Uterine rupture in a 4-year-old Holstein Frisian cow

A case of a four-year-old Holstein Frisian cow is reported, which had been referred to the Klinik fur Klauentiere of the Freie Universitat Berlin due to anorexia, reduced milk yield and an extended abdomen two days after parturition. On the occasion of a diagnostic laparotomy a complete rupture of the uterus of 30 cm in length was detected in the dorsolateral region of the right horn extending from the body of the uterus up to the cervix. The wound was sewed up by an inverting recurrent Cushing suture. Although the animal survived the intervention, the generalized peritonitis that had been diagnosed at laparotomy led to extensive adhesions among the different abdominal organs reducing the chances of a favourite prognosis regarding the further use of the animal in milk production.