I casi della clinica : invaginamento colo-colico in un vitello

A female Italian Friesian calf, 20-days-old and weighing around 40 kg, was brought to the clinic with a colonic syndrome associated with a sudden distension of the left flank and loss of appetite over several days. The calf presented a barrel abdomen and, when placed in the left lateral decubitus position, there was a clear cylindroid dilatation of the right flank. Ultrasound examination suggested caecal paratopia. Laporotomy of the right flank revealed the spiroid colon to be dilated and full of dense material and gas, as well as a colo-colonic intussusception close to the central part of the spiroid colon, not resolvable by manual taxis. An enterectomy of the part and end-to-end anastomosis were carried out. Despite post-operative interventions, including the administration of neostigmine, the calf died after 2 days. The necropsy revealed a diffuse fibrinous peritonitis and a significant expansion of the caecum and colon. The colo-colonic anastomosis was intact and there were no further intestinal paratopias.