Kingfisher
Well-known member
Can anybody point me toward some instruction on repairing a prolapse? Anybody care to share some does and don't or experiences? What do you use for " needle and thread" and where do you get it? Thanks in advance.
Prolapse remedy instructions
- Thread starter Kingfisher
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M5farm
Well-known member
I have never attempted to fix one. I get a vet out or haul her to him.
Nesikep
Well-known member
I'll tell you how I've done it... and what I have read about that you can put your own two cents worth on...
James harriot, the famous vet, who I'm sure embellished a lot of his stories, said he covered it with sugar for a while, which reduced the swelling... I have never tried it as it has been a *long* time since I've needed to do a full blown uterine prolapse. I think I would try it.
It has also been a while but I believe it helps to give an anastetic (spelling?) injection to immobilize her hind end... I believe it was lidocaine, 5cc in the 3rd joint of the tail.. I can't remember without looking it up... It's going to paralyse her hind legs too, so she'll be on the ground.
After you get it all washed up it helps to have a couple extra hands... one set squeezing around the vulva, and the other pushing inward... it is not something done with fists and brute force!
once you get things back where they're supposed to be, the stich I was shown was done with fairly heavy cotton string, and it might have been shoelace! I was shown to go from the inside of the vulva out, as if pinching it with your thumb and forefinger, and tying it in to a loose loop there, do this 4-5 times on each side, then use a bale twine to lace her up like you would a shoe... The reason for this is if you need to get in there again, you don't need to undo the main stiching.
Iodine, then LA200... After a couple weeks things ought to have settled and you can cut everything off..
James harriot, the famous vet, who I'm sure embellished a lot of his stories, said he covered it with sugar for a while, which reduced the swelling... I have never tried it as it has been a *long* time since I've needed to do a full blown uterine prolapse. I think I would try it.
It has also been a while but I believe it helps to give an anastetic (spelling?) injection to immobilize her hind end... I believe it was lidocaine, 5cc in the 3rd joint of the tail.. I can't remember without looking it up... It's going to paralyse her hind legs too, so she'll be on the ground.
After you get it all washed up it helps to have a couple extra hands... one set squeezing around the vulva, and the other pushing inward... it is not something done with fists and brute force!
once you get things back where they're supposed to be, the stich I was shown was done with fairly heavy cotton string, and it might have been shoelace! I was shown to go from the inside of the vulva out, as if pinching it with your thumb and forefinger, and tying it in to a loose loop there, do this 4-5 times on each side, then use a bale twine to lace her up like you would a shoe... The reason for this is if you need to get in there again, you don't need to undo the main stiching.
Iodine, then LA200... After a couple weeks things ought to have settled and you can cut everything off..
Aaron
Well-known member
You can buy a cotton vet stitch string, likely from your local farm store, or we use a craft/sewing webbing that is nylon, and thin, but wide. Can buy it at Wal-Mart.
Wash with soapy water. You can give local anesthetic (makes it easier to push back in). I give a shot of banamine to help reduce per pushing on it after she is sewn up. Cover in sugar and then push it back in. Use umbilical string to sew it back up the vet should also have the hooked needle they use. Thread the string through the needle leaving it in the middle of the length of string with a couple feet in length on each side and tie the 2 lengths in a knot around 4 inches up from the bottom. The you sew it up from inside of vulva out in a zigzag back and forth from bottom up and cut with excess at the top and it to the 4inchs of string you left below the knot at the bottom. Make sure to leave it loose enough so the cow can urinate and use enough string so you don't end up short.
I give a strong shot of penicillin for the next few days to prevent infection. Main thing is to get to it as soon as possible and it will turn out OK.
I give a strong shot of penicillin for the next few days to prevent infection. Main thing is to get to it as soon as possible and it will turn out OK.
greybeard
Well-known member
Never did one myself--never saw one done in person.
There's quite a few youtube videos of vets putting the prolapse back right tho. I watched a few, but to be truthfull, I'd still have to get a vet out to do it and watch first hand how she does it. It's "above my schoolin' "
There's quite a few youtube videos of vets putting the prolapse back right tho. I watched a few, but to be truthfull, I'd still have to get a vet out to do it and watch first hand how she does it. It's "above my schoolin' "
A couple years ago we had one fully prolapse. We had just pulled a calf out of her. She was standing when we pulled it, she then slipped down past the bar we had behind her. She was sitting like a dog when this happened. I was tending to the calf and something hit my arm. Thought it was the afterbirth, but it was her uterus, fully inside out. Oh the horror. Took her to the vet and after hours of work they got it back in. Thats happened to use 2 times in 35 years. I have pictures but i need to learn how to post them. Not sure anyone would want to see it..
Nesikep
Well-known member
cowgirl8... just post a disclaimer before the picture... make sure no one is just eating supper when they see it. We've had 2 in 22 years, and both were in the first couple years... Had lots of vaginal prolapses though, but that's pretty darned easy to fix.
I've learned how to do it, not with schoolin', but because the vet is 2 1/2 hours away and it would cost more than the cow and calf are worth to get him out here.. so you try different things until it works
I've learned how to do it, not with schoolin', but because the vet is 2 1/2 hours away and it would cost more than the cow and calf are worth to get him out here.. so you try different things until it works
Hook
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Sugar works for sure for reducing swelling.rub enough on the prolapse to coat it like a heavy rib rub.
Yall guys seem to have a lot of prolapse problems. Other than the 2 full prolapses we've had in 35ish years due to a large calf with a hard birth, the vaginal prolapse is almost nonexistent on our ranch(We've had 2 stitched up back when we were breeding to sim bulls). Could it be that some are more interested in getting the biggest calf their cow can handle? This is something to think about. I've been told by several that i could increase our birth weights with this breed, heifers should be able to handle this big of calf. They can, but is it the best thing for the cow? Isnt weaning weights the most important thing and not how big the calf is at birth?
My cow sense works on %. If i have 300 cows and once in 10 years i get a prolapse that needs vet attention, that's pretty low % of prolapse. But, if you have a herd of 20 and get a prolapse, you need to look at your averages.
My cow sense works on %. If i have 300 cows and once in 10 years i get a prolapse that needs vet attention, that's pretty low % of prolapse. But, if you have a herd of 20 and get a prolapse, you need to look at your averages.
hevmando
Active member
Just experienced our first prolapsed after a calf the cow could not have on her own and died shortly after pulling. Vet restrained legs with rope to a post as she was laying down. No lidocaine needed as she did not fight the process. 3# of sugar and 60 minutes later prolapse was back in. 4 shoelace stitches and a shot of penicillin. Done. Then she could not get up as back legs were numb. Next day hobbled around, but could not stand. Day 2 she could stand and hobble for 10-20 minutes. That night she could walk. Have hobbles on her now to prevent doing the splits in the mud and ice, if we let her out ( won't for a while). Vet said to leave hobbles on for 4 weeks. She is locked with a Holstein bull calf in a pen that she is letting nurse. Took stitches out on day 4 per vet instructions. Gave 2nd shot of penicillin. Stands well now and walks well, even kicks at calf occasionally. Going right direction except for coming vet bill, dead calf, and $ 200 replacement calf 
. Next question, rebreed her or not? Have had both suggestions.
. Next question, rebreed her or not? Have had both suggestions.
greybeard
Well-known member
you said she is a cow. What is her other calving history?
Shanghai
Well-known member
20 years ago I helped a guy fix a heifer that prolapsed
I got the call and called the neighbor. When we arrived she had the calf and it was dead and uterus was strung out behind her 2-1/2' or so
We laid it out on a couple feed sacks and washed good with water, then covered with sugar to draw it up
He explained it as a pant leg that was inside out and trying push it in and turn it right side out
We worked for 30 minutes or so but seemed longer and sewed her up with a shoe string
I hauled feed and water for 2 days and she never got up and died the night after
I thought then we'd been better off shooting her to begin with.
I got the call and called the neighbor. When we arrived she had the calf and it was dead and uterus was strung out behind her 2-1/2' or so
We laid it out on a couple feed sacks and washed good with water, then covered with sugar to draw it up
He explained it as a pant leg that was inside out and trying push it in and turn it right side out
We worked for 30 minutes or so but seemed longer and sewed her up with a shoe string
I hauled feed and water for 2 days and she never got up and died the night after
I thought then we'd been better off shooting her to begin with.
BILL CLAYLAND
Well-known member
I had a cow prolapse last September 2 days before our vacation.
I called a friend and he had just had a vet come out to his place for a prolapse.
He said vet cleaned it and pushed it back in,, it stayed. :cboy:
Back to my cow, i ran her in the chute cleaned her with the garden hose and pushed it back in.
She is fine and its March.
Bill
I called a friend and he had just had a vet come out to his place for a prolapse.
He said vet cleaned it and pushed it back in,, it stayed. :cboy:
Back to my cow, i ran her in the chute cleaned her with the garden hose and pushed it back in.
She is fine and its March.
Bill
hevmando
Active member
Greybeard, if your question was directed to me, yes she is a four yr old, 3rd calf. She is a South Devon/Limousin cross that weighs about 1250 imo. Many think she is an Angus. First calf bred to a Limousin bull, easy pull. Everytime the calf got close, she seemed to stop pushing because it hurt. That's what it looked like to me. Haltered her, she laid down, couple tugs and calf was out on due date. 2nd calf to a Limousin bull, born unassisted on due date. Both of these calves weighed around 80#. 3rd calf this year, calf was 110#, large head, South Devon bull. Bull owner said most of his were 80-90#, biggest was 104#. Have not pelvic measured her, but she is not as large externally in that area compared to others we have.
