Contents
Serous mastitis in cows causes a lot of trouble for the breeder. Milk yield and quality of milk decrease, in advanced cases, lactation stops completely. Without the intervention of a veterinarian, it is difficult to cure an animal.
What is serous mastitis
Serous mastitis is a serious and common disease in cows in the postpartum period. The mammary glands become inflamed, filled with fluid. This kind of deviation occurs for various reasons, but most often due to bacterial infections. They enter the body and affect a third of the mammary gland or the entire udder.
Pathogenic bacteria enter through cracks in the nipples and migrate to other internal organs. The ducts of the mammary gland are compressed, stop working normally, resulting in inflammation. Milk completely changes its composition.
Etiology and pathogenesis of serous mastitis in cows
Serous mastitis develops rapidly and affects a third of the herd after calving. That is why it is important to know the main causes of its occurrence, the rules of treatment and prevention.
The case history begins with microbes that enter the blood and lymph of the cow. Due to serous mastitis, the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for the amount of milk, stops. Metabolism in the tissues of the udder is disturbed. An inflammatory process begins with more or less pronounced symptoms of mastitis. They are joined by soreness of the udder.
It is difficult to determine serous mastitis without sufficient experience.
If serous mastitis is not treated in time, then it passes to the milk ducts, a more serious stage of the disease begins.
The main reason for the development of serous mastitis is a decrease in immunity after calving, but there are other factors:
- postpartum complications;
- udder damage;
- gastrointestinal disease;
- unsanitary conditions of detention;
- improper and incomplete milking of a cow.
Postpartum complications are often observed in first-calf heifers when endometriosis develops or the placenta does not completely come out. Serous mastitis is caused by mechanical damage to the udder, various diseases caused by improper feeding and unsanitary conditions in the cow house. Very often, poor-quality milking can become the cause of serous mastitis. Milk residues gradually accumulate in the udder, which leads to the appearance of an inflammatory process.
Clinical signs of serous mastitis in cows
Inflammation begins suddenly and proceeds quickly, already on the first day you can notice that the animal behaves suspiciously. The very first symptoms of mastitis, which can be suspected something was wrong – lethargy and lack of appetite. In the future, they are joined by manifestations characteristic of serous mastitis:
- the udder becomes hard, swells, there is pain on palpation;
- the cow shows irritability, is afraid;
- udder tissues change color, turn red;
- the body temperature of the animal rises, the udder becomes hot;
- milk acquires an uncharacteristic cyanotic hue, flakes appear in it;
- the amount of milk is sharply reduced.
The initial symptoms of serous mastitis are very similar to the usual stagnation, but gradually the picture becomes clearer. There are characteristic differences to keep in mind. With stagnation, the udder remains soft, like dough to the touch, and with serous mastitis, it immediately hardens.
How to treat serous mastitis in a cow
The prognosis for the treatment of serous mastitis is favorable. If at the first symptoms you turn to a veterinarian, then after 10 days the cow will be healthy. However, if microbes have penetrated into the alveolar part of the mammary gland, then the disease can become chronic. In the most neglected case, complications arise in the form of tissue necrosis, which can lead to death.
For the treatment of mastitis to be successful, it must be comprehensive and include a number of activities. To begin with, a sick cow is separated from other individuals, transferred to a stall. In her diet, mainly dry food should be present, watering is temporarily limited. After that, massage is done and the contents of the udder are decanted. Milking is carried out 4-5 times a day, excluding night time.
In order to avoid infection, sterility must be observed during work.
With severe damage to the udder, injections of oxytocin are made to make the exudate easier to leave. Also, to clean the ducts, washing with a solution of sodium bicarbonate is performed. Antibacterial therapy is used for disinfection, in addition, ointments and warming bandages are applied. The course of antibiotics is at least five days.
Warming ointments and gels are aimed at resorption of clots in the udder. They are applied in a thin layer. Suitable ointments Vishnevsky, ichthyol and heparin. During the treatment of serous mastitis, the cow must be isolated from drafts. The room should be warm but well ventilated. This contributes to the rapid resorption of clots.
Of the drugs that have been certified and have shown the best results in the treatment of serous mastitis, the following can be distinguished:
- «Mastisan-A». A drug based on streptomycin and sulfadimesin, which give a persistent antibacterial effect. Available as a liquid for injections of 5 and 20 ml. In the initial stages of the disease, one injection is enough. In advanced cases, the solution is administered every day until complete recovery. Milk is used for food after three days.
- “Mastomycin”. Gel based on gentamicin and lidocaine. It gives a good analgesic effect, in addition, it fights various bacterial microflora. The drug is completely ready for use. At the initial stage, two injections are made every 12 hours. In severe cases, up to six injections are allowed with the same interval.
- “Masti Veiksim”. German drug that has a positive effect on the condition of the animal. Two injections are enough for recovery.
You can use other antibacterial drugs that are injected through the nipple into the udder. However, the dosage and accuracy of administration must be strictly observed. The wrong procedure will add problems in the treatment of mastitis and cause additional infection. This is fraught with complications.
Folk remedies for the treatment of serous mastitis
Some breeders resort to folk remedies for the treatment of serous mastitis. For this, ordinary laundry soap is actively used. All affected areas are well rubbed with it, left for 30 minutes, then washed off with warm water and wiped dry. The procedure is repeated until complete recovery.
Clay talker also helps against edema and infections with serous mastitis.
Compresses put on 20-30 minutes.
In the initial stages of mastitis, herbal infusions are added to the drink for sick cows. Decoctions of chamomile and nettle are suitable. They can also be used for compresses and lotions.
Preventive measures
To avoid such an unpleasant disease in cows as serous mastitis, you need to take care of prevention. The conditions of keeping the animal and quality care, as well as good feeding are of great importance. The diet of the heifer must be balanced, contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals. In addition, for the prevention of serous mastitis, one should not neglect scheduled preventive examinations.
Sterility must be observed during milking. All equipment and inventory must be clean. The udder of the heifer must be thoroughly washed and wiped with disinfectant solutions. Particular attention is paid to pregnant and recently calving cows.
Conclusion
Serous mastitis in cows can be completely cured if you seek qualified help in time. However, in any case, you will have to resort to antibiotic therapy to avoid re-infection. In addition, to restore immunity and support the body, you need to actively give the cow vitamin complexes. In addition, special attention is paid to prevention.
