A Jersey cow calved approximately one week ago (fourth lactation) and has presented with paresis for the past few hours. History reports a normal calving, normal placental expulsion, poor rumination, and milk production beginning in the first days after calving. Two boluses of calcium and an NSAID (ketoprofen) were administered IM.
The animal displays a passive, depressed demeanor, accompanied by mild tachypnea. No pathological lung or heart sounds are present. The udder shows no signs of mastitis. Mild abdominal distension is noted, masking the concavity of the right and left paralumbar fossae; the absence of ping sounds rules out abomasal displacement on either side as well as cecal torsion. A splashing sound on ballottement of the abdominal wall, combined with a dull sound on percussion, leads us to suspect severe intestinal repletion with fluid sequestration in the peritoneal space. Abdominocentesis confirms the presence of pathological peritoneal effusion (peritonitis).
Diagnostic hypothesis: peritonitis due to a foreign body, a perforated abomasal ulcer, or severe intestinal obstruction.
