Common Causes of Peritonitis

Species

Causes

Cattle

  • Intestinal, rectal, or uterine rupture

  • Liver or abdominal abscess rupture

  • Omphalitis (in calves)

  • Fat necrosis of the pancreas, pancreatitis

  • Neoplasia (eg, mesothelioma, ileal adenocarcinoma)

  • Iatrogenic (eg, rectal perforation, liver biopsy, intraperitoneal injection, rumenocentesis)

  • Green algae infection (rare)

  • Setaria infection (rare)

Horses

  • Parasitic (larval) migration

  • Intestinal injury and ischemia (colic)

  • Abdominal abscess rupture (Rhodococcus, Streptococcus)

  • Abdominal surgery (colic surgery, castration)

  • Gastric, intestinal, or uterine rupture

  • Proximal enteritis, colitis

  • Omphalitis, persistent urachus, or bladder rupture (in foals)

  • Gastric ulcer (perforation)

  • Fat necrosis of the pancreas, pancreatitis

  • Neoplasia (eg, cholangiocellular carcinoma)

  • Penetrating trauma to abdominal wall

  • Iatrogenic (rectal perforation, intraperitoneal injection), idiopathic

  • Actinobacillus infection

Small ruminants

  • Abdominal abscess rupture

  • Neoplasia (eg, mesothelioma, cholangiocellular carcinoma)

  • Iatrogenic (eg, liver biopsy, intraperitoneal injection)

South American camelids

  • Sequela of parasitic migration, acute hepatitis (dicroceliasis of special importance)

  • Perforating third-compartment or duodenal ulcers

  • Sequela of urolithiasis, ruptured urinary bladder

Pigs

  • Polyserositis (Mycoplasma hyorhinis)

  • Neoplasia (mainly in older miniature pigs)

Dogs and cats

  • Feline infectious peritonitis

  • Ingested intestinal foreign bodies

  • Gastric, intestinal, rectal, bladder, or uterine rupture

  • Abdominal or intestinal surgery

  • Gastric and duodenal ulcers or perforation

  • Abdominal neoplasia (eg, mesothelioma)

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