Clinical and sonographical findings in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) with traumatic reticuloperitonitis.

Eighteen buffaloes with traumatic reticuloperitonitis were examined by means of sonography during a 2 year period. Ten healthy buffaloes served as a control group for clinical parameters and ultrasonographic assessment of the reticulum. The reticulum was examined with a 3.5 MHz convex transducer. The patients, as opposed to the control group, showed an increased rectal temperature, inappetence, reduced or absent ruminal motility, recurrent tympany, and positive metal detector and pain tests. Twelve buffaloes had single and 6 had multiple foreign bodies. Their sonographic appearance was hyperechogenic with comet tail artifacts (n = 13) or with acoustic shadows (n = 5). Acoustic shadows were only observed in foreign bodies located near the abdominal wall. They perforated the abdominal wall in 5 buffaloes presented with localised swellings and fistulas in the cranioventral abdomen. The foreign bodies were detected from the left side in 10 and from the right side in 8 cases. Perforation of soft tissues by foreign bodies was accompanied with inflammation in 14 and abscess formation in 4 cases.

Zagazig Univ
Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien