Pyometra or following insemination
Keywords: Tanabe, bovine, cow, insemination, pyometra, Arcanobacter pyogenes
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Pyometra that followed insemination in a cow. Pyometra usually occurs spontaneously in postpartum cow's as a result of infection with Arcanobacter pyogenes. This image is regarded as unique because it states that this case the pyometra occurred after insemination, suggesting iatrogenic contamination as a cause the condition.
An update has kindly been provided by Dr R.G. (Dick) Saacke, Professor Emeritus of Reproductive Physiology. Dept. of Dairy Science, Virginia Polytech. Inst. and State University (edited):
This image was produced by Dr. TY Tanabe at Penn State University. The image was taken after a pregnant cow was bred trans-cervically during early pregnancy. At the time, liquid semen without antibiotics was used. This resulted in the loss of pregnancy and in some cases, pyometra as seen here. As a consequence of his research, Dr Tanabe recommended that if a cow should show heat after being bred, the subsequent insemination should be no deeper than mid-cervix. He produced many images addressing the disastrous consequence of insemination at several stages of pregnancy
Dr. Tanabe has since died, but many of his excellent photographs are digitized and available through the USDA Image library.
Author's note: Insemination of pregnant cows still occurs but it is remarkable that many of these pregnancies survive. This is either due to the addition of antibiotics or caution of technicians sensing the possibility of pregnancy, inseminating intra-cervically.
