Intussusception in Cattle: 336 Cases (1964-1993)

Objective: To evaluate risk factors and to describe clinical and laboratory findings, surgical management, and postoperative outcome for cattle with intussusception.

Design: Hospital-based, case-control epidemiologic study and retrospective case series.

Sample Population: Medical records of cattle admitted to 17 veterinary medical teaching hospitals in North America.

Procedure: Epidemiologic analysis of demographic data and detailed analysis of medical records for selected cattle.

Results: 336 cattle with intussusception were identified, 281 had small intestinal, 7 had ileocolic, 12 had cecocolic, and 36 had colocolic intussusceptions. Sex and season were not significantly associated with cattle developing intussusception, whereas calves < 2 months old were at greater risk of developing small intestinal intussusception than older cattle. Analysis of medical records of 57 cattle with intussusception revealed that these cattle were mildly hyponatremic, hypochloremic, hypocalcemic, azotemic, and hyperglycemic. Right flank laparotomy with a cow in a standing position, followed by intestinal resection and end-to-end anastomosis was the most common means of surgical correction. Overall survival rate (20/57; 35%) and postoperative survival rate (20/46; 43%) for cattle with intussusception were much lower than previously reported.

Clinical Implications: Although rare in cattle, intussusception was most common in calves < 2 months old. Survival rate for cattle treated for intussusception was low (< 50%).