This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
It was a sweltering day in Naivasha, and I was on a mission to vaccinate cattle against foot and mouth disease. The farm, with its 200 head of cattle, 200 sheep, and 200 goats, was a hub of activity. I was accompanied by Rono, the farm manager, and two farm workers, who assisted me in restraining the animals.
As part of my examination, I checked for pregnancy in a few animals whose breeding records didn't match their visual stage. Three cows had joint problems due to hoof infections, and I treated them accordingly. I also treated three calves for pneumonia and advised the farm workers to block part of the open space in the calf house to reduce wind chill at night.
By the time I finished at 5 pm, we were all exhausted. But our relief was short-lived, as one of the milkers came running, saying that one of the cows I had vaccinated had not produced a single drop of milk. The milking machine had recorded 'zero' yield.
'The cow must be reacting to the vaccine,' the milker opined. But I knew better. The cow looked dull and hadn't eaten well. It must have developed the problem after vaccination, as I recalled a loud vocalisation when I injected the animal.
As I did a thorough medical examination, I noticed the cow was trying to kick the left side of its abdomen, indicating left abdominal pain. The lung sounds were harsh, signifying pneumonia, but the disease wouldn't have caused complete loss of milk. The temperature was slightly elevated, and the rectal examination showed very scanty faecal content.
With the aid of a stethoscope, I felt the sound of air in a pocket – a diagnostic finding that showed the cow's true stomach, called the abomasum, had been displaced to the left side. Its normal position is the floor of the abdomen. This was an emergency that couldn't wait.
Non-surgical treatment of left abomasal displacement involves casting the animal to the ground and rolling it to the right several times until the organ gets back to its normal position. I treated the animal for pneumonia and gave an injection to stimulate movement of the stomach and intestines, in an attempt to assist expulsion of the gas from the abomasum.
Rono, well-versed in animal handling, called in three other workers to assist in the treatment. We rolled the animal to the right twice, and it gave a big belch and anal gas expulsion. It then stood up and appeared happy. When I listened with the stethoscope, the ping was gone. What a lucky day for a tired vet and a very sick cow.
