; P < 0.01).

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗

PubMed1997

[Effects of orally administered substances on rumen fermentation patterns in cattle (in vitro). 7. Effect of dried yeast in chronic ruminal acidosis].

The influence of dried yeast on the in-vitro-fermentation of chronic acidotic bovine rumen fluid was investigated using the longterm rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC). Five investigation periods keeping 21 days each were carried out. After a control period of eight days a five days lasting test phase followed. During this time 2 g of dried yeast were added to two reaction vessels and two reaction vessels remained as controls. The following effects of dried yeast during the investigation period on rumen fluid and rumen gas, respectively, could be noted: negligible increase of pH for 0.1 units (ns) increase of short volatile fatty acids concentrations up to 10% (p < 0.01), (acetate +1.5% [ns], propionate +6.0% [ns], i-butyrate up to +180% [p < 0.001], n-butyrate 0%, i-valerinate +39%, [p < 0.05], n-valerinate +17.6% [p < 0.001], hexanat +33% [p < 0.001]) increase of gas production up to 29% (p < 0.001) decrease of methane production up to 30% (ns) increase of hydrogen production up to 10% (ns) increase of protein concentrations up to 23% (p < 0.05) increase of ammonia concentrations up to 385% (p < 0.001). The fermentation patterns became normal during 6 days after withdrawal of the yeast.

Acidosis↗

PubMed1997

Measurement of bilirubin by HPLC in bovine plasma--a comparison with the conventional diazo-method.

Application of a HPLC-technique according to MURACA & BLANCKAERT (1983) for accurate determination of the relative amounts of unconjugated bilirubin and its sugar mono- and diconjugates in bovine plasma is described and the results are compared with those of the conventional diazo-method. The diazo-assay yielded values for total and unconjugated bilirubin which were considerably higher than those obtained by the HPLC-technique. This is probably due to unidentified diazo-positive compounds distinct from bilirubin. The direct-reacting fraction in the diazo-assay showed little or no agreement with the fraction of total ester conjugates determined by HPLC. Results indicate that the diagnostical value of bilirubin subfractioning by the diazo-method as a liver function test in cattle must be reconsidered.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Changes in blood ionized calcium and some other blood parameters before and after replacement of a left-sided displaced abomasum in dairy cattle.

Concentrations in ionized calcium and some other blood parameters including total calcium, magnesium, inorganic phosphate, sodium, potassium, chloride, acid-base and hematological parameters of 15 German Holstein dairy cows were studied before and after surgical replacement of a left sided displaced abomasum. Mild hemoconcentration and hypochloremia were characteristic findings. These parameters tended to become normal within a few days after surgery. Hypocalcemia and low plasma potassium levels were not characteristic in this study, suggesting that hypocalcemia does not play an important role in the initiation of LDA. It can be supposed from this study that the severity of pathological blood findings depends more on the rate of malfunction of the abomasum than on the length of existence of LDA.

Abomasum↗

PubMed1996

Post surgical convalescence of dairy cows with left abomasal displacement in relation to fatty liver.

Blood parameters, feed intake and milk yield were determined in 53 cows with a left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) on the day of surgery (ds; laparotomy and omentopexy) and during the following four days (d1-d4). Using histological methods severe (group SF), moderate (group MF) or no/mild (group NF) fatty liver was found in 32%, 40% and 28% of the patients, respectively. Moderate and severe fatty liver were found almost exclusively in cows in the first three weeks post partum. Post surgery, feed intake and daily milk yield increased steadily in cows of the NF- and MF-group; in cows suffering from severe fatty liver feed intake remained low (p < 0.05). On ds, mean serum levels of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), gammaglutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and glutamic dehydrogenase (GLDH) in SF-cows were significantly (p < 0.05) higher and values of cholesterol significantly lower (p < 0.05) as compared to the NF- and MF-group; no significant differences were found between the groups in mean serum glucose concentrations. In the four day period following surgery, in all groups mean serum levels of ASAT, GGT, GLDH and cholesterol remained nearly unchanged, whereas total bilirubin, NEFA, BHB and glucose decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Apart from LDA, 55% of the patients were suffering from mastitis, endometritis or lameness. Within three weeks post surgery, 3 cows of the SF-group and 1 cow of the MF-group developed recumbency and liver coma, and were culled for that reason. In conclusion, post surgical convalescence of cows with LDA is clearly related to disturbances of energy metabolism and fatty liver. Therefore, successful treatment of cows suffering from LDA requires the effective treatment of excessive lipomobilization, ketosis and fatty liver along with the immediate surgical correction of LDA.

Abomasum↗

PubMed1995

Evaluation of the pathogenesis of vagus indigestion in cows with traumatic reticuloperitonitis.

OBJECTIVE--To evaluate the functional importance of impaired reticular contractions attributable to inflammatory adhesions in the pathogenesis of vagus indigestion in cows with traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP). DESIGN--Case control study. ANIMALS--42 dairy cows with TRP were compared with 10 healthy control cows. Cows with TRP were assigned to 3 groups: cows with uncomplicated TRP (n = 15), cows with TRP and a disturbance of digesta passage through the reticular-omasal orifice (TRP-AD; n = 17), and cows with TRP and a disturbance of digesta passage through the pylorus (TRP-PD; n = 10). PROCEDURE--Cows were evaluated, using routine clinical methods, biochemical analysis of blood and ruminal fluid samples, exploratory rumenotomy, and postmortem examination. RESULTS--Damage of thoracic and abdominal parts of the main vagal branches were not evident in cows with TRP. Parareticular inflammatory adhesions were more extensive in cows with TRP-AD and in cows with TRP-PD than in cows with uncomplicated TRP. Reticular motility was decreased in cows with TRP-AD and TRP-PD, compared with cows with uncomplicated TRP and control cows. In contrast to cows with uncomplicated TRP and cows with TRP-AD, the abomasum was impacted with large amounts of long fibrous material in most of the cows with TRP-PD. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS--We believe that disturbances of digesta passage in cows with TRP represent distinct stages of a common pathogenetic course. The primary disease mechanism was a disturbance in particle-separating processes in the reticulum/rumen attributable to mechanical inhibition of reticular motility that was the result of extensive inflammatory parareticular adhesions.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Blood serum transferrin concentration in cattle in various physiological states, in veal calves fed different amounts of iron, and in cattle affected by infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Transferrin (Tf) concentrations were determined in cattle in various physiological states, in energy-deficient (ketotic) cows, in situations of several acute and chronic infections, after endotoxin administration and in animals with bovine leucocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD). Tf concentrations varied between 1.5 and 8.5 g/l and in healthy animals were in the range of 2.0 and 6.6 g/l. Tf concentrations in adult animals were smaller than in young animals and increased in veal calves with iron deficiency above 8 g/l, resulting in a negative correlation between Hb and Tf. In veal calves total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and Tf concentration were rather closely correlated (r = 0.63). Chronic infectious diseases (such as paratuberculosis) were characterized by relatively low Tf levels (below 2 g/l), while during acute infections, after endotoxin-administration and during ketosis Tf concentrations were not changed.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Sonographic investigation of reticular contractions in healthy sheep, cows and goats and in cows with traumatic reticulo-peritonitis.

The objective of the study was (a) to compare sonographically the sequence of reticular contractions between grass and roughage eaters (cows, sheep) and intermediate feeders (goats) and (b) to check whether sonography may be useful for the investigation of cattle with a history of traumatic reticulo-peritonitis (TRP). All animals were investigated from the left ventral Regio parachondriaca with a 2.5 MHz sector scanner. Reticular contractions were recorded on video and evaluated later on. Duration of the contractions was found to be surprisingly uniform between individuals of the investigated species. However, in cattle and sheep the reticular floor moves over longer distances during both contractions in cranio-dorsal direction compared to goats, i.e. the velocity with which the reticulum contracts was markedly higher in sheep (5.3 +/- 1.4 cm* s-1) and cows (4.4 +/- 2.0) than in goats (2.1 +/- 0.9). Thus, in sheep and cattle feed particles are transported with a higher force in caudo-dorsal direction resulting in a longer retention time of particles in the reticulorumen than in goats. Sonographic investigation of eight cows with clinical symptoms of acute TRP indicated that sonography is a valuable method for the diagnosis of TRP. Implications of sonographic signs for the clinical course in such patients are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Effect of vitamin E injection on cortisol and white blood cell response to surgical stress in dairy cows.

In 20 dairy cows the effect of a single vitamin E injection on cortisol and white blood cell response to surgical stress was investigated. Abdominal surgery (omentopexy) was carried out in order to correct a left abomasal displacement. Ten hours prior to surgery 10 cows were injected intramuscularly with 10 mg DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate per kg body weight. Ten cows (controls) received an equivalent volume of injectable water. Over a 72 hour period plasma samples were collected. In 8 cows (4 cows from each group) alpha-tocopherol in liver tissue was determined. Plasma vitamin E concentrations were significantly higher in vitamin E injected cows than in controls in all of the samples after the vitamin E injections. Similarly, liver alpha-tocopherol concentrations were significantly higher in vitamin E injected cows than in controls. The surgical stress led to profoundly increased plasma cortisol levels and leucocytosis due to neutrophilia within 5 hours after the surgery. Plasma cortisol levels as well as leucocyte counts were not affected by route of vitamin E administration used.

Animals↗