Vet school improves diagnosis of milk-flow problems

A new diagnostic instrument at the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) makes it easier for veterinarians to locate and treat the cause of poor milk flow in dairy cattle.

The school’s recently purchased theloscope (or teat endoscope) allows doctors to look directly into a damaged teat to find lumps, bumps or flaps that inhibit milk flow. No cutting is needed, and it provides a clearer view than ultrasound.

“This is a vast improvement over other techniques,” says Mike Livesey, a large-animal veterinarian at the veterinary school. “We used to go in blindly, in order to make incisions in the teat opening, or to grasp objects inside the teat. Now we can visualize the actual lesion and remove only what’s necessary, often without having to make a large incision into the teat.”

In the past, blind treatment techniques could worsen the condition, causing cows to get mastitis and be culled.

The instrument, developed by veterinarians in Germany, consists of a thin, fiber-optic, hand-held tube fitted with a cold light source. To look inside the teat, the cow’s teat base is clamped, then the instrument is inserted through either the teat end or through the teat wall, depending on what the doctor needs to see. The theloscope pumps air into the teat to keep the teat canal open for viewing. Once inside, the theloscope shows a close-up image of structures at its tip.

“It’s an ideal way to diagnose a slow milker,” Livesey says. “If a cow has injured her teat, we can take a look inside to see if there are any growths causing the obstruction. We can also see if the sphincter at the tip is damaged.”

During the procedure, the cow’s teat is anesthetized. In Germany, exams are often done with cows while standing, with the veterinarian in a pit to put him or her at eye level with the teat. At Wisconsin, cows are sedated and either placed on their backs or sides on an exam table for the procedure.

The theloscope is the only one currently in use in Wisconsin. At the veterinary school, the unit, hooked up to a camera, is also used to help teach students.