Endoscopic, sonographic and histological results on bovine teat cistern mucosa after treatment with teat cannulas

In this study the effects of teat cannulas on the mucosal tissue of the bov ine teat are presented. Twelve teats of three healthy cows were treated wit h teat cannulas and circular bandages twice each day after milking. As a co ntrol twelve teats of three healthy cows were treated with similar bandagin g, without application of teat cannulas. Endoscopic, sonographic and bacter iological findings were documented prior to first application of teat cannu las and at the end of a 5-day period. During the study the teats were exami ned by ultrasound and milk samples were evaluated macroscopically and conce rning their content of somatic cells. At the end of the study the clinical findings were verified by paihologic-anatomical and pathologic-histological investigations. As a conclusion, the clinical study showed that 48 hours a fter application of teat cannulas first signs of inflammatory alterations c ould be detected by palpation and sonography. At the 5(th) day of the inves tigation-period, dramatic proliferative inflammatory signs were visualized by endoscopy. The pathological and histological examinations showed severe damage done to the mucosal tissues by the teat cannula, from inflammatory s igns up to total destruction.