Introduction

• Compared with other anesthetic complications, problems of the gastrointestinal system are both common and potentially life-threatening in cattle.
• Cause of these side effects are likely to be multi-factorial.
• Signs range from diarrhea and gas bloat, which are frequently seen secondary to administration of alpha-2 agonists to aspiration pneumonia, which occurs secondary to regurgitation in the peri- or immediately post-anesthetic period.

Prevention

Diagnosis

Treatment

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Seddighi R & Doherty T J (2016) Field sedation and anesthesia of ruminants. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 32 (3), 553-570 PubMed.
• Abrahamsen E J (2013) Chemical restraint and injectable anesthesia of ruminants. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 29 (1), 209-27 PubMed.
• Smith G (2013) Extralabel use of anesthetic and analgesic compounds in cattle. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 29 (1), 29-45 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Valverde A & Sinclair M (2015) Ruminant Anesthesia. In: Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Blackwell Publishing, USA.
• Clarke K & Trim C (2014) Anaesthesia of Cattle. In: Veterinary Anaesthesia. 11th edn. Elsevier, USA.