Introduction

• Uterine lavage using saline or a disinfectant is used in for the treatment of uterine disease.
• The aim of treatment should be to assist the uterus to physically clear infection with minimal trauma to the tissues.
• Disinfectants that have been used include iodine, chlorhexidine, and cresol derivatives.
• The disinfectants result in irritation of the uterine wall (endometrial necrosis) which invokes prostaglandin release with subsequent luteolysis and return to estrus with 4-7 days.
• If there is a corpus luteum present on either ovary at the time of examination and treatment, it is recommended to treat the cow systemically with prostaglandin F2α at the time of uterine lavage.
• Animals with systemic signs of illness associated with clinical metritis and endometritis will require additional supportive therapies.

Uses

• To assist in the treatment of metritis, clinical (toxic) metritis, clinical and subclinical endometritis.

Advantages

• Relatively easy and inexpensive treatment option.  
• Minimal effect on the endometrial tissues.
• No milk withhold period will be required to be up on the cow.

Disadvantages

• Risk of introducing contamination to the vagina and uterus during treatment.
• Risk of damage to the endometrium that may impact future fertility, especially with high doses of iodine. 

Requirements

Preparation

Procedure

Aftercare

Outcomes

Prognosis

• Good to fair.

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Dini P, Farhoodi M, Hostens M, Van Eetvelde M et al (2015) Effect of uterine lavage on neutrophil counts in postpartum dairy cows. Anim Reprod Sci 158, 25-30 PubMed.
• Reddy N C S, Bramhaiah K V, Naidu K S & Kumar R V S (2012) Effect of uterine lavage on bacterial count and conception rate in repeat breeder crossbred cows. Indian J Anim Reprod 33, 59-61.
• Kasimanickam R, Duffield T F. Foster R A, Gartley C J et al (2005) A comparison of the cytobrush and uterine lavage techniques to evaluate endometrial cytology in clinically normal postpartum dairy cows. Can Vet J 46 (3), 255-259 PubMed.
• Gilbert R O, Shin S T, Guard C L & Erb H N (1998) Incidence of endometritis and effects on reproductive performance of dairy cows. Theriogenology 49 (1), 251.
• Pulfer K W & Riese R L (1991) Treatment of postpartum metritis in dairy cows. Iowa State Uni Vet 53 (1), 6.

Other sources of information

• Noakes D E (2009) Arthur's Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics. 9th Edn. Elsevier Health Sciences.