Causes and symptoms of retention of placenta in cows, treatment regimen and prevention

In all living beings, the generic process ends with the rejection of the placenta. Unfortunately, offspring does not always go smoothly. Retention of the placenta is a common complication after childbirth in cows and other animal species. The body of a horned pet is sensitive to the negative effects of the environment. Poor nutrition, lack of movement, and other factors can affect the birth process.

What is the afterbirth and what does it look like?

The afterbirth is a special organ (placenta) that protects and nourishes the calf during intrauterine development. Organ formation occurs during pregnancy, simultaneously with the development of the embryo. The placenta is a sac speckled with small blood vessels. The organ consists of several membranes: urinary, water and vascular. In most cases, the afterbirth is gray in color. Due to the large number of venous nodules, the surface of the organ looks bumpy.

2-6 hours after delivery, the placenta should separate from the walls of the cow's uterus. The maximum waiting time for the exit of the child seat is 8 hours. If during this time the placenta does not come out, then we are talking about the retention of the placenta. A similar problem occurs in many species of animals, but it is cows that are most susceptible to adversity. This is due to the specificity of the structure of the placenta in cattle. There are 2 types of separation of the child's seat:

1. Complete, if all membranes have separated from the uterus and left the animal's body.
2. Incomplete, if the baby's place is only partially separated, and the remnants of the placenta are retained in the uterus of the cow.

Why are there delays?

The reasons for the delay in a child's place are divided into 2 categories: general (predisposing) and personal.

Common reasons include:

1. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the pet's body. The monotonous diet of the cow and the prevalence of canned feed leads to vitamin deficiency.
2. High degree of obesity. During pregnancy, the pet needs additional nutrition, but a large amount of high-calorie foods leads to rapid weight gain. Any metabolic disorder threatens with retention of the placenta.
3. Obvious lack of weight.
4. Bearing more than 1 fetus. A too large fruit is also a problem. In both cases, the walls of the uterus are strongly deformed and stretched, as a result of which the organ contracts poorly.
5. Lack of physical activity. Reducing the number of walks inevitably leads to a weakening of the tone of the pet's uterus. In winter, cows are limited in movement, so retained placenta occurs in many cows.

Personal reasons include:

1. Fusion of the child's place with the tissues of the uterus.
2. Individual features of the structure of organs. It can be kinks or other pathologies.
3. Complete atony or partially relieved tension of the animal's uterus.
4. Past diseases (mastitis or endometritis). Even a cold that attacks a pet during pregnancy can lead to trouble.
5. Congenital malformations of the fetus.
6. Injury to the birth canal during difficult, complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

In cattle, there are 2 types of complications associated with the separation of the placenta: complete and partial. With the complete retention of the child's place in the vaginal area, fragments of the membranes are visible.

They usually wear a grayish or red tint. In the complete absence of uterine tone, the placenta is completely hidden in the organ cavity.

Pathogenic microbes easily enter the birth canal. In the uterus, pathogenic microflora develops rapidly, and as a result, the pet's body is subjected to severe intoxication.

1. The animal is depressed, reacts sluggishly to external stimuli.
2. Parts of the placenta hang from under the tail of the pet. After 2 days, the shells begin to decompose gradually (in winter, the decay process begins after 4 days). Decomposition occurs in the form of purulent-catarrhal endometritis. Mucus, mixed with pus particles, comes out of the cow's vagina.
3. The baby seat gives off an unpleasant odor and gets a flabby consistency.
4. Due to inflammation, the cow's temperature rises sharply.
5. The animal loses its appetite. In some cases, intestinal upset is observed.
6. The pet produces little milk.
7. The cow pushes, hunches the back and lifts the belly.
8. The pet's coat is dull, tousled.
9. The animal suffers from frequent heartbeats and low blood pressure.
10. Burenka makes moaning sounds.

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How to diagnose the problem

Calving should take place under the supervision of the owner. This makes it easier to control the birth process. Animals often eat the afterbirth, and in this case it is not easy to establish whether the child's place was detained. Do not panic if the pet has eaten the placenta, the cow's health is not in danger. If more than 8 hours have passed since calving, and the afterbirth has not left, you need to seek help from a specialist. The veterinarian will examine the cow and examine the inside of the uterus. Farmers with many years of experience carry out diagnostics on their own. Wearing special gloves on the hand, the specialist gently inserts the hand into the pet's vagina and carefully feels the walls of the uterus.

In some cases, the placenta is laid out on a flat surface and carefully examined. The integrity of the child's place is judged by the thickness of the shells, the presence of ruptures and the state of the vessels. If the veterinarian has any doubts, the afterbirth is subjected to bacteriological and microscopic analysis.

Treatment methods

The initial stage of treatment consists of auxiliary ways to solve the problem. The procedures are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the uterus and increasing the general tone of the animal. A sick pet is given a daily exercise. The procedure is carried out 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening. The duration of an active walk is 30-40 minutes. If the hanging placenta interferes with the pet's movements, the afterbirth is tied up. For this, several nodes are made on the shells. In this case, the cow will not be able to touch the hanging last with her legs and will be able to move freely.

Treatment of the animal with amniotic fluid is effective. 6-7 liters of healing fluid is collected during calving. The substance is diluted with clean warm water and allowed to drink to the pet. At one time, take 2 liters of amniotic fluid and 2 liters of clean water. In severe cases, the procedure is repeated 3 times, with an interval of 6 hours. The therapeutic effect of amniotic fluid occurs within 30 minutes after consumption.

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To replenish lost strength and increase the general tone, the pet is given 500 g of honey or sugar. The delicacy is diluted in 1 liter of clean, hot water. If supportive measures do not bring results, you should immediately switch to drug treatment, and in a severe case, to surgery. Delayed actions lead to edema of caruncles in the uterine cavity and the rapid development of pathogenic microflora.

Operation

If drug treatment does not give tangible results, surgery is necessary. The veterinarian administers an anesthetic to the animal and proceeds to the procedure. Holding the hanging parts of the membranes with the fingers of his left hand, the veterinarian inserts his right hand into the pet's vagina and removes the placenta. If the baby's place has grown together with the wall of the uterus, the placenta is gently separated with fingers. In no case should the shells be separated by force. To facilitate the procedure, the veterinarian massages the walls of the organ. This helps to separate the afterbirth naturally.

Then the cavity is carefully palpated and the remaining particles of the shells are removed. After the end of the surgical intervention, the organ is treated with antibacterial drugs ("Tricillin", "Exuter", "Metromax"). Also, the uterine cavity must be treated with a 10% salt solution, furacilin or a solution of potassium permanganate.

Medicines

To strengthen the muscles of the uterus, a 10% solution of calcium chloride or a glucose solution (40%) is used. For one individual, 150-200 ml of the product is enough. The medicine is administered intravenously to the pet. The treatment regimen is prescribed by a specialist. Some experts use a 5% solution of hypertonic sodium chloride. 5 liters of warm solution is poured into the uterine cavity of the pet. As a result of the procedure, the membranes are compressed, and the uterus makes contracting movements.

Hormonal agents

The atony of the animal's uterus is susceptible to the effects of hormonal drugs. To restore the organ to its former muscles will help funds: "Sinestrol" (1% oily solution), "Pituitrin", "Proserin" (0.5%), "Carbacholine" (0.01 aqueous solution), "Estron".

Antibiotics

Usually veterinarians use the drug "Tricilin". The product includes streptomycin, penicillin, and white streptocide. The drug is made in the form of suppositories or powder. For one individual, 1 bottle of the product or 3-4 candles is enough. After a day, the procedure is repeated. The third dose is given 48 hours later.

Potential danger

Delay in diagnosis and treatment threatens animals with severe, and sometimes irreversible, consequences. In a sick cow, metabolic processes are disturbed, a serious lesion of the endometrium occurs, and a destructive pathogenic microflora develops in the uterus. This leads to general poisoning of the cow's body and sepsis. A neglected disease ends with the death of the pet.

Preventive actions

Simple measures will help to avoid postpartum complications:

1. Correctly formulated diet. Animal feed must contain the required amount of essential minerals and vitamins.
2. Frequent walks. Physical activity contributes to the normal development of the muscles of the pet.
3. Compliance with cleanliness in places where cows are kept.