Vetdle

Think. Diagnose. Play.

Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #9: Bovine Left Displaced Abomasum

Cattle veterinary case - Medium - March 12, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A 5-year-old Holstein dairy cow is examined three weeks after calving.
  2. The farmer reports a gradual drop in milk production and reduced appetite.
  3. The cow appears mildly depressed and produces smaller amounts of manure.
  4. On examination the cow has decreased rumen fill and mild ketosis.
  5. A high-pitched ping is detected on auscultation and percussion of the left paralumbar fossa.
  6. Gas accumulation within the abomasum allows the organ to float upward along the left abdominal wall.

Diagnosis

Bovine Left Displaced Abomasum

Left displaced abomasum commonly occurs in early lactation dairy cows when gas accumulation causes the abomasum to shift from its normal position.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this cattle case supports the provided diagnosis, Bovine Left Displaced Abomasum, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A 5-year-old Holstein dairy cow is examined three weeks after calving.
  2. Clue 2: The farmer reports a gradual drop in milk production and reduced appetite.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The cow appears mildly depressed and produces smaller amounts of manure.
  2. Clue 4: On examination the cow has decreased rumen fill and mild ketosis.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: A high-pitched ping is detected on auscultation and percussion of the left paralumbar fossa.
  2. Clue 6: Gas accumulation within the abomasum allows the organ to float upward along the left abdominal wall.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this cattle case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Bovine Left Displaced Abomasum?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Bovine Left Displaced Abomasum?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.