Causes of udder swelling in a cow

Cow udder swelling is one of the most common problems that many experienced farmers face.Naturally, it is possible to observe swelling of the udder in cows with various diseases, but most often this consequence occurs after calving, so in this article we will consider in detail what actions should be taken to prevent this disease from cattle and how to properly treat cattle .

How to treat udder swelling in a cow

Why udder swelling occurs

In cows, the udder is the most vulnerable part of the body. It is by its appearance that one can quite simply determine whether this animal is healthy or not. In the event that you begin to notice a swelling of the udder, a change in its temperature or swelling, you should immediately contact your veterinarian for help, as these symptoms may indicate that the cow begins to swell in the udder.

Despite the fact that this phenomenon is usually observed after calving, also the disease can affect the cow that has not yet given birth.The causes of udder edema can be quite a lot, while the following should be highlighted among them:

• improper feeding of the first calf during and after pregnancy;
• severe toxicosis that accompanies the animal on throughout pregnancy;
• problems found in the kidneys or serious diseases;
• various cardiological diseases.

Each of the above reasons can cause this disease like swelling of the udder. Sometimes a process such as swelling of the udder before calving can occur in cows, but this is most often associated with the individual characteristics of the body. However, swelling of the udder after calving is still the most common problem.

The most common ailment is that enough protein is present in the pregnant cow’s daily diet, while straw and hay

Sometimes the presence of edema of the udder can signal that magnesium and potassium are in excess in the body of cows. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that in the daily diet of the animal in moderate amounts there is food containing bacteria toxins and microtoxins. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that swelling of the udder can sometimes appear immediately after a snakebite. But this is extremely rare, because not every day you have to face a snake on a farm.

What are the obvious signs of udder edema

The main symptoms of udder edema include:

• swelling not only of the entire udder, but also of the back and individually;
• serious thickening of the skin on the surface of the udder, which is very similar to the dough in composition;
• when pressed on the surface of the skin does not come off, and the udder is leveled longer than usual;
• the first edema appears in the nipple, outwardly they will be significantly less than those that did not swell; after this, the tension smoothly passes to the vulva through the subcutaneous tissue and reaches the sternum;
• the temperature of the skin directly on the udder will be much colder than on the body itself;
• after calving, edema can occur as on one half of the udder, and on the other – the lesion sites will alternate;
• swelling of the udder immediately after calving may not cause serious jumps in body temperature in cows;
• by the consistency of a product such as milk, it is unrealistic to determine the presence of this disease, since it it can either slightly change or remain the same;
• sometimes serious edema occurs before childbirth, but immediately after calving it should decrease if everything is fine in the cow’s body.

Regardless of the time of the appearance of udder edema in first-calf heifers, it is necessary to contact experienced veterinarians who can diagnose the disease, if any, and prescribe effective treatment if necessary.

Treatment for udder edema with a change in diet

Due to the fact that the main cause of such a disease as edema is an unhealthy diet, consider how to treat udder edema in cows. Before the onset of calving and in the postpartum period, one should very seriously approach the daily nutrition of the animal. First of all, it is necessary to make sure that succulent and high-calorie foods are lost for a while from the daily diet. It is also necessary to exclude such a component as salt.

The basis of the diet should be high-quality hay. In this case, you need to properly approach the process of milking a cow: on average, you need to milk it 7-8 times a day.

In addition, you need to monitor the daily amount of fluid consumed by the animal. In addition to ordinary water, you can prepare its dill variety, which allows you to accelerate the treatment of udder edema.

With congestive edema, it is necessary to protect the animal from actions that can lead to mechanical damage. Without fail, a sick cow must leave the animal pen for a while and walk daily for at least 2-3 hours in the fresh air.Particular attention is paid to such an action as udder massage. In its implementation, in no case should you use any creams, as this is strictly prohibited.

How to treat the disease with medications

In that case , if the disease did not go away with a change in the diet of the cows, it is necessary to start the process of drug treatment. In this case, in no case should one independently choose medications, since a veterinarian should prescribe them.

Most often, to eliminate the disease in question, a drug such as calcium gluconate is administered, which is administered intravenously. It is prescribed to normalize blood circulation. Calcium chloride has the same properties. Exact dosages can only be prescribed by the attending veterinarian who examined the burenka.

To normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system, a drug such as caffeine benzoate is injected under the skin, in addition to this, all kinds of decongestant ointments are often prescribed of which is rigifen. In no case can not be used at the beginning At the initial stages, irritating ointments, since they are actively used only at the final stage.

Instead of various medications, they often make all kinds of poultices made from hay dust. If the animal behaves calmly enough, you can try warm wraps. If the udder is excessively sagging, care should be taken to support it with a special dressing.