Bilateralteat Laceration and Its Successful Surgical Management in Holstein Friesian Crossbred Cattle

Abstract

A 5.5 years old Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle was presented with a history of traumatic injury by barbed metallic wire on right fore-teat six hours before. Clinical examination revealed full-thickness, bilateral, longitudinal laceration of the same teat, extending from base of the teat to the distal teat orifice with leakage of milk. Prompt reconstructive surgery was performed under sedation and local anesthesia to repair the laceration. The closure of the teat cistern was performed by suturing the laceration in three layers.Post-operative care included intra-mammary and systemicantibiotic therapy with NSAID for five consecutive days along with daily antiseptic dressing of the wound and regular drainage of milk via the fixed infant feeding tube in the teat cistern. The animal had shown uneventful recovery without any complication with removal of skin sutures on 10th post-operative day and started hand milking from the same teat on 20th post-operative day.