Hoflund syndrome
The Hoflund syndrome (also Functional Magenstenose called) is a disease in ruminants , mainly in domestic cattle occurs. It is caused by damage to the vagus nerve ("vagus indigestion"). This was first described in more detail in 1940 by Sven Axel Hoflund .
The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve and is responsible for the parasympathetic control of the intestines and thus also the stomach departments. The decisive factor for Hoflund syndrome is the disorder in the motor function of the reticulum (also called the hood, lat. Reticulum ), which represents a kind of distribution station in the complex motor function of the forestomach .
to form
Radostits, Blood & Gay distinguish three forms:
- Rumen overload with hypermotor skills
- Rumen overload with atony
- Pyloric stenosis
However, it has not yet been scientifically clarified whether these forms are perhaps just stages of a disease.
Rumen overload with hypermotor skills
When the rumen is overloaded with hyper-motor skills (increased peristalsis ), the contents of the rumen are frothy and mixed (rumen symptoms , bloating). In addition, the front (not damaged) Vagusabschnitt shows increased activity ( vagal tone ), making it heavy salivation and vomiting occurs.
What is noticeable is a distended abdomen that looks like half a pear on the right and half an apple on the left (where the fore-stomachs are) ( pear + apple = "papple"). In addition, there is inappetence (unwillingness to eat) and a reduction in the amount of faeces.
The clinical examination of the rumen shows a high frequency but low intensity of the rumen movements. Splashing and ringing can occur on both sides.
Rumen overload with atony
Here the rumen motor function comes to a standstill. As a result, there is no mixing and emptying of the rumen contents and a rumen overload with gassing occurs.
This form usually occurs in late pregnancy . The rumen motor skills are greatly reduced. Ringing and splashing can also be heard on both sides.
Pyloric stenosis
Here the lower branch of the vagus ( Truncus vagalis ventralis ) is damaged. The stenosis of the pylorus leads to an abomasum overload and a backflow (reflux) of the abomasum contents in the leaf stomach with corresponding metabolic consequences. The contents of the abomasum containing hydrochloric acid flow back into the hood-rumen area, which causes the pH value to drop and the chloride concentration to rise above 30 mmol / l. In the intestine, the chloride- hydrogen carbonate exchange can no longer take place, resulting in metabolic hypochloraemic alkalosis .
therapy
Therapy is not very promising. A manual emptying of the fore-stomachs can be tried and the disturbances of the fluid and electrolyte balance corrected. Usually, however, the animal is slaughtered for economic reasons.
Accordingly, prophylaxis is in the foreground. This consists of treating any foreign body diseases in good time so that there are no inflammatory changes in the area of the forestomach, which are considered to be a main cause of Hoflund syndrome.
literature
- Hoflund, S. (1940): Studies on disorders in the functions of the ruminant stomach caused by damage to the vagus nerve. Svensk. Vet. Tidskr. 45, Suppl.
- Otto M. Radostits , Clive C. Gay, and Douglas C. Blood : Veterinary Medicine. SAUNDERS, 9th Ed., 2000. ISBN 07-0202-604-2