Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome, also known as sudden death disease, is an emerging, highly fatal intestinal disease of adult cows.
The cow’s immune system plays a role in whether a cow becomes an HBS cow. Cases are most common following stressful periods in a cow’s lactation cycle such as calving and early lactation, when cows are subject to several different stressors.” – Scott Bascom, PhD
Source: Bovine Veterinarian, June 21, 2021. Link. HBS is characterized as an acute and sometimes massive hemorrhage in the small intestine, which can subsequently lead to the formation of intraluminal blood clots and obstruction. Furthermore, affected cows suffer from the collective effects of blood loss, intestinal obstruction and necrosis of the bowel.
Diagnosing HBS based on clinical signs alone is generally not possible, because the symptoms can also be found in other diseases . . . when a cow dies of what is believed to be HBS, open her up . . .” – Angie Rowson, DVM