Obstruction of the Ascending Colon in Cattle: I. Clinical Presentation and Surgical Management

Obstruction of the spiral loop of the ascending colon (spiral colon) due to adhesions causing extraluminal constriction was diagnosed in 8 cows during a 2-year period. The adhesions resulted from intraperitoneal injections in 7 cows and from previous intra-abdominal surgery in the 8th. Surgical correction was performed in 4 of the cows by uniting the bowel proximal and distal to the obstruction, thus creating an intestinal bypass. Approximately half of the large intestine was bypassed in this manner in 3 cows; all but a portion of the descending colon and rectum was bypassed in the 4th. Each of the cows survived surgery, although 1 died 30 days later, possibly as a result of a second obstruction caused by further adhesions. Appetite, general physical condition, and milk production returned after celiotomy and intestinal bypass. Feces were loose after operation but gradually firmed to near-normal consistency in 3 of the cows.