Treatment and prevention

TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

Treatment

  • Reticular foreign bodies often migrate back into the lumen of the reticulum, conservative treatment can have good results.
  • Conservative treatment: instillation of a magnet to recover or immobilize the metal foreign body
  • Affected cattle should be administered with systemic antibiotic for 3-7 days (penicillin, ceftiofur, ampicillin, or tetracycline).
  • Stall rest and other supportive therapy
  • Re-evaluated in 48-72 hours. 
  • An exploratory laparotomy/rumenotomy is indicated for removal of the foreign body.

Prevention

  • Cattle should be kept away from construction sites
  • Crop fields should be monitored for metal debris.
  • Processed feed passed over magnets to recover any magnetic foreign bodies prior to being fed to cattle.
Last modified: Wednesday, 22 February 2012, 5:38 AM