Contents
Prolapse of the uterus in a cow is a rather serious complication, which mainly manifests itself after calving. It is not recommended to perform reduction on your own, it is better to use the help of an experienced specialist.
Causes of uterine prolapse in cows
Shedding in cattle is difficult to treat. More often this pathology affects heifers and elderly individuals. The reasons for falling out can be varied. However, they all come down to improper care.
Uterine prolapse in cows before calving
It is believed that such a pathology before calving is quite rare. The reasons are weak muscle tissue, the age of the individual (too young or old cow), various infections, multiple pregnancy, too early start of labor.
If by this time the calf has already formed, then you can try to save it. The diseased organ of the cow is reduced, if it is still possible, or amputated.
Prolapse of the uterus in a cow after calving
This complication also has a variety of causes:
- lack of active exercise;
- illiterate extraction of the fetus;
- lack of proper care for a pregnant cow;
- multiple births;
- rapid childbirth;
- retention of the placenta;
- dropsy of the fetal membranes;
- the presence of infectious diseases.
Complicated calving can occur when the calcium level in the cow’s body decreases (hypocalcemia) because calcium affects muscle tone.
The pathogenesis of uterine prolapse in a cow
A prolapse of the uterus in a cow is a displacement in which the organ is completely or partially turned outward by the mucous membrane.
The prolapse is accompanied by profuse bleeding, looseness and swelling of the diseased organ. Over time, its color darkens significantly, it becomes covered with cracks and wounds. Most often, prolapse occurs immediately after calving, when the neck is still open. This contributes to the prolapse of the organ. The main cause of this pathology is flabby muscle tissue.
Sometimes the pathology is accompanied by prolapse of part of the rectum, bladder and vagina.
What to do if a cow has a uterus
If a cow has a womb, the best thing an owner can do for the animal is to call a specialist.
While the veterinarian is on the road, the owner can make some preparations. First of all, it is necessary to place the animal in such a way that its back (that is, the croup) is slightly higher than the head.
Then you can clean the area around the cow from unnecessary items, rinse the room from dirt and dust. You also need to rinse the organ from the placenta on your own, having previously prepared for this a bucket of water with a solution of manganese. It must be washed carefully, avoiding unnecessary injury.
Before the doctor arrives, it is advisable to prepare everything that you may need: antiseptics, disposable droppers, syringes, as well as clean, sterile tissues.
Treatment of uterine prolapse in a cow
Since shedding is a common pathology, a cow should not be left alone after calving. She needs to be kept under observation for some time. It happens that even after a very successful calving, an organ falls out.
The prolapse of the uterus in a cow in the video will help you understand what help is needed.
The prolapsed uterus looks like a kind of rounded mass. Sometimes it goes below the hock. The mucosa swells when prolapsed, easily injured, cracking when dried. After a certain time, it becomes inflamed, signs of necrosis begin. If the animal is not helped at this moment, as a rule, gangrene and sepsis develop.
Anesthesia is required prior to reduction. Then you need to wash the body with a cold solution of manganese or tannin. If foci of necrotic inflammation are noticeable, then you need to use a warm solution. Dead parts of the mucous membrane are treated with iodine. To reduce the volume of the prolapsed organ, it is pulled together with bandages. For the same purpose, the veterinarian injects oxytocin into the cavity. Large wounds on the organ are sutured with catgut.
After such careful preparation, they begin to reposition. First you need to wrap a sterile towel around your hand. Then, with careful movements, the top of the uterine horn is pushed forward. After reduction, you need to keep the uterus in the cavity for some time, smoothing its mucous membrane with your fist.
Often, after the uterus is repositioned, a cow develops endometritis, an inflammatory disease of the inner layer of the mucous membrane (endometrium). This disease is treated in a complex, with the use of antibiotics.
If the uterus is severely damaged, prone to necrosis, then in order to save the life of the animal, the organ is amputated.
Prevention of uterine prolapse in cattle
Prevention of falling out consists in proper preparation for calving:
- before calving at a certain time, you need to stop lactation so that the cow’s body tunes in to childbirth;
- it is necessary to revise the diet of the animal – transfer to hay, and then to fodder;
- reduce the amount of fluid consumed;
- before calving, you need to prepare a separate, disinfected stall;
- the first or complicated pregnancy is a reason for a veterinarian to be present during calving.
In addition, it is important to monitor the cow’s diet even before pregnancy. It also requires daily exercise and timely vaccination of livestock against various infections.
Causes and treatment of uterine torsion in cows
Twisting of the uterus is a turn around the axis of the entire organ, horn or section of the horn.
Twisting may occur due to the anatomical features of the fixing section of the uterus. In cows during pregnancy, it goes down and slightly forward. The ligaments of the horns are directed upward and somewhat backward. This position can lead to the fact that the part of the uterus, not fixed from the sides, is displaced in any direction. At the same time, her body, neck, part of the vagina are twisted.
Twisting is not accompanied by specific symptoms. In most cases, they are similar to the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. The cow is restless and has no appetite. On rectal examination, the folds of the uterus are well palpable. At the same time, one of them is strongly stretched, the other is free. When diagnosing, it is important to determine in which direction twisting occurred. Subsequent assistance to the animal will depend on this.
The main reasons for such twists are sudden movements of the cow, exercise on steep slopes, and a long herd movement. With this pathology, the cow loses its appetite, becomes restless, and breathes heavily. The fetus does not come out during calving, despite attempts.
At hotel, when the twisting side is precisely set, twisting is performed in the opposite direction. In this case, an oil solution is poured into the cavity.
You can unwind the uterus by throwing the cow on its back and sharply turn the animal around the axis in the direction in which the twisting occurred. Thus, the uterus remains in place, and the body, untwisting, allows it to take the correct position.
Sometimes such procedures have to be repeated until the pathology is eliminated.
Types of pathologies of the uterus:
- Torsion of the uterus in cows. It can be eliminated by carefully turning the animal around its axis. You can also return the organ to its original position by inserting a hand into the neck.
- Curvature of the uterus in a cow. Pathology is observed when the organ is displaced under the pelvic bones. When rendering assistance, you should fill up the cow on its side, then turn it over on its back. As a rule, after this, the fetus takes the correct position.
The uterus can be corrected without compromising the health of the animal with minor pathology. If the twist is complete, the calf dies and the cow’s health deteriorates significantly.
Conclusion
Prolapse of the uterus in a cow is a severe pathology, often with an unfavorable prognosis for the animal. The owner needs to understand that it will not be possible to cope with the pathology on his own, so you need to take care of professional help from a qualified veterinarian.