Udder And Teat Wounds
Lacerations of teats and or udder that do not peneterate suffeciently to allow milk to flow from the wound may be handeled as any other laceration, keeping in mind that large amounts of scar tissue or flaps of skin may interfere with milking or have an undesirable cosmetic effect. Lacerations or trauma in the area of the teat sphincter may lead to stenosis. If there are flaps of skin that protrude, they should be sutured or removed. Portions of nonviable skin should be trimmed back to conferm to normal contour of the teat.
Sutured wounds may be protected by a wrap of an adhesive elastic handage as Elastoplast or Elasticone. The insertion of a Larson-type teat tube to facilitate milking is of value to the person milking as well as to the animal because the pain associated with the trauma. Replacing the cap on the tube after milking will reduce the possibility of mastitis.
Teat Fistula
Thee term, teat fistula (milk fistula), refers to an opening in the wall of the teat, connecting the exterior to the pre-existing channel, the teat canal is characterized by persistant outflow of milk. Such fistula may be congenital or acquired. It is mostly acquired as a result of penetrating wound that extend to the teat canal or cistern and fails to heal completely because of the continuous drainage of milk. Fistula will vary in size from that one which is so tiny, it is difficult to locate to large ones through which the mucous membrane may be seen.
Symptoms:
The outstanding signs consist of tract and milk coming through it at milking time.
Treatment:
Anesthesia can be obtained by a ring block at the base of the teat or local infiltration anesthesia of the wound edges using 2 % solution of xylocain Hcl.
The entire area is prepared for aseptic surgery by washing the field of the operation with soap and water, swap with alcohol. Tincture iodine should never be used because of its marked irritant effect.
Apply a suitable tournquet as the rubber tube of the blood transfusion set at the base of the teat or teat band as much high as possible to secure hemorrhage during the operation.
The wound edges should be, if necessary, debrided before suturing. If the fistula is old and the tissue around it have healed, the tract should be excised before suturing.
Apply a teat siphon to guard against injuring tissues of the other side and to avoid excessive trimming.
The teat fistula is then sutured after dusting the site with an antibiotic powder.
The suture is carried out in two raws including all layers with the exception of the mucosa using non absorbable, noncapillary suturing material such as vetafil or stainless steel wire. A vertical mattress or similar stitch is used to effect the apposition of the edges deep in the tissue and superficially. The apposition must be complete and firmly held in place or milk seepage will cause the fistula to recur.
A teat bougie is applied to prevent adhesion of both sides of the teat cistern.
An elastoplast or elasticon elastic adhesive bandaged is warpped around the teat to rduce milk pressure on the sutures and by virtue, to protect the wound.
The tourniqute is then removed. The stitches may be removed in 10 - 14 days post operatively. Remove the bandage after 5 - 7 days.
Siphoning the milk every now and then (2 - 3 days). Intrammary infusion of terramycine udder ointment to guard against mastitis. Apply the teat bougie. Care must be taken that it is contra - indicated to carry out such surgery if mastitis is supervening or the lips of the wound are oedematous. This should be first treated before the surgery.
Haematoma Of The Udder
Haematoma of the udder is relatively common in cattle having pendulous udder as a result of contusion and rupture of a subcutaneous blood vessels. The condition is characterized by its sudden onset and fluctuency. A septic puncturing the swelling may be necessary to confirm diagnosis, but this is not preferable. If the haematoma is subcutaneously, it can be palpated out if parenchymatus it cannot be detected by visual examination and the diagnosis in such cases depends upon the sudden onset of bloody milk.
Treatment:
Small haematomas of the udder should never be opened immediately. Opening the haematoma is after a week post ocurance. The blood clot is removed and the cavity is painted with tincture of iodine. The cavity is then packed tightly to guard against further bleeding.
Large haematomas in front of the udder should not be opened till the blood is clotted, usually after 10 days and proceed as before.
Lactiferous Calculi (Milk Stones)
Milk stones which are found in the udder may result from accumulation of lime salts of milk over a point of crystalization. The latter may be desquamated epithelium. Sometimes, these calculi are freely movable in the teat canal if their sizes relatively smaller than the diameter of the canal. When being larger in size, they obstruct the lumen of the teat canal.
Treatment:
If the calculi are of small size, they can be removed by manipulation during milking. Larger calculi obstructing the teat canal can be crushed by means of special forceps. In other cases of milk stones, it may be necessary to enlarge the opening at the end of the teat by cutting through the sphincter of the teat canal one or more times.
Abscess Of The Udder
Abscesses of the udder may develop beneath the skin as a result of infection of a haematoma. It may occur in the paranchyma of the udder as a result of chronic mastitis especially in goats. It may also occur as a result of supramammary lymphadenitis. Generally, abscess formations most commonly occurs secondary to the traumatic wound.
Treatment:
Following confirmation of diagnosis, the treatment should be done on the general principals for treatment of abscesses. If there are multiple abscesses, mastectomy (partial or total) according the involvement of one quarter or more on the entire udder, is then indicated. If there is involvement of the supramammary lymph node, lymphadenitis, purelenta, it should be extirpated.
