Bovine Pregnancy, Pt. 2 Flashcards
What is amorphous globosus? Why is it more common in cattle?
acardiac twin - spherical mass encapsulated by skin +/- hair containing undifferentiated organ systems or tissues
presence of placental vascular anastomoses, where 2 embryos are connected and one receives more oxygenation blood than the other one
How should a Freemartin with an amorphous globosus be examined?
careful evaluation of any expelled mass and fetal membranes and sexual phenotype of the neonatal calf
What is mummification? How far into gestation does it make it to? Why?
dehydration and compaction of a sufficiently mature dead fetus in utero
fetal death without luteolysis
- no viable fetus initiates onset of parturition
- no inflammatory response in endometrium that releases prostaglandins (no PGF2α = no luteolysis)
What are the 3 requirements for diagnosing mummification?
- fetal death in a NON-PYOGENIC environment (3-8 months)
- functional CL without luteolysis
- closed cervix (anaerobic)
What are the 4 major etiologies of mummification?
- any cause of sudden death - umbilical cord torsion
- viral - BVD, bluetongue
- protozoal - Neospora caninum, Tritrichomonas foetus
- bacterial - Leptospirosis
What are the 2 classifications of mummification?
- papyraceous - dry
- hematic - wet, uncommon
What is a major sign of mummification? What is felt on transrectal palpation? What seldom occurs?
prolonged gestation - no viable fetus = no recognition by cow
irregularly shaped, contracted uterus with a fetal mass but no fluid within it + closed cervix + CL
- vaginal discharge or odor (non-pyogenic!)
- spontaneous expulsion
What medical treatment is recommended for mummification? Surgical?
PGF2α - dilates cervix, uterine contraction = expulsion of fetus within 2-4 days common
flank laparotomy, colpotomy
What are the 6 steps of performing a colpotomy?
- epidural block
- lavage vagina
- induce pneumovagina by incising it lateral to the cervix at 2 and 10 o’clock
- penetrate the peritoneum
- exteriorize the uterine horn
- suture + Buhner’s/Caslicks
What causes maceration?
fetal death with insufficient cervical dilation, causing autolysis of the fetus —> able to reach luteolysis
What 3 clinical signs are indicative of maceration? What is felt on palpation?
- severe systemic illness associated with metritis and toxemia
- intermittent straining
- fetid vaginal discharge
sharp, bony fragments (bag of gravel)
What is the most common etiology of maceration? How is it treated?
chronic endometrial damage (poor breeding prognosis)
- delivery per vaginal with manual vaginal dilation
- salvage by slaughter or euthanasia
How common is hydrops allantois (hydrallantois)? What is it caused by?
~90% of hydrops cases
PLACENTAL insufficiency - reduced number of placentomes with concurrent adventitial placentation
How common is hydrops amnion (hydramnios)? What is it caused by?
5-10% of hydrops cases
impaired ability of the FETUS to swallow amniotic fluid, commonly due to craniofacial anomalies or neuromuscular disruptions
Who is responsible for hydrops allantois (hydrallantois)? When does it most commonly occur?
MATERNAL placentation problem = adventitial placentation
later gestation - fetus is larger and needs more nutrition that the faulty placentomes cannot give