There are many causes of hiccups including gastric distention, aerophagia, ventriculoperitoneal shunts, hydrocephalus, multiple sclerosis, strokes, epidural or subdural hematomas, diffuse axonal injury, cerebral contusions, encephalitis, meningitis, brain abscesses, neurosyphilis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, irritation of the tympanic membrane, retropharyngeal abscess, peritonsillar abscesses, mediastinitis, esophagitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, aortic aneurysms, pericarditis, misplaced pacemaker wires, small bowel obstruction,
perihepatitis, subphrenic abscess, goiter, tumor or cyst of the neck, barbiturates, steroids, methyldopa, and electrolyte abnormalities [1-4].
The most frequent hepatic diseases encountered in slaughtered bovine are telangiectasia, hepatitis,
perihepatitis (adhesions), fascioliasis, hydatidosis, tuberculosis, abscesses, and cirrhosis (LAUZER et al., 1979; MENDES & PILATI, 2007).