Course and severity of postpartum metritis cases following antibiotic and PGF2α administration in postpartum metritis cows infected with BoHV-4

Abstract

Forty cows between day 1 and day 21 post-calving were examined for the presence of postpartum metritis in a dairy herd that had recently experienced an increase in metritis and that had previously tested positive against bovine herpes virus 4 (BoHV-4) by various methods. Antibodies against BoHV-4 were detected in sera from 15 of 22 cows. For the virological study, uterine swab samples of 22 cows with metritis were used and tested for BoHV-4 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus isolation (VI), and immunofluorescence techniques. Twenty-two point seven per cent (5/22) of the vaginal discharge samples obtained from cows with metritis were found positive for BoHV-4 DNA by PCR. All of these samples were also positive in VI and/or immune fluorescence assay (IF). Swab samples were also tested for bacteria. Empirical therapy with a broad spectrum antibiotic (oxytetracycline) was administrated, pending culture and antibiotic sensitivity result. All cows with puerperal metritis or clinical metritis (CM) were treated with intra-uterine (i.u.) administration of oxytetracycline and with intramuscular (i.m.) injections of dinoprost tromethamine (PGF(2)α) for three consecutive days. Concurrently, with the administration of oxytetracycline and PGF(2)α, cows with a rectal temperature >39.5°C received an additional treatment with oxytetracycline (i.m) for three consecutive days. According to the antibiotic test result, on day 3 after the last oxytetracycline and PGF(2)α administrations, all cows were treated with a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (i.u.) for three consecutive days. All cows with metritis and that were positive for BoHV-4 recovered clinically after the administration of antibiotic and PGF(2)α. In conclusion, postpartum metritis cases in cows infected BoHV-4 recovered clinically following early diagnosis and prolonged treatments with a combination of antibiotics and PGF(2)α.