equine 3 Flashcards
tell me about the cervical mucus plug
thick, viscous mucus plug that helps prevent bac t from passing
often passed just prior to foaling
the cervix remains closed throughout pregnancy due to what hormone?
progesterone
placentitis is usually _____ in origin
bacterial
placentitis is a common cause of ____ term abortion and/or poor doing foals. how is mare fertility affected on subsequent cycles?
late
reduced
what are the risk factors for ascending placentitis?
- hx of fetoplacental compromise
- poor vulvar conformation
- cervical dysfunction
- aged mare/immune compromise
tell me about the pathophys of ascending placentitis in the mare
- bacteria migrate through cervix to cervical star [requires failure of mucus plug]
- infection spreads through chorioallantois from cervical star [necrotizing inflammation of chorioallantois]
- inflammation, impedes placental function, can spread to fetus
what are the C/S of ascending placentitis
- late term pregnancy (8-10 months)
- udder development and premature lactation
- ± vag discharge
if in doubt, assume placentitis –> need to detect and tx early to fix!
how do you dx ascending placentitis?
- C/S
- US (transrectal more accurate, but can also do trans abdominal)
- combined thickness of uterus and placenta (CUPT)
- vag speculum exam (be careful not to disrupt mucus seal if it’s intact!) - test is “how easy is it to pass the speculum?”
- fetal HR (decreases initially, but typically elevated) [120-130bpm]
- plasma progestogens (high levels = fetal stress)
how do you perform a combined thickness of uterus and placenta (CUPT)?
- taken at cervical placental junction for most accurate info
- transrectal US
- if trans abdominal US, take avg of 4 measurements
how do you tx placentitis?
- ABs [use C&S] (potentiated sulfas to start, can use penicillin) (don’t use gentamicin or ceftiofur)
- anti-inflammatories (flunixin, phenylbutazone)
- progesterone therapy (altrenogest/regumate)
- pentoxyphylline (improves bloodflow, reduces viscosity)
multi-modal approach is imperative, must talk to O’s abut cost, tx schedule
what are the C/S / hx of ventral ruptures?
- rapidly enlarging abdomen
- sudden alteration in the contour of ventral abdomen
- painful edema along ventral abdomen
- rupture of the abdominal musculature or rupture of the rectus abdominus or rupture of prepubic tendonw
what are some predisposing factors for ventral ruptures in mares?
- hydros of the fetal membranes
- twin preg
- trauma in late preg
what is the prognosis of ventral rupture?
if true rupture, then poor :(
what is the tx for ventral rupture
- palliative
- abdominal bandage
- restrict movement
- close monitoring for onset of parturition
- foal IgG monitoring (excessive udder edema)
- after foaling, sx approach
what are the C/S of uterine torsion?
- low grade colic
- colic non-responsive to medical tx
how do you dx uterine torsion?
trans-rectal palp –> broad ligament
you feel a sheet of broad ligament that extends across caudal abdomen = pathognomonic for torsion!
blood supply not cut off to placenta, so foal is stressed but not dead if you catch it early
how do you tx uterine torsion?
sx, manual correction when at term
when does uterine torsion usually happen in the mare?
beginning of 3rd trimester (7-9 months)
differ from cow, when it’s intra-partum
colic in the preg mare:
- what do we need to know?
- what drugs are safe?
need to know:
- how bad it is, is she foaling?
- colic workup (palpation, US, NG tube)
- always ask the question “what is the goal? mare or foal safety?”
drugs:
- sedatives: xylazine, alpha 2 (know that you will likely sedate foal too)
- NSAID
- antispasmodics are not ideal coz they risk cervix laxity - but they can be used
what is hydrops? is it common?
accumulation of allantoic or amniotic fluid
very rare in the mare
what is premature placental separation?
normally, chorioallantois should rupture at cervical star, and amnion pulls through to vag canal - you have blood supply to fetus bc chorioallantois is still interdigitated to endometrium
but! if there is premature separation of the chorioallantois without rupture of the amniotic sac, there is a loss of blood supply to the foal
what are the causes of premature placental separation
- fescue tox
- placentitis
- stress
what is the consequence of premature placental separation?
dead foal! unless someone is there to step in and intervene EMERGENCY!!! CUT IT OPEN ASAP
if you have retained fetal membranes, you should tell owner to tie up placental tissue to keep it intact until it is passed. why?
if it gets ripped out, some is still in there!
rips out = hemorrhage
