title: Duodenal ileus caused by a calf feeding nipple in a cow.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this report was to describe duodenal obstruction caused by a rubber foreign body in a cow.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic findings in a five-year-old Swiss Braunvieh cow with duodenal ileus caused by a calf feeding nipple are described. The main clinical signs were anorexia, ruminal tympany, decreased faecal output and abomasal reflux syndrome. Ultrasonographic examination revealed reticular hyperactivity and a dilated duodenum. A diagnosis of duodenal ileus was made and the cow underwent right-flank laparotomy, which revealed a dilation of the cranial part of the duodenum because of obstruction by a pliable foreign body. This was identified via enterotomy as a calf feeding nipple. The cow was healthy at the time of discharge four days after surgery and went on to complete a successful lactation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first description of duodenal obstruction by a calf feeding nipple. This is an interesting case, which broadens the spectrum of the causes of duodenal ileus, which is usually caused by obstruction of the duodenum by a phytobezoar.
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. ubraun@vetclinics.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Ueli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schnetzler
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Previtali
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gerspach
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies; D045823:Ileus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000662:veterinary; D014463:Ultrasonography