Patterns of uterine prolapse in dairy cows and prognosis after treatment

In a 12-month study undertaken in a 9-veterinarian dairy practice of 220 000 cows in 340 herds, 200 (0.9%) developed prolapses mostly (155/169 with data) in the first 24 h after calving. Most cows (130/200) had prolapses during autumn and winter months, and assistance was required in 47 of 200 calvings that resulted in prolapses. Treatment of 196 affected cows consisted of cleansing and replacement of the uterus, insertion of perivulvar retention sutures, local and systemic administration of antibiotics, and parenteral administration of dexamethasone and oxytocin. Calcium was administered to cows with milk fever (117) and to multiparous cows without milk fever attended by veterinarian (8). Crude recovery rate after 2 weeks was 72.4%, but recovery was significantly better if the calf was born alive, the cows was primiparous, the cow did not have stage-3 milk fever, or if the cow was attended by veterinarian. Time to treatment was not significantly associated with recovery, but affected cows were treated mostly (127/156) within 2 h of occurrence of the prolapse. By multivariable analysis, presence of a liveborn calf, parity and lack of stage-3 milk fever, but not attending veterinarian, were significant prognostic indicators of 2-week survival.