2 – Female Reproduction Flashcards
What are the disorders of the vulva and vagina often associated with?
- Breeding or parturition
- Ex. edema, hemorrhage, lacerations
Many species are susceptible to GENITAL HERPESVIRUS INFECTION, what does it result in?
- Multifocal, epithelial necrosis
- Erosive to ulcerative vulvitis and vaginitis (vulvovaginitis)
Vaginal polyps
- Most common in dogs
- Benign (typically pedunculated), mass of fibrovascular tissue covered by an epithelium that projects from a mucosal surface
What is the most common neoplasm of the vulva? What is it more common in?
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Common in cows, ewes and mares
o Likely related to greater EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT
What neoplasm of the vulva are grey mares predisposed to?
- Malignant melanoma of the vulva
Canine transmissible venereal tumors
- *Thought to arise from genetically altered histiocytes
- Cauliflower-like neoplasms that range in size (few mm to 10+cm)
- Typically located on external genitalia
- Metastasis is uncommon
- Usually progressive
What makes canine transmissible venereal tumors unique?
- Can be transplanted between dogs (usually during coitus) and between different mucosal sites on the same dog by direct contact (ex. licking)
Where are transmissible venereal tumors prevalent?
- High in tropical and subtropical urban environments
- Rare in other locations
- *but worldwide
Transmissible venereal tumors are usually progressive, what is the ‘treatment’?
- Chemotherapy is effective treatment
- Radiation is effective, but more complicated to administer and less available
- Other forms=less effective
Abortion
- Expulsion of fetus prior to completion of pregnancy
o Implies fetus was not yet viable
Still birth
- Delivery of dead fetus after a full-term gestation, when normal fetus would be capable of independent existence outside the uterus
When does fetal mummification occur?
- When dead fetus is retained in uterus and becomes dehydrated
What does fetal mummification imply?
- absence of bacteria that would lead to lysis of tissues and that the cervix had remained closed
When does fetal maceration occur?
- When dead fetus is retained in uterus but undergoes softening b/c of PRESENCE of bacteria that causes lysis of the tissues
What is the function of progesterone during pregnancy?
- *needed to maintain pregnancy
- Supports establishment of viable conceptus within the uterus
o Promotes endometrial secretions
o Suppression of myometrial activity
What is the source of progesterone during pregnancy?
- Varies between species
- CL
- Fetoplacental unit (placenta and in some, the fetal adrenal glands)
CL
- Glandular mass formed in ovary by granulosa cells of a graafian follicle that has discharged its ovum
- Persists if ovum is fertilized
Queen and bitch CL
- Persists thought-out gestation
- CL has a predetermined lifespan that is equal to the length of a normal gestation
- Fetuses that die before the normal length are RETAINED until near term
Sow and doe CL
- Necessary throughout gestation, but lifespan is not predetermined
- Fetuses that die before term have a VARIABLE OUTCOME
Ewe, mare and cow CL
- necessary until mid-gestation in ewe and mare
- Even later in a cow
- *afterwards: fetoplacental unit produces progesterone
- Fetal death in last trimester will result in EXPULSION WITHIN A FEW DAYS
Late-term abortion pathophysiology: ‘steps’
- Maturation of fetal HPA axis
a. Increased production of ACTH and corticosteroids by fetus(es) and increased concentrations in fetal and maternal circulation
b. Causes higher levels of estrogen and decreased production of progesterone - *estrogen-to-progesterone ratio promotes:
a. RELAXATION of pelvic ligaments
b. Dilation of cervix
c. Placental separation from endometrium
d. Uterine contraction
In parturition/abortion, what are the 2 paths that result in synthesis and release of PGs by uterus and luteolysis?
- Fetal stress results in increased cortisol production by fetal adrenal gland
- fetal death and/or inflammation
Why is a diagnostic rate of 50% for abortion considered excellent?
- Might be due to disease in 1 of 3 compartments (dam, placenta, fetus)
- Biased to diagnose infectious disease (90% of the 50% involve an infectious agent)
- Autolysis, freezing-thawing, heat, desiccation, contamination
Vet diagnostic labs are well equipped to diagnose infectious disease but they are poorly equipped to diagnose _______ or ___________ defects
- Genetic or chromosomal
What are the viruses that can cause abortion in cats
- Feline herpesvirus
- FIV
- FIP
- FeLV
- **Feline panleukopenia virus (Feline parvovirus, also associated with developmental defects: cerebellar abiotrophy)
- *reproductive failure is due to maternal illness (rather than placental or fetal lesions)
What can happen when a pregnant queen is infected with a virus?
- Embryonic death and resorption OR
- Abortion of mummified fetuses that died mid-to late gestation
- *reproductive failure is due to maternal illness rather than from placental or fetal lesions