KEY FACTS Therapeutic and Management Options for Postpartum Metritis in Dairy Cattle

The treatment goal for postpartum metritis (e.g., endometritis, postpuerperal metritis, toxic puerperal metritis, pyometra) is to facilitate the timely clearance of the infection and return the animal to a normal reproductive state. Clinical signs associated with postpartum metritis range from temporary and self-limiting signs to chronic or life-threatening ones. Choosing an appropriate treatment for postpartum metritis depends on understanding the classification scheme for the disease. Treatment of cows with postpartum metritis generally involves hormonal and antibiotic therapy alone or in combination. Current efforts to promote prudent use of antibiotics have created renewed interest in the disease. Successful resolution of postpartum metritis can be accomplished by relying on the use of multiple diagnostic methods to accurately classify postpartum metritis, the incorporation of health-monitoring protocols for fresh cows to help prevent it, and the use of hormonal and antimicrobial therapy to