Title: A retrospective study of peritoneal fluids in cows with abdominal disorders
Abstract: At the Clinic for Ruminants in Ljubljana, an investigation of peritoneal fluid in cows that stretched over 30 years was conducted. A total of 779 cows were studied; 444 had hardware disease, 212 had left abomasal displacement, 98 cows had right abomasal displacement with or without abomasal torsion, and 25 cows had problems with the uterus. Abdominocentesis, macroscopic and microscopic examination of peritoneal fluid (physical appearance, differantion to transudate/exudates, cytological characteristics) offered valuable diagnostic information. On the basis of the results of 779 laboratory examinations, we have come to the conclusion that abdominal fluid is of significant diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic value for several acute and chronic abdominal diseases. .