A retrospective study of surgical affections of mammary glands in cattle and buffaloes and their management in the field

The present retrospective study was conducted from 2003 to 2015 in Egypt to document common surgical affections of the udder and teat in cattle and buffaloes, and determine medical and surgical treatment options that are feasible in a field setting. We diagnosed 19 different surgical affections and classified them into 4 groups according to their location. Teat orifice affections (12.41%) included imperforate teat, contracted teat orifice, enlarged teat orifice, and black spot. Teat cistern affections (23.76%) included teat fistula, dilated teat cistern, teat polypi, and webbed teat. Teat surface affections (50.35%) included sore teat, supernumerary teat, sloughed teat, teat papilloma and fibropapilloma, teat wounds, and teat viral lesions. Udder affections (13.48%) included hypermastia, udder wounds, and suppurative and gangrenous mastitis. In cattle, the number of surgical affections located on the teat surface (20 ± 5.4) was significantly higher compared with other locations as well as compared with buffaloes (P<0.05). No treatment was indicated in 24% of recorded cases. Medical and surgical treatment was indicated in 73.75% of affected animals. Favorable results were achieved with the recommended treatments when applied in the field.