Clinical Intervention of Puerperal Metritis in Indian Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

Puerperal metritis is an inflammation of animal uterus around one month of calving. This condition is usually caused by bacterial infection of uterus and considered as one of the most economically important diseases in Indian water buffaloes. The present study was conducted to determine the clinical interventions, clinical signs, bacteriological examination and evaluation of the treatment efficacy of postpartum metritis in Indian water buffaloes. A total of 18 buffaloes with clinical signs of metritis and calving of approximately 1 month were selected for the study and examined clinically including gross external inspection, transrectal palpation of the cervix, uterus, and ovaries. Uterine discharges from the uterine lumen of each buffalo were collected for isolation of bacteria. Uterine discharge samples were cultured on general growth media and selective media for bacterial isolation. Bacteria were identified based on colony, morphological, biochemical characteristics, and confirmed by PCR based amplification of specific genes. The most prevalent bacteria in uterine discharge were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiogram revealed that most of the bacterial isolates were sensitive to cefaperazone and gentamicin with sensitivity of 88.88% and 83.33%, respectively. Buffaloes were treated with intrauterine infusion of 2% povidone-iodine and systemically with cefaperazone and hormonal treatment (cloprostenol). Buffaloes with puerperal metritis showed good clinical recovery, uterine involution with this treatment and conceived after artificial insemination.