Dystocia Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three stages of parturition?

A
  1. Onset of contractions
  2. Expulsion of the fetus
  3. Expulsion of the placenta
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2
Q

What is the duration of pregnancy in the bitch?

A

63-65days

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3
Q

What is the duration of pregnancy in the queen?

A

65-70days

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4
Q

What is the duration of pregnancy in the mare?

A

11months

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5
Q

What is the duration of pregnancy in the cow?

A

280-284days

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6
Q

What is the duration of pregnancy in the sow?

A

112-118days (3months, 3 weeks, 3 days)

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7
Q

What is the duration of the 1st stage of parturition in the bitch?

A

6-24hours

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8
Q

What is the duration of the 1st stage of parturition in the queen?

A

1-2hours for first offspring

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9
Q

What is the duration of the 1st stage of parturition in the mare?

A

1-4hours

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10
Q

What is the duration of the 1st stage of parturition in the cow?

A

6-12hours

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11
Q

What is the duration of the 1st stage of parturition in the sow?

A

12-24hours

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12
Q

What is the duration of the second stage of parturition in the bitch?

A

1030 minutes for first offspring, total 2-24 hours

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13
Q

What is the duration of the second stage of parturition in the queen?

A

Can pause delivery of offspring, total 12-24 hours

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14
Q

What is the duration of the second stage of parturition in the mare?

A

5-30 minutes

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15
Q

What is the duration of the second stage of parturition in the cow?

A

0.5-6 hours

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16
Q

What is the duration of the second stage of parturition in the sow?

A

2-6 hours

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17
Q

What are some maternal factors for dystocia?

A

Forces (expulsive defect) - uterine inertia and abdominal

Birth canal- insufficient dilation and inadequate pelvis

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18
Q

What questions would you ask as part of the history in a dystocia case?

A

Age / parity?
Full term / premature?
Breeding history?
General management during pregnancy?
When did straining start?
Has a waterbag appeared, and if so when first seen?
Has there been escape of fluids?
Have parts of foetus appeared in the vulva?
Has examination been performed or assistance been attempted? If so what has been done?
Is the animal still eating?

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19
Q

What are the 6 steps to a vaginal examination?

A
  1. Check for injury/abnormality birth canal
  2. Check the position uterus, umbilical cord & fetus
  3. Check for signs of live fetus
  4. Assess dilation of cervix
  5. Assess relative size fetus
  6. Assess dilation vagina, vulva
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20
Q

What are you looking for in the first step of a vaginal exam? (Step 1 = heck for injury/abnormality birth canal)

A
  • signs of injury to the birth canal (damage to the vaginal mucosa/cervix)
  • abnormalities of genital tract (abnormal bone structure due to previous fracture)
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21
Q

How would a uterine torsion feel during vaginal exam?

A

Vagina ends abruptly at pelvic brim

Mucosa is drawn into tight, spirally arranged folds

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22
Q

How can you confirm uterine torsion diagnosed via vaginal exam?

A

Rectal - broad ligaments will be stretched and cross over

23
Q

What 2 methods of detection of a live fetus are 100% reliable?

A

Pulse A. umbilicalis in umbilical cord (difficult to feel, particularly in anterior presentation)

Ictus cordis/apex beat (difficult to feel, particularly in posterior presentation)

24
Q

What is active dilation of the cervix?

A

Takes place during 1st stage of parturition, relaxation of cervix due to relaxine and oestrogen release (2-8 hours)

25
Q

What is passive dilation of the cervix?

A

Takes place during 2nd stage of parturition, dilation due to uterine contractions and pressure of fetus and fetal fluids in birth canal

26
Q

Which bony part on the fetus defines its widest point

A

Distance between the greater trochanters of the femur (hip joint)

27
Q

What are some complications you need to manage in the dystocia case relating to the dam?

A

haemorrhage due to damage to the vaginal artery

the animal becoming recumbent (down cow syndrome)

28
Q

What are some complications you need to manage in the dystocia case relating to the neonate?

A

weakness, fractures: legs, ribcage, mandible

29
Q

How much should you rotate the calf by once the head of the calf has passed the vulva?

A

90degrees

30
Q

Why should you rotate the calf 90degrees?

A

Optimise the space available in the pelvic cavity

If the calf is not rotated you get hiplock

31
Q

What is hiplock in the calf?

A

Greater trochanters of the calf are stuck within the pelvic cavity of the dam and it is not possible to pull the calf any further or repel the calf back into the pelvic cavity

32
Q

Why is vaginal delivery in the cow best attempted in lateral recumbency ?

A
  1. enlarge the vertical diameter during abdominal press
  2. cow is in a better position to optimise her abdominal contractions
  3. can have better control on the direction of pull
33
Q

What are the different management options of dystocia?

A

Extraction
Caesarean
Fetotomy

34
Q

What aftercare/recommendation do you need to consider in a bovine dystocia case?

A
  1. NSAIDs- meloxicam, ketoprofen
  2. Energy source (propylene glycol)
  3. Check quarter for mastitis (CMT)
  4. Advice farmer that foetal membranes should pass within 24h
  5. Antibiotics - if concerns, 3 day course of penicillin based antibiotic recommended
  6. oxytocin for uterine contractions
  7. Advise farmer to give you a call if the cow is not well the next day
  8. Supportive therapy- soft bedding, good feed, stress free environment
35
Q

What are the advantages of doing fetotomy over c-section?

A
  • prevents contamination of the abdominal cavity leading to peritonitis
  • less invasive
  • more cost effective
36
Q

What are common indications for a partial fetotomy?

A

deviation of the head carpal, hip or hock flexion

fetal pathologies such as a schistosoma reflexus, or a ‘hiplock’ situation

37
Q

What are the indications for total fetotomy

A

Fetomaternal oversize

38
Q

What are the 2 intrauterine methods to remove parts of a fetus?

A

Subcutaneous and percutaneous

39
Q

Removing parts of the fetus by sawing them off using cheesewire is the subcutaneous or percutaneous technique?

A

Percutaneous

40
Q

What is the subcutaneous fetotomy emthod?

A

Only cut the skin and remove parts of the fetus manually

41
Q

Why do you place the head of the fetotome below the tarsus?

A

It leaves a stump proximal to which you can place a calving chain to facilitate extraction.

42
Q

What are some complications that can occur during fetotomies?

A

Breaking wire

More cuts than necessary

43
Q

What is episiotomy?

A

A surgical cut made at the opening of the vagina during parturition, to aid a difficult delivery and prevent rupture of tissues.

44
Q

What direction should you incise the vagina and why?

A

Dorsolateral to prevent rectovaginal lacereation

45
Q

What conditions in small animals is an episiotomy performed in?

A

Surgical correction of strictures
Tumours
Polyps
Hyperplasia

46
Q

What are common indications for a caesarean in cattle?

A

Fetomaternal oversize, often in first parity or heavily muscled animals

47
Q

What are common indications for a caesarean in the ewe?

A

Fetomaternal oversize, ringwomb; take care incising the abdominal wall as the body wall is much thinner compared to other ruminants

48
Q

What are common indications for a caesarean in dogs/cats?

A

Uterine inertia, fetomaternal oversize

49
Q

What are common indications for a caesarean in the mare?

A

Faulty disposition, this is a referral job

50
Q

What are common indications for a caesarean in the sow?

A

Irreducible vaginal prolapse

51
Q

What are some examples of congenital abnormalities in cattle?

A
Schistosoma reflexus
Achondroplasia (dwarf calves)
Hydrocephalus
Foetal ascites and foetal anasarca
Arthrogryposis
52
Q

Outline the approach to dystocia in the mare

A
  • Early recognition important
  • Strict cleaning of arms and equipment
  • Plenty of lubrication
  • Quickly establish if foal is alive
  • Rapid identification of presentation, position and posture
  • Consider referral
  • Immediate care of the mare with regards to placental retention, metritis, laminitis
53
Q

Outline the method for placing a Buhner suture in a ewe

A
  • Epidural (5% procaine)
  • Clean area with dilute disinfectant
  • Replace prolapse using lubricant and bent finger or palm of hand
  • Moisten Buhner tape with antibiotic emulsion
  • Make 2 stab incisions with scalpel, dorsal and ventral to vulva
  • Pass needle from ventral to dorsal incisions through the skin, attach tape at the dorsal aspect and pull back through skin ventrally
  • Repeat on the other side of the vulva
  • Using long ends, tie bow with extra not at the ventral aspect to close vulva but leave open enough to allow ewe to urinate
  • Leave ends long so they are easy to find and release at lambing