abdominal sounds

Sounds heard on auscultation of the abdomen. In horses gastric and small intestinal sounds are not sufficiently identifiable to be of clinical value. Absence of ileocecal valve, cecal and colonic sounds indicates paralytic ileus, increased sounds indicate enteritis or spasmodic colic. In ruminants only reticuloruminal sounds are of value as diagnostic aids; their absence suggests atony, hyperactivity indicates chronic distention. Muffling of normal sounds suggests the presence of obstructing material especially fluid. See also abdominal auscultation.