Cervical oesophageal perforation by a colostrum tube with metal end‐piece in neonatal calves

Abstract

In a three-month period, a Belgian Blue beef herd was confronted with three unexplained mortalities in neonatal calves, characterised by the development of a marked cervical swelling. A fourth case was referred for closer examination. On clinical examination, the animal showed a diffuse cervical swelling with oedema and crepitation, depression, anorexia and muffled lung sounds. A barium contrast-enhanced radiograph showed diffusion of contrast liquid from the oesophagus into the surrounding tissues, consistent with oesophageal perforation. Postmortem examination showed a fibrino-necrotising (peri)oesophagitis, tracheitis and myositis, pyothorax, pneumomediastinum and pericardial emphysema. A perforating tear was present in the ventral oesophagus, 15 cm caudal from the larynx. The cause was an inappropriate tubing technique of the farmer and possibly the use of an oesophageal feeder with metal end-piece.

An oesophageal fistula associated with cervical osteomyelitis in a 17‐month‐old Holstein heifer

“…In this case, the oesophageal rupture evolving into a fistula could have been caused by trauma, chronic pressure necrosis, ulcers, death of Hypoderma lineatum larvae or the spread of an adjacent infection 3,13,24,26,30 . However, neither difficult intubation nor oral administration of irritant products were reported.…”

“…Oesophageal disorders in cattle are rare and include (i) infectious diseases, such as mucosal disease, 5,16 malignant catarrhal fever 16 or sarcocystosis 17,18 ; (ii) physiologic disorders, such as megaoesophagus 19–23 ; and (iii) mechanical disorders, such as obstruction by foreign bodies, 5,24,25 diverticulum, 16 rupture, perforation 26,27 or fistula 28 . Whereas the mucosal layer is intact in the case of a diverticulum (traction or true diverticulum; or pulsion or false diverticulum), an abnormal opening of the mucosal layer is endoscopically observed in cases of an oesophageal perforation, laceration, rupture or fistula (Figure 4).…”