Equine 2 Flashcards
what is endometritis in the mare and why is it important?
inflammation of the uterine lining/endometrium–>a NORMAL response to semen! Normally the mare removes all the gunk within 48 hours.
If the mare does NOT clear it within 48 hours, the mare is susceptible to post breeding induced endometritis, which leads to infection and endometrial fibrosis if not treated.
this is the most common cause of infertility in the mare
how can you presumptively diagnose PBIE on ultrasound?
accumulation of more than 2cm of fluid in a pocket of uterine fluid, either during estrus or within 36 hours of being bred
what are some ways to prevent and treat PBIE? What happens if the horse doesn’t get pregnant?
uterine flushes prior to and/or after breeding
antibiotics possibly?
if horse doesn’t get preg: cytology and culture of uterus
list some risk factors for PBIE
delayed mechanical clearance: perineal confimration, vaginal stretching (so much space for stuff to grow), cervical dysfunction (stuff can get in), pendulous uterus (uterus hangs over pelvis brim), scar tissue in endo/myometrium
uterine contractility dysfunction: not responding to oxytocin or prostaglandin
what happens if you have a mare that has failed to conceive, or you have a mare that is older than 10? What action should you take?
give prophylactic treatment for PBIE: uterine lavage post breeding, give oxytocin to improve contractility, give PGF2 (AFTER 5 DAYS CL IS STRONG ENOUGH). ONLY give antibiotics if you have a confirmed bacterial culture
if you’re going to do a post breeding uterine lavage, how long after insemination should you wait? What about giving oxytocin
it takes the semen 6 hours to get to the oviduct, so can flush after 6 hours usually using LRS. Can use this to obtain a cytology and culture
also wait 6 hours to give oxytocin
some ways to manage PBIE?
caslicks surgery for horses with bad conformation
use AI vs live cover if possible
use fresh vs frozen semen
use deep horn insemination
investigate semen handling
what is the easiest and most efficient way to prevent bacterial contamination and improve conception rates for mares?
caslick’s vulvoplasty
what is infectious endometritis and how is it different than PBIE? what causes it? CS?
infectious endometritis is often chronic and the result of unresolved PBIE
can be caused by conformation or cervical dysfunction
C/S: vulvar discahrge, in/subfertility
most common causative agents of infectious endometritis?
E coli and strep equi zooepidemicus, either introduced from cervix or at mating
what is required for diagnosis of infectious endometritis?
culture and cytology (evidence of inflammation) using double guarded swab OR low volume uterine lavage is gold standard (more sensitive)
which bacteria lives deep in the glands of the uterus or inside cells, is very good at evading the immune system, not always detectable by culture, and can become activated by PBIE
strep equi zooepidemicus
biofilm formation is often associated with
gram negative strains like E coli, pseudomonas, klebsiella, sometimes strep
what is a biofilm? why are they important?
aggregate of microbial cells adherent to a surface embedded with EPS.
biofilms can help bacteria evade host immune system responses and are often not susceptible to routine treatments, and the bacteria in biofilms are 10-1000x more resistant than free floating counterparts. They are difficult to diagnose and treat and can cause repeat infections
always suspect a biofilm with
a gram negative bacteria
best way to treat biofilms?
antibiotics combined with biofilm disruptors
examples of disruptors: tris EDTA, DMSO
fungal endometritis is often associated with what 2 things?
physical issues of the repro tract (pneumovagina, urovagina, cervical issues)
overuse of antibiotics
pyometra in mares looks much different than it does in dogs. Explain
in horses, it is the result of end stage unresolved PBIE–>infectious endo–>pyo. Horses can have pyo for years and never know, unlike dogs who usually do systemic quickly and can die from it.
what is usually the cause of pyometra?
poor cervical function, conformation and uterine clearance can play a part as well
what are clinical signs of pyometra in the mare?
usually none!
can have chronic or spontaneous discahrge, weight loss, febrile, chronic illness, skin scalding
how do you diagnose and treat pyometra in the mare?
diagnosis: ultrasound & culture
treatment: repeated lavage, cervical stent to help drainage
what are hemorrhagic follicles and why should I know about them?
it happens when ovulation fails and there is bleeding into the follicle. These are painful and can present like chronic colic (pawing at the ground)