Investigation of plasma pepsinogen level in calves with abomasal distention

The aims of the present study was to determine whether or not abomasal damages occurs in calves with abdominal distention using by plasma pepsinogen levels and the positivity of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). In the study, 30 calves with abdominal distention (distention group) and 15 clinically healthy calves (control group), aged between 1-90 days, were used. Collected plasma samples of all the calves were used to determine plasma pepsinogen levels, using bovine specific ELISA. Fresh stool samples were also taken from the rectum of all the calves and used to determine occult blood in the samples. In the study, melena and occult blood were detected in 11 and 19 of the stool samples, respectively. The plasma pepsinogen levels of calves with abdominal distention (18.06±7.78 ng/ml) were significatly high compared to those of control group (6.70±2.08 ng/ml), (p