Inorganic waste is becoming increasingly common in pastures and cow fields. These are bags, wrappers, foil, film. Most often, such waste ends up on the pasture with the wind. Eating dangerous cellophane “treats” by animals can lead to serious health problems and even death. What to do when a cow ate a plastic bag? Let's figure it out together.
What danger does the animal face?
Polyethylene and cellophane are transparent, moisture-resistant film materials. They are equally dangerous for a cow. When it enters the body, the film is not digested, but is compressed into stone. There is a threat of mechanical blockage of the food passages from the stomach and esophagus.
In rare cases, a cow eating a package occurs without visible disturbances or consequences. Most often this is due to the small size of the foreign body that has entered the body. The polyethylene curls up into a ball and comes out with the feces. If the size of the eaten package is large or the film was eaten systematically, a threat to the health of the animal appears.
Risks of cows eating polyethylene.
- Diarrhea. Develops when the gastrointestinal tract is partially blocked. Only the liquid contents pass through the resulting “cellophane jam”. Farmers often confuse this condition with coccidiosis, salmonella, and E. coli. Due to the lack of special assistance, the situation is getting worse.
- Clogging of the esophagus and stopping stomach contractions. Accompanied by constipation and gas formation. The condition threatens respiratory arrest and death of the cow.
- Volvulus. Characterized by the formation of intestinal nodes.
- Complete intestinal obstruction. Gases quickly expand the stomach and intestines. The process is accompanied by circulatory disorders, oxygen starvation of organs, and intoxication.
The only way out in such situations is to remove the plastic bag from the animal’s body. But due to the large size of the cow, this becomes problematic. Not all veterinarians agree to such an operation. If the cellophane entangles the intestines, help is useless and the animal is taken to slaughter.
What to do if a cow ate a bag?
An unpleasant and dangerous situation - a cow chews and swallows a plastic bag. The typical first reaction of a farmer is to remove the foreign body as quickly as possible. The real execution for the animal begins: they open its mouth wide, insert a wedge between its jaws, insert a hand into its throat and try to feel the end of the film.Also, some owners induce vomiting, hoping that the swallowed bag will come out with the masses. All these actions are erroneous and dangerous, since such “help” can only worsen the cow’s condition, accelerating its death.
For 3 days you need to carefully monitor your condition and stool. The best outcome of the situation is the natural release of a plastic bag. In consultation with the veterinarian, you can stimulate and speed up the process, trying to soften the film.
The following means can be used.
- Vaseline oil. Add to drink at the rate of 10 ml per 1 liter of water. No more than 2 times a day.
- Ammonia. For 5 liters of water, 2-3 drops. Give throughout the day, but not more than 2 days.
- "Duphalac". Give 5-7 ml orally in the morning and evening.
Medical assistance is required if symptoms of obstruction appear. This is a refusal to eat while drinking a lot, lack of stool, or excessive diarrhea and vomiting. In advanced and complex cases, only surgical intervention will help: opening the stomach and removing all the polyethylene. If surgery is not possible, the veterinarian will advise taking the cow to slaughter.
This is due to the fact that it is no longer possible to save the animal; it will die a slow, painful and painful death.
Prevention
High-risk areas are pastures near roads, landfills, and construction sites, from where garbage is spread throughout the area. Here shepherds should be especially vigilant. If possible, it is better not to take the herd to potentially dangerous fields.The only real preventive measure here remains the daily manual collection of polyethylene waste.
In homesteads, containers and garbage bins should be kept as far apart as possible. Give hay bales without wrapping threads, feed - without packaging. It is planned to give cows multivitamin complexes: eating waste and inedible foods may be associated with a lack of microelements in the body. It is important not to forget about regular visits to the veterinarian.
Plastic and cellophane bags are a real threat to cows, bulls and calves. The film does not dissolve in gastric juice, is not digested, and often causes blockage or complete obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. There is no cure or salvation for this problem. We can only hope for the best and carefully monitor the animals’ diet.
