Conservative Treatment and Long-Term Healing of an Oestrus-Related Soft Tissue Injury in a Holstein Heifer

This case report describes the development of extensive soft tissue necrosis and the long-term healing process in a 15-month-old Holstein heifer from a dairy farm with a capacity of 100 cattle in Koçarlı, Aydın Province, following trauma sustained during mounting behavior associated with the oestrus cycle. The trauma-induced lesion was localized to the distal scapular region of the right forelimb, near the shoulder joint (articulatio humeri). Initially, the lesion presented as an abscess, which, upon drainage, progressed to extensive necrosis of the dermis and subcutaneous tissues. At the time of the first evaluation, the heifer received a five-day course of a penicillin-streptomycin combination, three days of flunixin meglumine therapy, and three days of high-dose thiamine (vitamin B1) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) supplementation. During the first week, the wound was cleaned with appropriate antiseptic solutions and treated with topical antibiotic ointment. Subsequent wound care was performed every three days for approximately three months, resulting in complete healing after a total of seven months. This case is noteworthy for the successful long-term conservative management of an extensive open wound and progressive tissue regeneration, providing valuable practical insight into the conservative treatment of similar traumatic lesions in cattle.