SEPTIC METRITIS IN COWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2849, 21 October 1908, Page 8

SEPTIC METRITIS IN COWS.

Mr J. A. Gilruth, the Chief Veterinarian, in h,"s annual report, refers as follows to some cases of septic metritis in cows: — During the past spring a considerable number of cases cf this disease in. cows after calving came under the observation of Mr S., Burton, Government Veterinarian, Pahnerston North, in the district lying between Daraievirke cm .he one ha.nd and Feildicg ton the other. So common were these case 3 that the disease almost assumed tho phase of an -epidemic, and there ia e^ery reason to" "believe that a number ■of cows succumbed before the , nature of the malady was investigated and the necessary preventive and curative measures adopted. In a great measure 4his was due to tho remarkable similarity of the symptoms ex- i hibitcd in this disease to those shewn in milk-fever. In-dsed. in many respects so alike aro the symptoms that it is more than probable the disease is prevalent to a greatei extent than anyone- ,is aware. Milk-fever, so-called, is not a contagious disease, and there is no irea-son to believe it due to any micro-organism. The disease in question is, however, so far as our observations go. due to an orgataism of a wellknown group, and is doubtless contagious provided the animals are in a receptive state. Septic metritis, as its name implies, is a disease characterised by inflammation of tho uterus or womb, due to tho presence of micro-organisms. It occurs in cows recently calved, the symptoms manifesting ■themselves from 10 days to a menth after , delivery. This delay in the onset of tho I symptoms alone .serves to differentiate the ' disease from milk-fever. . j — History.— I Previous to this season the disease had not been specially recorded. About the end of August \I-r Burton was a«kcd .to inquire into cases of mortality amongst cows after calving- in a -district near Dannevirke. One cottier had 10-t three cows previous to his visit, bu^put refaction of the c-ai-cases was too far ad\anced for satisfactory examination to be iinad-e. The .condition of the uterus in each ca^e was. however, characteristic of .septic iiifla-mnjation. Later on a fresh case was notified, and -this was kept ur&er observation for se\eral da.is, after which the ecw wa<= destroyed and a postmortem examination made. Subsequently, Mr Burton had, a« already etated, an opportunity of examining 6imilar symptoms and of prescribing necessary treatment, as a result of which, it i<? satisfactory to know, the disease was greatly chccke-cl. Cases were ipporwd ifiom Pah : atua. Apiti, Rangitikci, Aorangi, and Glen Oroua. The last two districts were the M r orst affected, tho estimated lose in each being about 50 caws. — Symptoms. — i The occurrence of the disease is limited to a period \arving- from 10 days to a month after calving. Tho first symptom observed is u-ually a staggering gait when ihe animal is being driven in to be milked, though often the cow is found lying do-wn in 'the paddock unable to rise. Frequently, after milking, cows have fallen down immediately on being released from the .milkingbail, the sudden turning of tho bedy apparently affecting tho equilibrium. The , majority of tho animals died very shortly i after falling down, generally within half an hour to three hours. Some remained alive for a. long period, ; even upwards of three weeks, gradually pining- away, while a few spontaneously re- : covered. t Although In many respects -the symptoms : are similar to these of milk-fever, Mr Bur- i ton did not ,sco or even hear of a case « where complete unconsciousness occurred, i The milk-supply is diminished; the eye is '. amaurotic, and even bulging- at times ; the pulso is "weak, but net wiry ; the reeplra- 1 tions are generally normal ; the temperature

is either normal or subnormal. In all cases there is some discharge of sa dark reddish or yellowish, thick nature from the vulva. In 'the later 6tages, when; the anianxtl lives long enough, the discharge from the vulva increases, tht breathing becomes laboured, the pulse imperceptible, and the general condition semieomatse. — Post-mortem. — "With the exception of the uterus, the internal organs are normal. The mucous membrane cf the wemb is inflamed and roughenod. while the cavity of the crgin contains a thick, dark-yellowilh or reddish purulent material, varying in quantity from soz io 200>5. Bacreriosccpie examination of the uterine fluids received here firom >Ir Burton and others demonstrated the' presence of numerous chains of strop toeooci, which ■wero apparently the cause of the septic condition. In addition to tho cocci— as would be anticipated — putrefactive bacilji and oihei- organisms, such as staphylococci, were generally present. — Treatment . — In the early stages, .when death does not rapidk- supervene, fairly satisfactorily results may be anticipated from frequ-ent irrigation of the uterus by means iof a sclution of m-eircuTie chloride, or of mercuric potassio -iodide— l-n> 2000. The irrigation should be cc»dueted ca the same lines as recommended for the treaitxneint of an aborted an-imal, the operation being carried out twice a day. A. laxative drcmoh -composed ol Epsom salus and pulverised ganger ehculd al-?o be given, while nourkhing food ehoukl be afforded. — Prevention. — N The important point is the preventive treatment, however. In any district where the disease appeais farmers will be well advised to treat every cow "within, a day or two after calving. Mr recom-mej-jded all settlers to irrigate tho womb of each cow after oalving with a- eoluition of corrosive sublimate, usi.ng one ordinary tabloid to two quarts of water (1 in 4000). He states, "1 have made repeated inquiries, as have also the 6tcck inspectors of the district, a-nd we have -only heard of two cows dying of the complaint since the treat.memt was recommended and adopted by farmers. These two cows were not cmjected, although I had pointed out to tho farmer the necessity for doing so, as the characteristic discharge was present. By losing these N cows he taught a lesson to the district." In all cases where the slightest evidence of a purulent or coloured discharge from tho Milva 13 noticed two days alter calving this trouble should be feared, and remedial measures as indicated should be immediately adopted. — General.— The means by which the organism is spread is somewhat doubtful. Mr Burton considers it is carried 'by the atancsphere. At all events, it gains admittance to the womb via the vagima 6con after calving. The symptoms exhibited are th 3 result of poisoning by the- toxin elaborated in the uterus through the growth cf tho specific organism. There is no doubt the disease, if not checked, may caufe-s considerable Ices to the settlers, especially coming as it does when the cow is at the commencement of her yearly profit-earning capacity. Were dairy-farmers to make it a rule to irrigate ihe womb of each cow two days after she calves, such a disease- would cease to have any terrors, and another scouTge — contagious abortion — would receive a tremendous check.