Impaction of the Rumen
It is a condition of over distension of Rumen with solid food. The food is dry and slowly fermentable and gas does not form or form slowly.
Etiology
1. Over-feeding, especially where there is sudden change of food or where there is a deficiency of coarser foods to stimulate rumination. Greedy feeders are more liable. Foods liable to cause it when given in excess are beans, peas, grains, maize and also hay, straw and which are dry and not nutritious. Impaction is most liable to arise when the food is continued in quantity after rumination is ceased.
2. Debility of the walls of Rumen. Impaction is not common in animals recovering from disease or in newly calved cows.
3. Want of water.
Symptoms—are not so urgent or alarming assign tympani is. The animal ceases to ruminate and afterwards to feed or drink. .The abdomen be-comes swollen. He hollow in the left flank is filled up but as distinguished from tympanitis, the swelling bulges outwards and downwards. It’s doughy and pits on pressure and is dull on percussion. No sounds are heard on auscultation over the Rumen and no movements of Rumen are detected on palpation where normally there would be movement every 30 seconds. The and-mal is dull and arches its back and does not stretch on rising, and is occasionally restless, stamps hind legs and switches tail. It shows evidence of pain by grunting, grinding of teeth. Temperature, respiration and pulse are not much altered*. Mucous membranes are slightly congested but feces are passed only in small quantity. This condition may be followed by gastro-enteritis. Recovery is often slow-1 to 3 weeks.
Diagnosis: Constipation and doughy swell-in in left flank. Sometimes vomiting—it is only distinguished from agony of first three stomachs by the absence in latter, the swelling in the left flank.
Treatment: Withdraw all food for 24 to 48hours but allow plenty of water. Give purgatives in moderate doses. Sodichlore with treacle, given in electuary. This will induce the animal to drink. If it does not do so then 15 to 20 liters of water may be administered through stomach tube. Iftympany occurs, give Antizymotics followed bynervine and general tonics. The purgative should not be repeated but if purgation is not evident, then 1 kg to 2 kg of treacle may be given daily. Other auxiliary measures are massage or the application of. A liniment over the rumen. Keep the animal warm. The animal should be given gruels, milu and mashes but only coarse food in quantity when it begins to ruminate.