SURGICAL REMOVAL OF TEAT SIPHON FROM COW’S UDDER

Abstract

A five-year-old Jersey cross breed cow at the second stage of lactation was suffering from a chronic suppurative mastitis at Damchena village under Shari subdistrict, Paro. The owner had treated the case by applying hot fomentation and other local methods but failed to cure the case. The case was then reported to the subdistrict livestock extension office for treatment on 23 November 2017. The livestock staff had examined the case and found thick purulent discharges oozing out from the teat canal while squeezing the teat and udder. Since the case was away from the subdistrict livestock extension centre, the extension staff had instructed the owner to drain out pus from the udder with the help of a teat siphon. Mammary infusions were provided. The owner had inserted the teat siphon into the teat canal on 25 November 2017, to drain out pus, as per the instruction but unfortunately the teat siphon had slipped into the mammary gland when cow moved during operation. The owner reported about the incident to the subdistrict extension staff on 27 November 2017. The case was then referred to the District Veterinary Hospital (DVH), Paro on 28 November 2017 when both the owner and the sub district livestock staff failed to remove the teat siphon manually. The Veterinary Officer from DVH, Paro visited the case and tried to remove the teat siphon manually but was in vain. We decided to remove teat siphon by performing surgery. The owner was informed about the decision of surgical intervention on the next day. The owner consented to the decision.