23/03/2023
Bovine uterine prolapse...
Bovine uterine prolapse occurs when the bovine uterus protrudes after calving. It is most common in dairy cattle and can occur in beef cows occasionally with hypocalcaemia.It is not as commonly seen in heifers, but occasionally can be seen in dairy heifers and most commonly Herefords.
Uterine prolapse is considered a medical emergency that puts the cow at risk of shock or death by blood loss.
CALVING FACTORS
Factors during calving that increase the risk of uterine prolapse include: calving complications that cause injury or irritation of the external birth canal, severe straining during labor, and excessive pressure when a calf is manually extracted.
NON CALLING FACTORS
Non-calving factors include nutrition problems such as low blood calcium, magnesium, protein, or generally poor body conditions.[4]
In a complete uterine prolapse, the uterine horns also come out. When this happens, the uterus will hang below the hocks of the animal. When the uterus hangs below the hocks, the cow may lie on, step on or kick the exposed tissue, which increases the risk of rupturing a major artery. The uterus can become easily infected as it bruises easily and can become covered with manure.
CAUSES OF UTERINE PROLAPSE
What causes a Uterine Prolapse? A uterine prolapse is usually seen immediately or within hours of calving. A difficult calving that causes injury or irritation of the external birth canal, severe straining, or excessive pressure applied when pulling a calf can cause a uterine prolapse.
POSSIBLE TREATMENT
Treatment involves: replacing the prolapse following administration of an epidural. closing the external va**na with sutures or va**nal pins to help prevent a recurrence – a veterinarian will place these humanely and most importantly, without impeding urination. maintaining antibiotic cover to prevent infection.
When a cow suffers a uterine prolapse, there are two options for treating it: reduction or amputation. If the treatment is reduction, then the placenta will be removed, the endometrium thoroughly cleaned, any lacerations fixed, and the uterus replaced in the right position. If amputation is the course of action, the uterus is removed. In extreme cases, the cow may have hemorrhaged and suffered intense shock and therefore will be euthanized.
When choosing a treatment, considerations include:
®Placenta. It is possible that the placenta has already separated from the uterus, but in other cases it has to be manually removed. It is extremely rare to not be able to separate the placenta from the uterus after a prolapse, but if it cannot be removed, it causes problems as it is impossible to adequately clean it if it has been on the ground and this dirt will interfere with the reduction. It would be possible to cut around each cotyledon and clean the rest as thoroughly as possible and replace.
®Trauma. If the trauma is too severe, reduction is not recommended. The trauma or exposure to the environment could cause devitalization of the uterus and if it is too severe, it could cause further problems if placed back inside.
®Gross hemorrhage. If there is a lot of hemorrhaging, then there is no reason to perform the reduction and therefore amputation is the preferred option. Gross hemorrhaging can occur in a scared animal that cannot be restrained. If violent struggling or running occurs with the pr*****ed uterus, it can cause extreme distress, coma, and death.
During treatment of a pr*****ed uterus, the animal must be positioned correctly to avoid increased bloat. A bloated rumen can make it much more difficult to perform a reduction
PREVENTIONS
There is no way to completely prevent uterine prolapse. To reduce the risk, cows are returned to a standing position and encouraged to move around as soon as possible after calving. This is especially important in cases where a calf is pulled to assist the mother. When the cow stands, the uterus normally drops back into the abdominal cavity, which straightens out the uterine 😈 horns
