FAC45-47: The Postpartum Cow Flashcards
What is the cause of vaginal/uterine tears?
Dystocia and excessive traction
How do you treat vaginal/uterine tears?
Urgent!
Clamp vessel if possible or apply pressure
Suturing is not normally possible
May result in recto-vaginal fistula
Use episiotomy technique in future
What is the cause of a uterine prolapse?
Associated with prolonged parturition due to oversize calf
Cows may have hypocalcaemia
What is the prognosis of a cow with uterine prolapse?
Good in most casts - occasionally cow will go into shock and die with internal haemorrhage
What nerves are most at risk of damage due ot large calf/dystocia?
Damage to nerves arising from lumbo-sacral plexus - obturator and gluteal nerves most at risk
Describe the normal events in the post-partum cow.
- Uterine involution
- Regeneration of endometrium
- Elimination of bacterial contamination from uterus
- Return of cyclic ovarian activity
When is the uterus completely involuted?
4-6 weeks
What factors affect the rate of involution?
- Parity
- Retained foetal membranes
- Metritis
- Twins
- Hypocalcaemia/selenaemia
- Dystocia/trauma
How is uterine infection eliminated after post-partum?
Infection eliminated by local immune response within weeks (lochia)
Early resumption of cyclicity aids elimination of infection from uterus
Define metritis
Animal that have an abnormally enlarged uterus and a purulent uterine discharge detectable in the vagina within 21 days after parturition
What are the grades of metritis?
Grade 1: enlarged uterus and a purulent uterine discharge but no pyrexia/illness
Grade 2: puerperal metritis - overt systemic illness (decreased milk yield, fever > 39.5C, reduced appetite)
Grade 3: toxaemic metritis - signs of toxaemia (cold extremities, dullness)
When does acute puerperal metritis appear?
Normally within 7 days of calving
How do you treat puerperal metritis?
Systemic antibiotic 3-5 days
NSAID
IV 3L hypertonic saline
Removal of RFM
Define endometritis.
The presence of a purulent uterine discharge detectable in the vagina 21 days or more post partum, or mucopurulent discharge detectable in the vagina after 26 days post partum
How do you diagnose endometritis?
Reach and pull out pus
What are the risk factors for clinical endometritis?
- Dystocia, RFM
- Dirty calving boxes
- Delay in cyclicity
- Fatty liver syndrome
- Immune deficiency
How do you treat endometritis?
- Prostaglandin injection
- Intrauterine antibiotics
- Antiseptic wash out
How do you prevent clinical endometritis?
- General calving hygiene
- Minimise dystocia
- Avoid overfat cows
- Ensure adequate trace element supplementation