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An indigenous non-descript cow, approximately 7.5 years old and in its fourth parity, was presented to the Veterinary Clinical Complex with a history of purulent vaginal discharge of one day’s duration. According to the owner, the animal had been bred by artificial insemination approximately two months earlier, with no history of vaginal discharge or reproductive abnormality prior to breeding. Per-vaginal examination revealed the presence of a small aborted fetus lodged within the vaginal canal, and the cervix was found to be dilated to approximately one finger breadth. The crown–rump length (CRL) of the aborted fetus measured approximately 4.5 cm and weighed around 9.0 grams, indicating early gestational loss. A blood sample was collected from the dam and subjected to serological testing for brucellosis, which yielded a negative result. Based on the clinical findings, the cow was treated with appropriate intrauterine and systemic (parenteral) antibiotic therapy.
Keywords: Cattle; Crown -rump length; Abortion; Crown-rumplength
Abortionincattleisamajorreproductivedisorderwith significanteconomicimplicationsforthelivestockindustryworldwide. Itisdefinedastheprematureexpulsionofthefetusbetween42and260daysofgestation1. Bovineabortionresultsindirecteconomic lossesduetoreducedcalvingrates,extendedcalving intervals,veterinaryexpenses,anddecreasedmilkproduction 2. The etiology of abortion in cattle is multifactorialandbroadlyclassifiedintoinfectiousand non-infectiouscauses.ImportantinfectiousagentsimplicatedinbovineabortionincludeBrucellaabortus, Leptospiraspp.,Campylobacterspp.,Listeriamonocytogenes,Salmonellaspp.,infectiousbovinerhinotracheitisvirus(IBR),bovineviraldiarrheavirus(BVDV), Tritrichomonasfoetus,andvariousfungalorganisms causing mycotic abortion 3. Non-infectious causes suchasstress,improperinseminationorintrauterine infusion,toxicsubstances,nutritionaldeficiencies,and geneticfactorsarealsoknowncontributorstopregnancylossincattle.Inaddition,opportunisticbacterial pathogens,includingTrueperella(Arcanobacterium) pyogenes,Bacillusspp.,Escherichiacoli,Histophilus somni, and Pasteurella spp., have been reported to causesporadicabortionsatanystageofgestation4. Emergingevidencehasalsodocumentedabortionassociatedwithlesscommonlyreportedorganismssuch asStaphylococcuslugdunensis5.
An indigenous non-descript cow, approximately 7.5 yearsoldandinitsfourthparity,waspresentedtothe VeterinaryClinicalComplexwithahistoryofpurulent vaginaldischargesincethepreviousday. Clinicalexaminationrevealednormalrectaltemperature(100.4 °F)andrespirationrate(18breaths/min).Accordingto theowner,theanimalhadconceivedthroughartificial inseminationusingfrozensemen. Per-vaginalexaminationrevealedasmallabortedfetuslodgedwithin the vaginal canal, with cervical dilation of approximatelyonefingerbreadth. Theabortedfetushada crown–rumplength(CRL)ofabout4.5cmandweighed approximately9.0g,consistentwithearlygestational loss.
Earlyembryonicandfetallossesincattlearecommon yetoftenunderreportedreproductivedisorders,particularlyinindigenousandnon-descriptanimalsmaintainedunderfieldconditions.Inthepresentcase,the crown–rumplength(4.5cm)andfetalweight(9.0g) indicatedearlygestationalloss,likelyoccurringduring
suggestedalocalizedreproductivetractinvolvement ratherthanageneralizedinfectiouscondition. Serological testing for brucellosis was negative, thereby rulingoutoneofthemostimportantzoonoticandin-
lusspp.,andotherenvironmentalcontaminantsare knowntoinducesporadicabortions,especiallyfollowingcervicalmanipulationorminoruterinetrauma7. Thehistoryofartificialinsemination,approximately twomonthspriortopresentation,mayalsobeacontributingfactor.Improperasepsisduringinsemination, contaminationofsemenorAIequipment,orsubclinicaluterineinfectioncanpredisposeanimalstoearly pregnancyloss.Previousstudieshavehighlightedthat earlyembryonicmortalityisfrequentlyassociatedwith uterineinfections,lutealinsufficiency,orinflammatory changeswithintheendometrium,evenintheabsence ofovertsystemicsigns5.Promptremovalofretained fetalmaterialfollowedbyintrauterineandsystemicantibiotictherapyiscrucialinpreventingpost-abortion complicationssuchasmetritis,pyometra,orchronic endometritis,whichcanadverselyaffectfuturefertility. ThecasewastreatedwithEnrofloxacin@5mg/kgbwt, o.d,I/Mfor3days,C-FloxTz@60ml,o.d,I/Ufor3consecutivedays,andBolusTribivet@2boli,o.d,orally for5daysandadvisedformineralmixture@50gm/day, o.d,orallyfor20days.Thefavourableclinicalresponse observedinthiscaseunderscorestheimportanceof earlydiagnosisandtimelytherapeuticintervention.
Earlyembryonicandfetallossesincattlearecommon yetoftenunderreportedreproductivedisorders,particularlyinindigenousandnon-descriptanimalsmaintainedunderfieldconditions.Inthepresentcase,the crown–rumplength(4.5cm)andfetalweight(9.0g) indicatedearlygestationalloss,likelyoccurringduring theembryonictoearlyfetaltransitionperiod6.Abortionsatthisstagefrequentlygounnoticedunlessaccompaniedbyclinicalsignssuchasvaginaldischarge, asobservedinthiscow. Theabsenceofsystemicillness,normalrectaltemperature,andrespirationrate suggestedalocalizedreproductivetractinvolvement ratherthanageneralizedinfectiouscondition. Serological testing for brucellosis was negative, thereby rulingoutoneofthemostimportantzoonoticandinfectiouscausesofbovineabortion.Althoughadefinitiveetiologicaldiagnosiscouldnotbeestablisheddue tothelackoffetalanduterineculture,opportunistic bacterialinfectionremainsalikelycause.Organisms suchasTrueperellapyogenes,Escherichiacoli,Bacillusspp.,andotherenvironmentalcontaminantsare knowntoinducesporadicabortions,especiallyfollowingcervicalmanipulationorminoruterinetrauma7. Thehistoryofartificialinsemination,approximately twomonthspriortopresentation,mayalsobeacontributingfactor.Improperasepsisduringinsemination, contaminationofsemenorAIequipment,orsubclinicaluterineinfectioncanpredisposeanimalstoearly pregnancyloss.Previousstudieshavehighlightedthat earlyembryonicmortalityisfrequentlyassociatedwith uterineinfections,lutealinsufficiency,orinflammatory changeswithintheendometrium,evenintheabsence ofovertsystemicsigns5.Promptremovalofretained fetalmaterialfollowedbyintrauterineandsystemicantibiotictherapyiscrucialinpreventingpost-abortion complicationssuchasmetritis,pyometra,orchronic endometritis,whichcanadverselyaffectfuturefertility. ThecasewastreatedwithEnrofloxacin@5mg/kgbwt, o.d,I/Mfor3days,C-FloxTz@60ml,o.d,I/Ufor3consecutivedays,andBolusTribivet@2boli,o.d,orally for5daysandadvisedformineralmixture@50gm/day, o.d,orallyfor20days.Thefavourableclinicalresponse observedinthiscaseunderscorestheimportanceof earlydiagnosisandtimelytherapeuticintervention.
Theauthorsdeclarenoconflictsofinterest.