Bovine Top 20 Reproductive Diseases - Part 1

Question 1

how are vaginal prolapses graded? what do the grades mean?

Answer 1

by grade, grade I: intermittent prolapse especially when recumbent, grade II: continuous prolapse, grade III: continuous prolapse of the vagina, bladder, & cervix, & grade IV: grade II or III with tissue damage by trauma, infection, or necrosis

Question 2

what cows are often affected by vaginal prolapses?

Answer 2

mature cows with enlarged abdomens (fat, fetus, gi) in their last trimester

Question 3

when will a uterine prolapse occur in cows?

Answer 3

within hours of parturition

Question 4

what are the risk factors of uterine prolapse in cows?

Answer 4

multiparous cows, first calf beef heifers, dystocia, retained fetal membranes, hypocalcemia, & atony

Question 5

how do you diagnose a vaginal prolapse vs a uterine prolapse?

Answer 5

vaginal: may see cervix & inflamed mucosa, uterus: see cotyledons and maybe a retained placenta

Question 6

how do you treat a vaginal prolapse?

Answer 6

epidural, lube, replacement, tack with buhner suture (deeply buried circumferential suture placed around the vestibule to provide support at the point of initial eversion of vaginal wall)

Question 7

why is the caslick’s procedure not useful for uterine prolapses in cows?

Answer 7

uterine prolapse begins at the apex of the uterine horn not at the vulva

Question 8

how do you treat a uterine prolapse in a cow?

Answer 8

address shock, epidural, cleanse uterus, lube, & replacement - once uterus is in position, infuse warm sterile saline to ensure replacement of the tip of the uterine horn without trauma

Question 9

what is a secondary risk associated with vaginal prolapses in cows?

Answer 9

urethra may be occluded causing urinary bladder rupture

Question 10

what is the prognosis for uterine prolapses in cows?

Answer 10

good to excellent for mature heifers but poor for first calf heifers

Question 11

T/F: there may be a genetic component in the cause of vaginal prolapses in cows

Answer 11

TRUE

Question 12

why are oxytocin & IV calcium indicated in most cases of uterine prolapses in cows?

Answer 12

helps to increase uterine tone

Question 13

what etiologies are often implicated in causing subclinical mastitis?

Answer 13

staph aureus & coagulase negative staph species

Question 14

what etiologies often cause acute mastitis in cows?

Answer 14

strep dysgalactiae & coliforms

Question 15

what clinical signs are associated with acute mastitis in cows?

Answer 15

systemic illness, fever, anorexia, tachycardia, diarrhea, depression, toxemia, & serous to serosanguinous milk

Question 16

what clinical signs are associated with chronic mastitis in cows?

Answer 16

hot, firm udder, erythema, edema, pain, abnormal milk with flankes/fibrin/blood

Question 17

what are the environmental etiologies that cause mastitis in cows?

Answer 17

strep uberis, strep dysgalactiae, & coliforms

Question 18

what are the contagious etiologies that cause mastitis in cows?

Answer 18

staph aureus, strep agalactiae, trueperella pyogenes, mycoplasma spp

Question 19

what is a CMT test? how does it work?

Answer 19

test that measures somatic cell counts on individual cows or bulk milk - detergent lyses somatic cells, add equal volumes of milk & reagent & observe amount of gel formation

Question 20

what are the normal counts of somatic cells in milk?

Answer 20

normally 75% WBC & 25% epithelial cells

Question 21

what are the normal parameters for bulk tank milk?

Answer 21

less than 750,000 SCC/ml, less than 10 coliforms/ml, & less than 100,000 bacteria/ml

Question 22

how is mastitis prevented in cows?

Answer 22

decrease stress/environmental contamination, post milking teat dipping, dry cow therapy (infuse all quarters at dry off), culling, & proper milking machine management & testing

Question 23

what is the predominant immunoglobulin in cow’s milk?

Answer 23

IgG1

Question 24

what provides the most important defense in mammary glands of cows?

Answer 24

neutrophils

Question 25

what etiology may be involved in causing summer mastitis? what bug is implicated?

Answer 25

trueperlla mastitis - sheep head fly

Question 26

what is leptospirosis mastitis called? why?

Answer 26

milk drop syndrome/flabby bag - rapid drop in milk production causes a flaccid ulcer

Question 27

are dairy or beef cattle more often affected by retained fetal membranes?

Answer 27

dairy

Question 28

what defines retained fetal membranes?

Answer 28

fetal membranes that have not been expelled for greater than 12 hours

Question 29

what are the risk factors of retained fetal membranes?

Answer 29

dystocia, abortion, twins, hypocalcemia, increased environmental temperatures, older cows, premature births, induction of parturition, placentitis, & history of retained fetal membranes

Question 30

retained fetal membranes may increase the risk of what in cows?

Answer 30

mastitis, metritis, ketosis, displaced abomasum, & tetanus

Question 31

how are retained fetal membranes treated?

Answer 31

DO NOT PULL - trim what Is visible, cows will expel it in 3-11 days regardless of treatment, systemic antibiotics if systemic illness

Question 32

what treatments have been proven to not help in retained fetal membranes of cows?

Answer 32

intrauterine antibiotics, PGF2a, oxytocin, estradiol, & calcium

Question 33

how are retained fetal membranes prevented?

Answer 33

good, dry cow management

Question 34

what is the prognosis for retained fetal membranes?

Answer 34

good to excellent

Question 35

what are the first & second biggest reproductive problems in cattle?

Answer 35

number one is failure to detect estrus & second is endometritis

Question 36

when does endometritis often occur?

Answer 36

3 days to 2 weeks postpartum

Question 37

what are contributing factors to endometritis in cows?

Answer 37

over-conditioning, unclean calving environment, assisted calving/dystocia, retained placenta, unnecessary post partum infusions, inaccurate heat detection resulting in too much AI, & presence of trueperella pyogenes or ureaplasma

Question 38

what clinical signs are seen in a cow with endometritis?

Answer 38

decreased conception rates, shortened estrous cycles, purulent vaginal discharge

Question 39

what is the most common cause of endometritis in cows? what are some other causes?

Answer 39

trueperella pyogenes - campylobacter fetus venerealis, brucella abortus, tritrichomoniasis, & leptsospirosis

Question 40

how is endometritis in cows diagnosed?

Answer 40

rectal exam feeling a large, fluid filled uterus, & endometrial cytology/culture (can also do an ultrasound)

Question 41

how is endometritis prevented in cows?

Answer 41

good dry cow management

Question 42

how is endometritis treated in cows?

Answer 42

PGF2a to lyse persistent CL, if septic, systemic antibiotics, NSAIDS, & iv fluids

Question 43

T/F: normal uterine involution in a cow will get rid of bacteria in most cows by 2 months post calving

Answer 43

TRUE

Question 44

T/F: cows are more resistant to endometritis during estrus

Answer 44

TRUE

Question 45

T/F: DO NOT use uterine infusions or lavage when treating a cow with endometritis

Answer 45

true

Question 46

what clinical signs are seen in a cow with follicular cysts on her ovaries?

Answer 46

nymphomania, short inter-estrus intervals, extended calving intervals, increased heat behavior, & mucoid vaginal discharge

Question 47

what clinical signs are seen in a cow with luteal cysts on her ovaries?

Answer 47

anestrous behavior

Question 48

can you differentiate between ovarian cyst type on a rectal exam of a cow?

Answer 48

nope

Question 49

what does a follicular ovarian cyst look like on ultrasound?

Answer 49

thin walled, less than 3 mm, more than 25 mm in diamtere, often multiple cysts, & absence of corpus luteum

Question 50

what does a luteal ovarian cyst look like on ultrasound?

Answer 50

thick walled, more than 3 mm, more than 25 mm in diameter, trabeculae, & usually a single cyst - will have high progesterone levels

Question 51

how long do follicular cysts on ovaries in cows last?

Answer 51

persist more than 10 days

Question 52

how are follicular ovarian cysts in cows treated?

Answer 52

GnRH to encourage ovulation, LH type treatment

Question 53

how are luteal ovarian cysts in cows treated?

Answer 53

PGF2a encourages luteal lysis - treatment will allow estrus in 3-5 days

Question 54

why do follicular ovarian cysts cause nymphomania in cows?

Answer 54

increased estradiol & decreased progesterone

Question 55

why not manually rupture ovarian cysts in cows?

Answer 55

may cause ovarian trauma & hemorrhage