prolapysed uterus..

[Wanger24]

We had a heifer calve sometime last night, woke up about 4am and saw a calf walking around on the barn cam.  It looked likie she was trying to pass the afterbirth at a quick glance.  The heifer wouldn't get up and I figured she was just played out so I threw the calf in the calf warmer box and went back in the house to try get some sleep.  Went back out about 6 and she still hadn't passed what ever it was, just didn't look right a huge mass comming out so I called the vet.  He came out and it was a prolaypsed uterus,  he washed it up, stuffed it back in and sewed her labia a few stitches to prevent it from comming back out.  He said about 25% of them still die after the repair, but figured she had a pretty good chance.  I asked if she would have problems ever breeding back, he said most of them go on to recover fully and have a normal life if they survive the first 24 hrs.  He also said it's fairy rare to encounter a prolapysed uterus, and to call right away if another one ever happens.  The calf is doing very well and the heifer was up for about half an hour this afternoon, so far so good.  Just a head's up if you have never experienced this or heard of it.

 

[lightnin4]

In my experience, those cows that prolapse their uterus once will do it again.  I was a vet tech for 11 years and we always recommended to cull the cow after the calf is weaned.  We actually put the uterus back in the same cow 3 years in a row.  After the third time, the owner said he was definately going to cull the cow that year because he believed we might have been right! (lol)  Just a heads up!

 

[willow]

We have never personally experienced this situation thank goodness, but a friend of ours had a heifer do the same thing.  She went on to have a productive life.  She even had some huge calves that had to be pulled forcefully and never prolapsed again.  She eventually got culled for other reasons.  Best of luck. 

 

[OH Breeder]

I have had two cows that prolapsed. Each prolapsed once and once only. One we had til she was 10 and the other I still have. Both of my vets and Ohio State Vets said there is no problem with keeping the females. It is personal if you cull or not. If the heifer is super good I would hold on to her.

I choose to keep both females and never had another issue. The 10 year old was culled for another reason.

 

[RidinHeifer]

Prolapses=culled cow! Most of the time they are genetic...working for a vet he never ever recommends keeping one because they almost always do it again, if they can make it stay in without stitches all the time. Don't keep the calf either....again they are usually fairly genetic! Not necessarily a gene that causes it but they run in families pretty regularly.

 

[Simmgal]

We have had more than a few with this problem. We usually encounter it after a hard birth or pull. Was mainly from our older genetics. Its a trait that can be passed down to daughters, so be careful.

 

[cowman 52]

Prolapse is caused when the broad ligament t hat suspends the repro tract steed he's or loses enough tone to let everything fall out.  A hard pull, a long labor, a big calf can problems.  Week topped heifers can be a bit more prone to problems.  Years back nasco had a sling with what amounted to a softball held just under the vulva that applied pre assure and the ligament can regain some ability.  If she's a good cow do not cull just on that reason.  Holding her open 2 or 3 months will give some hailing time.  Calve her early and don't let labor go on very long.  A little of all and bet you she hangs around a while. 

 

[shortii]

I haven't read what this situation but I thought I would add this joke.

There was a CHI, Angus and Hereford in a pasture. A plane flew over and spooked the cows, the Chi ran and jumped the fence the Angus ran through the fence and the Hereford prolapsed.

 

[RyanChandler]

Those that have had success keeping cows that have prolapsed should consider themselves very luck as it is not common.  Most cases are recurring.   I personally would not chance it.  A dead cow is very expensive.

 

[Lucky_P]

UTERINE prolapse - usually following a difficult delivery - is not, in my opinion (27 years as a veterinarian), reason to cull a cow.  It's an 'accident', unlikely to happen again, and not a heritable trait - unless you consider conformational traits that may predispose to calving difficulties in the mix.  In and of itself, there's no evidence that uterine prolapse, per se, is a heritable trait. 
I've put many back in - never heard from the owners of that cow prolapsing at subsequent calvings.  Most recover and re-breed relatively uneventfully.
Only ever had one that died after I put it back in; I presume she had a ruptured uterine artery - the producer told me that the cow fell over dead before my truck was completely out of sight. 

VAGINAL prolapse, on the other hand, is, IMO, a cullable offense - they only tend to get worse over time, and it is a heritable trait.  Daughters/granddaughters are predisposed to developing vaginal prolapse.
Saw tons of 'em, back in the '80s - most in Beefmasters, some in Polled Herefords.  First one I ever saw was in a black Brahman-cross cow.  Only one I was never able to get back in was in a wild-azz 3/4 bison - 1/4 Brahman heifer - volleyball size thing that somehow got outside through a 1" hole.

 

[Limiman12]

Be sure to take sutures out before turning out with a bull......

We always culled them.  I remember three or so growin up.  One spun around real hard against a gate, caught the uterus and ripped it off.  She was dead by morning.

 

[steerjock07]

My family has had a couple of cows prolapse in the past 5 years , we just recently had one a week ago . Our problem is the skin seperating the anus and the vagina rips , and our vet told us when that happens the cow is basically screwed and that it will never heal up. But the way all you guys are talking our vet may not be right ? Any comments welcome !

 

[hntwhitetail]

Get her to where she weans the calf and send her to market.

 

[Top Knot]

UTERINE prolapse - usually following a difficult delivery - is not, in my opinion (27 years as a veterinarian), reason to cull a cow.  It's an 'accident', unlikely to happen again, and not a heritable trait - unless you consider conformational traits that may predispose to calving difficulties in the mix.  In and of itself, there's no evidence that uterine prolapse, per se, is a heritable trait. 
I've put many back in - never heard from the owners of that cow prolapsing at subsequent calvings.  Most recover and re-breed relatively uneventfully.
Only ever had one that died after I put it back in; I presume she had a ruptured uterine artery - the producer told me that the cow fell over dead before my truck was completely out of sight. 

VAGINAL prolapse, on the other hand, is, IMO, a cullable offense - they only tend to get worse over time, and it is a heritable trait.  Daughters/granddaughters are predisposed to developing vaginal prolapse.

Lucky_P is right on. I've had a few uterine prolapses over the years. Kept every cow after the fact, they all rebred, and none of them ever prolasped again. I would say in all of my cases it was heifer, maybe once a 3 year old. I have also seen a couple vaginal prolapses. Had to stitch them up and cut the stitches at calving. I sold both at weaning and kept no daughters - that one is hereditary.

Uterine prolapse post-calving - keep the cow if you want. Vaginal prolapse pre-calving - cull the cow and keep no breeding stock out of her.

 

[DL]

UTERINE prolapse - usually following a difficult delivery - is not, in my opinion (27 years as a veterinarian), reason to cull a cow.  It's an 'accident', unlikely to happen again, and not a heritable trait - unless you consider conformational traits that may predispose to calving difficulties in the mix.  In and of itself, there's no evidence that uterine prolapse, per se, is a heritable trait. 
I've put many back in - never heard from the owners of that cow prolapsing at subsequent calvings.  Most recover and re-breed relatively uneventfully.
Only ever had one that died after I put it back in; I presume she had a ruptured uterine artery - the producer told me that the cow fell over dead before my truck was completely out of sight. 

VAGINAL prolapse, on the other hand, is, IMO, a cullable offense - they only tend to get worse over time, and it is a heritable trait.  Daughters/granddaughters are predisposed to developing vaginal prolapse.

Lucky_P is right on. I've had a few uterine prolapses over the years. Kept every cow after the fact, they all rebred, and none of them ever prolasped again. I would say in all of my cases it was heifer, maybe once a 3 year old. I have also seen a couple vaginal prolapses. Had to stitch them up and cut the stitches at calving. I sold both at weaning and kept no daughters - that one is hereditary.

Uterine prolapse post-calving - keep the cow if you want. Vaginal prolapse pre-calving - cull the cow and keep no breeding stock out of her.

Yup - these guys are correct - if the uterine prolapse is related to dystocia (difficult birth) esp in a heifer then it is not hereditary and if successfully replaced these heifers can go on to be good cows - consider it a management error - you picked the wrong bull.

 

[jd438]

We had crossbred cow prolapse last year while having a Dr. Who calf.  She died before the vet got there.  Calf didn't survive either.  Stoutest calf we had ever had.  She had always had reasonably sized calves.  Makes me sick just thinking about loosing that cow and calf.  We do have a couple daughters in the herd as well.

 

[BA Maines]

UTERINE prolapse - usually following a difficult delivery - is not, in my opinion (27 years as a veterinarian), reason to cull a cow.  It's an 'accident', unlikely to happen again, and not a heritable trait - unless you consider conformational traits that may predispose to calving difficulties in the mix.  In and of itself, there's no evidence that uterine prolapse, per se, is a heritable trait. 
I've put many back in - never heard from the owners of that cow prolapsing at subsequent calvings.  Most recover and re-breed relatively uneventfully.
Only ever had one that died after I put it back in; I presume she had a ruptured uterine artery - the producer told me that the cow fell over dead before my truck was completely out of sight. 

VAGINAL prolapse, on the other hand, is, IMO, a cullable offense - they only tend to get worse over time, and it is a heritable trait.  Daughters/granddaughters are predisposed to developing vaginal prolapse.


Yup - these guys are correct - if the uterine prolapse is related to dystocia (difficult birth) esp in a heifer then it is not hereditary and if successfully replaced these heifers can go on to be good cows - consider it a management error - you picked the wrong bull.

Totally Agree.  With a Uterine Prolapse, stitches only need to be left in for 3-5 days.  So obviously, stitches will be removed before re breeding.

 

[NEB]

I would highly recommend if you have a cow with a uterine prolapse to be very carefull. When the uterus hangs out it can put a lot of pressure on the uterine artery. One wrong jump could rupture the artery and the animal could bleed to death internally. Lose of blood supply to the brain can make them mean also, but only for a short time because they don't live long. Unfortunately I speak from experience. So if they are on the ground, leave them there if you can or if you need to contain them, do so slowly and gently.

 

[OH Breeder]

My family has had a couple of cows prolapse in the past 5 years , we just recently had one a week ago . Our problem is the skin seperating the anus and the vagina rips , and our vet told us when that happens the cow is basically screwed and that it will never heal up. But the way all you guys are talking our vet may not be right ? Any comments welcome !

I had a heifer do this on a first calf. If they tear the lining as you are talking about they can form a fistula in that area which will cause chronic infection. I had to send one for that very reason. or other wise you would have to irrigate the pouch/fistula every day to keep it clean.

 

[Lucky_P]

jock,
What you've described is a 'third-degree perineal laceration'. 
Happens more commonly in mares, since they put on so much more powerful, sustained abdominal press during delivery; if the foal's hoof happens to 'snag' the roof of the vagina, they can/will tear out the 'shelf' of tissue between anus and vagina.  It can be repaired - and I've done a couple - but I've never seen one in a cow (it does happen, as you know), and she'd have to have some value beyond slaughter salvage for me to recommend attempting a repair.

NEB,
You're right.  The one cow that died after I replaced her uterine prolapse was standing - and the uterus stretched all the way to the ground.  I suspect that one or both of her uterine arteries may have already been ruptured before I got there.  Got it all put back in and sewed her up, but she hit the ground dead before I was out of sight.

Pulled a calf out of a little polled Hereford cow one time, and when I stuck my hand in to make sure there wasn't another calf in there, I found that she had a pretty sizeable uterine tear.  I reached WAY in, got a hand-hold, and prolapsed the whole uterus so that I could suture the laceration.  Had a hard time getting it back in - not because it swelled while I had it 'out', but because a bunch of air had rushed into her abdomen through the laceration.