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Prolapse of the uterus in a cow is a rather serious complication, which mainly manifests itself after calving. It is not recommended to make the reduction on your own; it is better to use the help of an experienced specialist.
Causes of uterine prolapse in cows
Cattle prolapse is difficult to treat. Most often, heifers and elderly individuals suffer from this pathology. The reasons for the loss can be varied. However, they all boil down to improper care.
Prolapse of the uterus in cows before calving
It is believed that such a pathology before calving appears rather rarely. The reasons are weak muscle tissue, the age of the individual (too young or old cow), various infections, multiple pregnancies, too early onset of labor.
If by this time the calf has already formed, then you can try to save it. A cow's diseased organ is adjusted, if still possible, or amputated.
Prolapse of the uterus in a cow after calving
This complication also has a variety of reasons:
- lack of active exercise;
- illiterate extraction of the fetus;
- lack of proper care for a pregnant cow;
- multiple pregnancy;
- rapid childbirth;
- retention of the placenta;
- dropsy of the membranes of the fetus;
- the presence of infectious diseases.
Complicated calving can occur when the cow's calcium levels are low (hypocalcemia) because calcium affects muscle tone.
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, loss occurs immediately after calving, when the cervix is still open. This promotes organ prolapse. 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 queen bee, the best thing the owner can do for the animal is to call a specialist.
While the veterinarian is on the road, the owner can do some preparatory work. First of all, it is necessary to position 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 objects, rinse the room from dirt and dust. You also need to rinse the organ from the placenta yourself, having previously prepared a bucket of water with a manganese solution for this. It must be washed carefully, avoiding unnecessary injury.
Before the arrival of the doctor, it is advisable to prepare everything that may be needed: antiseptics, disposable droppers, syringes, as well as clean, sterile tissues.
Treatment of uterine prolapse in a cow
Since shedding is a common condition, the cow should not be left alone after calving. She must be monitored for some time.It happens that even after a very successful calving, organ loss occurs.
A prolapse of the uterus in a cow in the video will help to understand what kind of help is needed.
The prolapsed uterus looks like a kind of rounded mass. Sometimes it drops below the hock. The mucous membrane swells when it falls out, is easily injured, cracking when it dries. After a certain time, it becomes inflamed, signs of necrosis begin. If at this moment you do not help the animal, as a rule, gangrene and sepsis develop.
Anesthesia must be given before reduction. Then you need to wash the organ with a cold solution of manganese or tannin. If foci of necrotic inflammation are visible, then you need to use a warm solution. The dead parts of the mucous membrane are treated with iodine. To reduce the volume of the fallen organ, it is tightened with bandages. For the same purpose, the veterinarian injects oxytocin into the cavity. Large wounds on the organ are sutured with catgut.
After such a thorough 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 hold the uterus in the cavity for some time, smoothing its mucous membrane with a fist.
Often, after reducing the uterus, a cow develops endometritis - an inflammatory disease of the inner layer of the mucous membrane (endometrium). This disease is treated in a comprehensive manner, with the use of antibiotics.
If the uterus is severely damaged, subject to necrosis, then in order to save the life of the animal, the organ is amputated.
Prevention of uterine prolapse in cattle
Prevention of loss consists in proper preparation for calving:
- before calving, at a certain time, you need to stop lactation so that the cow's body is tuned in for childbirth;
- it is necessary to revise the animal's diet - 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 before pregnancy. It also requires daily exercise and timely vaccination of the livestock against various infections.
Causes and treatment of uterine twisting in cows
Twisting of the uterus is a rotation around the axis of the entire organ, horn, or section of the horn.
Twisting can 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 slightly backward. This position can lead to the fact that the part of the uterus that is not fixed from the sides is displaced in any direction. At the same time, her body, neck, and part of the vagina are twisted.
Twisting is not accompanied by certain symptoms. In most cases, they are similar to the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. The cow is anxious and has no appetite. With rectal examination, the folds of the uterus are well palpated. In this case, one of them is tightly stretched, the other is free. When diagnosing, it is important to determine in which direction the twisting has occurred. The subsequent assistance to the animal will depend on this.
The main reasons for such twists are abrupt movements of the cow, exercise on steep slopes, and a long drive of the herd. With this pathology, the cow loses appetite, becomes restless, breathes heavily. The fetus does not come out during calving, despite the attempts.
At the hotel, when the side of the twist is precisely set, the twist is performed in the opposite direction. In this case, an oil solution is poured into the cavity.
You can untwist the uterus by knocking the cow on its back and sharply turn the animal around the axis in the direction in which the twisting took place. Thus, the uterus remains in place, and the body, unwinding, allows it to take the correct position.
Sometimes such procedures have to be repeated until the pathology is eliminated.
Varieties of pathologies of the uterus:
- Uterine volvulus in cows. It can be eliminated by gently turning the animal around its axis. You can also return the organ to its original position by inserting your hand into the cervix.
- Bend of the uterus in a cow. Pathology is observed when the organ is displaced under the pelvic bones. When providing assistance, you should fold the cow on its side, then turn it over on its back. As a rule, after this, the fetus is in the correct position.
The uterus can be repaired without compromising the health of the animal with minor pathology. If the twisting 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 a poor 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.
