Vulvovaginal laceration as a risk factor for uterine disease in postpartum dairy cows

Abstract

The main objective was to evaluate the association between vulvovaginal laceration and uterine diseases in dairy cows. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the association between vulvovaginal laceration and cyclicity, and reproductive performance. The vulvovaginal region of 660 Holstein cows from a 5,000 lactating-cows herd was inspected at 4d in milk (DIM) for the presence of lacerations, and scored (VLS) as follows: 0=no laceration; 1=laceration <2cm at the dorsal commissure of the vulva or lateral walls of the vulva/vagina; 2=laceration ≥2cm at the dorsal commissure of the vulva or at the lateral walls of the vulva/vagina, or both. Vaginal discharge was scored at 4, 6, and 8 DIM for diagnosis of metritis, and then at 32 DIM for diagnosis of purulent vaginal discharge (PVD). Data were analyzed using LOGISTIC and PHREG procedures of SAS. Cows with VLS 2 had greater incidence of metritis than cows with VLS 0 (69.1 vs. 42.4%), and cows with VLS 1 tended to have greater incidence of metritis than cows with VLS 0 (52.0 vs. 42.4%). Cows with VLS 2 had greater incidence of PVD than cows with VLS 0 (56.5 vs. 43.1%). A lower proportion of cows with VLS 2 than VLS 0 were cyclic by 64 DIM (70.0 vs. 86.8%). A lower proportion of cows with VLS 2 than VLS 0 were pregnant at 60 d after first AI (28.7 vs. 33.6%). Proportion of pregnant cows at 60d after AI tended to be lower for VLS 1 than VLS 0 (28.4 vs. 33.6%). Hazard of pregnancy by 300 DIM was not affected by VLS. Hazard of pregnancy was decreased for cows with metritis, PVD, and anovular cows. In summary, vulvovaginal laceration was associated with uterine disease and cyclicity, which were negatively associated with reproductive performance. Vulvovaginal laceration was recognized as a risk factor for postpartum uterine disease.

Association of dry matter intake and energy balance prepartum and postpartum with health disorders postpartum: Part I. Calving disorders and metritis

“…Although we did not find any difference between groups in DMI%BW on d 1 after calving, the DMI%BW was lesser starting on d 3, and DMI was lesser starting on d 2 (Supplemental Figure S1, panel A; https: / / doi .org/ 10 .3168/ jds .2018 -15878), and such differences continued until d 12. The negative association between CDZ and DMI%BW may be a consequence of pain associated with dystocia and the predisposition of cows with dystocia to have vulvovaginal lacerations (Vieira-Neto et al, 2016), which may decrease the cow's appetite in the first few days postpartum because of the associated pain and discomfort. In addition, CDZ are a risk factor for metritis, which may further decrease DMI%BW because of the associated clinical signs of the disease, such as fever and lethargy, and the associated pain (Stojkov et al, 2015).…”

Effects of oral calcium supplementation on mineral and acid-base status, energy metabolites, and health of postpartum dairy cows

“…Cows considered LRM were those with normal calving based on delivery of a live singleton without assistance followed by shedding of the placenta in the first 12 h after calving. Cows considered HRM were those diagnosed with dystocia, twins, stillbirth, vaginal-vulvar laceration, or retained placenta (or a combination of these) as previously described (Martinez et al, 2012;Vieira-Neto et al, 2016).…”

Surgical management of perineal laceration in a cow affected with cervico vaginal prolapse

“…This condition is frequently reported in equine correlating with long extremities of the young one. However, perineal lacerations occur very rarely in cows and such occurrence often leads to infertility in cattle (Vieira-Neto et al, 2016). It is categorized into 3 degrees of severities, namely the first, second and third degrees.…”

“…The case was presented with severe perineal lacerations after parturition. Repair of perineal laceration would minimize the complications like urine pooling and further postpartum uterine infections and hence infertility (Youngquist and Threlfall, 2007;Vieira-Neto et al, 2016). Restoring vulval conformation would facilitate the proper healing and maintains the normal functions of the perineal apparatus (Holzmann,2012).…”

“…Perineal laceration in dairy cows may cause abnormal conformation of the reproductive passage leading to infertility (Vieira-Neto et al, 2016). Abnormal conformation of vulval labia may result in sucking of air and may cause pooling of urine in the anterior vagina which might attract the microorganisms (Hudson, 1972).…”