Telemedical management of severe postpartum hemorrhagic vaginal discharge in a sow – a case report

Postpartum hemorrhage is a well-recognized and potentially life-threatening complication in both animals and humans. This case report describes a primary postpartum hemorrhage in a second parity sow managed in a free-farrowing system with the support of telemedicine. A 16 months old Large White sow showed severe hemorrhagic vaginal discharge after the farrowing process. A thorough case history and visual examination of the animal were conducted using telemedical technique prior to treatment. Farrowing began at 14:00 on a Saturday without hormonal induction, and the sow delivered eight live-born piglets by 16:30 without intervention. Overnight, no observations were made. At 04:30 the following morning, the sow was found with nine live-born piglets and one stillborn. During morning feeding, the farmer observed a large amount of blood on the pen walls and severe hemorrhagic vaginal discharge and contacted the veterinarian, initiating a telemedical consultation. Examination revealed a normal appetite, a body temperature of 38.4 °C, firm faeces without visible blood, and no external injuries to the tail, vulva, or vagina. No signs of ongoing labour were observed. Manual palpation of the birth canal was avoided due to the severity of bleeding. Transabdominal ultrasonography revealed no presence of retained piglets. Telemedical evaluation indicated pallor, and the final diagnosis of uterine bleeding was made. Intramuscular administration of 30 IU oxytocin was recommended to stimulate uterine contractions and control the hemorrhage. During the follow up consultation one hour later, the farmer reported that the bloody vaginal discharge stopped within 15 min after oxytocin administration. This case documents primary postpartum hemorrhage in a free-farrowing sow, a condition not previously reported in the literature. It also illustrates the value of telemedicine in porcine health management, enabling timely assessment and intervention in life-threatening situations.