What to Do About Esophageal Obstruction in Cattle? Teaching You the Correct Treatment Method
When raising cattle, esophageal obstruction can occur, also called esophageal impaction, which is caused by feed becoming lodged in the esophagus. It is a sudden-onset disease, and if not treated in time, it may cause esophageal paralysis and inflammation in cattle, and in severe cases can lead to esophageal perforation or death by suffocation. So what causes esophageal obstruction in cattle? How should it be prevented and treated? Let's take a look.
1. Causes of the disease
When feeding, if cattle eat large pieces of feed, such as radishes, sweet potatoes, etc., without fully chewing them and swallowing hastily, the feed gets stuck in the esophagus; or the cattle themselves suffer from esophageal disease, and feed becomes lodged in the esophagus during eating, triggering this disease.
2. Symptoms of the disease
It generally occurs suddenly during feeding, with symptoms of drooling, fright, extended neck, empty chewing, and continuous swallowing. By pressing with the hand on the outside of the cattle's esophagus, a hard object can be clearly felt. In addition, because a large amount of saliva accumulates in the esophagus in front of the obstruction, the local area appears swollen, with a fluid sensation when pressed, and saliva flows from the mouth and nose. When the esophagus is completely blocked, the cattle will develop rumen bloating due to the cessation of belching, and when the esophagus is not completely blocked, long-term obstruction can cause esophageal paralysis, inflammation, and perforation.
3. Treatment methods
If the cattle have already developed rumen bloating, or if rumen bloating occurs during treatment, a trocar can be used to puncture the rumen and release the gas, so as to prevent the cattle from dying of suffocation. When the obstructing object is about halfway down the esophagus, you can use your hand to push the lower part of the obstructing object from outside the esophagus, moving it upward to the throat, then use a mouth gag and remove the obstructing object by hand; conversely, push it down toward the stomach. A small amount of edible oil can be poured into the esophagus to serve as a lubricant, then use a tool to push the obstructing object into the stomach with appropriate force, avoiding damage to the esophagus.
The above is an introduction to what to do about esophageal obstruction in cattle. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.