What are the clinical signs associated with vagal indigestion?

• A. Papple shape (one side round like an apple and the other side pear-shaped)
• B. Visible lameness only
• C. Hyperactivity and aggressive behavior
• D. Normal appetite with no signs

Answer: (A)

Vagal indigestion causes a mismatch in how gas and contents move through the forestomachs, leading to abnormal, multi-compartment distension. The most telling sign is the papple abdomen, a distinctive contour where the left side becomes apple-shaped from ruminal distension and the right side becomes pear-shaped from abomasal/gastric distension. This dual bulging reflects gas buildup in different compartments due to impaired motility and outflow. In practice, you’ll see a markedly distended abdomen with this two-toned contour, along with signs like reduced appetite and poor rumination, rather than normal appetite or only lameness. The papple shape is the best clue because it directly mirrors the internal mixing and outflow failure characteristic of vagal indigestion.