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FSA3102
Vaginal Prolapses
A vaginal prolapse occurs before Figure 1. A vaginal prolapse
calving due to the increased pressure
in the abdominal cavity during the Older cows, cows carrying twins or
latter stages of pregnancy. This type cows with Brahman (Bos indicus)
of prolapse is more common than the ancestry are more prone to having
uterine prolapse, and it typically looks vaginal prolapses. Cows that are lim
like a pink mass of tissue about the ited to grazing clover pastures could
size of a large grapefruit or volleyball. also be at a higher risk of vaginal
Once this tissue becomes prolapsed, prolapse due to phytoestrogens that
it is exposed to environmental may be produced by that forage type.
elements (wind, dust, sun, injury) and To help prevent vaginal prolapses, it
to potential infectious organisms. is important to restrict cows from
becoming overly fat during the last
Vaginal prolapses (Figure 1) are trimester of pregnancy. Provide a
recurring problems. If the vaginal ration to keep the cow herd with a
prolapse occurs and is repaired, the good body condition score but not
cow is highly likely to prolapse again overly conditioned.
next year. This type of prolapse can
also be an inherited trait. The daugh Although a vaginal prolapse is not
ter of a cow that experienced this ordinarily life threatening, it should
problem will have an increased likeli be repaired as soon as possible. Once
hood of suffering a vaginal prolapse the vaginal tissue has been prolapsed,
herself. Not only should the affected
Arkansas Is
cow be culled but also any daughters
the blood supply to the tissue is com
promised. This leads to swelling of the
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from the cow should not be kept as
replacements. In addition, a bull calf
tissue while it is on the outside of the
cow’s body. The longer it is left out,
retained from a cow that has experi the more it will swell, which makes it
enced a vaginal prolapse could one even more difficult to correctly
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University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating
reposition. If the prolapse increases in size, pressure prolapses, be aware that cows that have experienced
is placed on the urinary passage. This restricts the a prolapsed uterus have a higher risk of prolapsing
cow’s ability to urinate. She may continue to strain again compared to cows that have never experienced
trying to urinate (unsuccessfully), and this will this condition.
further magnify the problem until the prolapsed
tissue is pushed back inside.
JEREMY POWELL, DVM, Ph.D., is associate professor - animal Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and
science veterinarian, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Department of Animal Science, Fayetteville. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. The