Successful treatment of retained placenta with umbilical cord injections of collagenase in cows

Abstract

Summary Fetal membranes usually are released from the uterus between 2 and 6 postpartum hours. However, in a substantial percentage of cows (11%), fetal membranes are retained for several days. In part, failure of collagen breakdown seems to be related to retention of fetal membranes. Injections of 200,000 U of bacterial collagenase in 1,000 ml of physiologic saline solution via umbilical arteries (1 or 2) between 24 and 72 hours of retention caused release of retained fetal membranes in 23 of 27 cows (85%) with noninduced retained fetal membranes and in 10 of 14 cows (71%) with experimentally induced retained fetal membranes, within 36 hours after injection. Controls (n = 36) did not release retained fetal membranes within this time. Injections of collagenase via a jugular vein (2.2 × 106 U in 1,000 ml of physiologic saline solution), administered over a 30-minute period, caused release of retained fetal membranes within 36 hours in 3 of 6 cows with experimentally induced retained fetal membranes. Clinical complications did not follow treatments with collagenase. Umbilical injections of bacterial collagenase were highly effective in the treatment of retained fetal membranes in cows. The procedure is simple, safe, affordable, and can be completed in 25 minutes.