Equine Reproduction Flashcards
1
Q
In the mare a measurement of….. in mammary secretions can aid prediction of foaling…
A
Calcium carbonate
2
Q
If calcium carbonate is >200ppm in mares milk what does this indicate?
A
That the mare will foal in the next 72 hours
50% in the next 24hrs
3
Q
What type of oestrus does the mare have?
A
Seasonal polyoestrus - long day breeder
4
Q
In the horse, the start of the oestrus cyclical activity at the start of the breeding season is most important controlled by?
A
Daylight length - which is measured by melatonin and the pineal gland
5
Q
How can you advance the onset of cyclic oestrus in the horse?
A
Artificial lighting applied during late anoestrus can advance the onset of cyclic oestrus by at atleast 2 months
6
Q
What are the basic hormonal changes associated with the onset of the oestrus cycle in the mare?
A
- Daylight length stimulates pulsatile hypothalamic secretions of GnRH
- Resulting in secretion of FSH and LH by pituitary
- FSH stimulates the intital development of ovarian follicles which produce the hormones oestrogen and inhibin
7
Q
When is melatonin secreted?
A
During hours of darkness
8
Q
What is the action of melatonin on GnRH
A
Inhibitory
9
Q
In the horse, which vertebrae do the ovaries lay underneath?
A
L4 and L5
10
Q
Well-nourished fillies born in the spring may reach puberty at? Where as those born in autumn do not usually reach puberty until?
A
12 months of age
14-17 months of age
11
Q
What is the stallions penis classified as?
A
Haemodynamic
Musclocavernous
12
Q
What bacterial infectious agents are an issue in horse reproductiin?
A
Tayorella equigenitalis (CEMO) Klebsiella penumoniae Psuedomonas aeruginosa
13
Q
What viral infections are an issue in horse reproduction?
A
EVA
EHV 1 & 3
EIA
14
Q
How does the mare react to the stallion in oestrus?
A
Acceptance of the stallion
15
Q
When is the breeding season of the mare?
A
Later spring and summer
16
Q
What produces inhibin?
A
Ovarian follicles
17
Q
What hormone is responsible for oestrus behaviour and characteristic cyclic changes in the repro tract?
A
Oestrogens
18
Q
What hormone is responsible for dioestrus behaviour?
A
Progesterone
19
Q
At approximately 14 days after ovulation, if the uterus recognises that it does not contain a conceptus, endometrial glands produce the hormone…
A
Prostaglandin
20
Q
What does the perineum include?
A
Anus, vulva and adjacent skin
21
Q
The typical oestrus cycle in a horse last about 21 days
… days of oestrus
… days of dioestrus
A
5 days of oestrus
16 days of dioestrus
22
Q
What does the stallion do in the presence of a mare in heat?
A
Rise to his full height
Arches his neck and prances
Often stretches his neck in the air
Culing his upper lip - Flehman response
23
Q
Where does fertilisation in the mare occur?
A
Proximal end of the fallopian tube
24
Q
In the horse the fertilsed ovum arrives in the uterus about … days after ovulation
A
5 days
25
In the horse the yolk sac is small and functions only in the first .... days
20
26
By about day .... in the horse, the allantoise beings to form
21
27
What hormone do endometrial cups form in the horse?
Equine chrionic gonadotrophin
| eCG
28
What releases eCG?
Endometrial cups
29
What time of day are the majority of foals born?
At night
30
What are the first few signs of approaching labour in the horse?
Enlargement of the udder
Production of waxy secretions at the tips of the teats 'waxing up'
Relaxation of the pelvic ligaments
31
What bacterial infections does the HBLB codes of practice give advice on?
```
Taylorella equigenitalis (CEM)
Klebsiella penumoniae
Psuedomonas aeruginosa
Strangles
```
32
What viral infections does the HBLB code of practice give advice on?
Equine viral arteritis (EVA)
Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV1)
Equine infectious anaemia (EIA)
Equine coital exanthema (EHV3)
33
What parasitic infections does HBLB code of practice give advice on?
Trypanosomosis - Dourine
34
What samples do you take from a stallion to test for reproductive bacterial infections?
```
2 sets of:
Urethral smegma
Urthreal fossa smegma
Prepucial smegma
Pre-ejaculatory fluid swabs
```
35
What samples would you take to test for EVA?
Serum sample
36
What sample would you take to test for EIA?
Serum sample
37
When do you pre-season screen mares and stallion?
After 1st January and before 15th February
38
What swabs for pre-season screening must you take for mares?
Endometrial swab
Clitoral sinus swab
Clitoral fossa swab
Additional clitoral swab for mares with dystocia to rule out Pseudomonas and Klebsiella
39
Describe the cervix of a mare in oestrus...
Cervix relaxed, pink and moist
40
Describe the cervix of a mare in dioestrus...
Tight, pale and dry
41
What will you see in an US scan of an anovulatory follicle in a mare?
It may be full of fibrin tags
42
What signs does the mare show if she is in oestrus?
```
Stands to be mounted
Seeks stallions attention
Squats
Raises tail
Rhythmically everts the clitoris
Urinates
```
43
How long does oestrus usually last in the mare?
5-7 days
44
In the mare, that is the uterus like when she is in oestrus?
Oedematous and flaccid
45
How long does dioestrus usually last in the mare?
14-15days
46
What organism can the clitoris of a mare harbour?
Taylorella equigenitalis (CEM)
47
What can cause enlarged ovaries in the mare?
Ovarian neoplasia
Haematoma
Anovulatory follicle
48
What can cause pneumovagina in the mare?
Poor vulvar and perineal conformation
49
Ovulation in the mare occurs through?
The ovulation fossa
50
Signs of behaviour oestrus in the mare ceases how many days after ovulation?
1-2days
51
In the mare how long is the embryo mobile in the uterus? And why is this thought to occur?
Until day 16 after ovulation
| It may be necessary for maternal recognition of pregnancy because the maternal embryo inhibits PGF2alpha release
52
How can you diagnose pregnancy in the horse?
```
Palpation per rectum
Tranrectal US
Transabdominal US
Oestrone sulphate
eCG
```
53
When can you use transabdominal US to diangose pregnancy in the mare?
day 80 - term
54
What produces oestrone sulphate in the pregnant mare?
Foetal gonads
55
What is a disadvantages of using eCG to diagnose pregnancy in the mare?
Indicates endometrial cups not foetus - false postivies
56
When can eCG be first detected in the pregnant mare?
day 40
57
When can you use transrectal US to diagnose pregnancy in the mare?
Day 10 - term
58
When can you use oestrone sulphate to diagnose pregnancy in the mare?
Day 90
59
What bacterial infections can cause abortion in the mare?
```
Strep spp.
E. coli
Pseudomonas
Klebsiella spp.
Staphs
```
60
What viral infections can cause abortion in the mare?
EHV1
EVA
EIA
61
What are the non-infectious causes of abortion in the mare?
```
Twinning
Umbilical cord abnormalities
Placental insufficiency
Uterine body pregnancy
Luteal insufficiency
```
62
What is 'waxing up'?
Close to full term (340d) the mars udder enlarges as it fills with colostrum and develops a waxy secretions at the tips of her teats
63
What are the signs of the 1st stage of labour in the mare?
Restlessness and nest making (digging)
As it progress she shows colic signs and frequently passes small amounts of urine and droppings
Eventually she will lie down look at her flanks as uterine contractions increase abdominal pain
64
What is the sign that the first stage of labour has ended and the second stage has begun?
Rupture of the first water bag - chorioallantois
65
When and on what horses would you perform an episiotomy (cutting the vulva and perineal area)?
After the water wag has broken on mares who have had Caslicks surgery previously
- Generally TB broodmares
Caslicks sugery is closure of the upper part of the vulva to prevent pneumovagina
66
What is red bad delivery?
Premature separation of the placenta prior or during a mare's foaling
67
What signifies the beginning of stage 3 labour in the mare?
Expulsion of the foetus
68
How long should stage 1 labour last in the mare?
Minutes to about 5 hours or longer
69
How long should stage 2 of labour in the mare last?
15-30mins
70
How long should stage 3 of labour in the mare last?
Less than 2-3 hours
71
What are the risk with a prolonged stage 2 of labour for the foal?
Increased risk of hypoxaemia during the birth process.
72
Any period during labour of hypoxia will predispose the foal to?
Perinatal asphyxia syndrome (PAS) or dummy foal
73
What could an abnormally long stage 3 labour indicate in for the foal?
Indicates that the placenta is abnormal e.g. infectious placentitis
74
What is the normal length of gestation for a horse?
320-365days
75
How long should it take for a foal to stand after birth?
30mins - 1.5hours
76
How long should it take for a foal to sit in sternal position after birth?
1-5mins
77
How long after birth should a foal have nursed for the first time?
1h - 2h
78
What conditions of the pregnant mare can have a significant impact on the foals development in utero?
```
Bacterial placentitis
Placental insufficiency
Placental separation
Body wall rupture
Hydroallantois
Uterine torsion
Colic
Systemic disease
Starvation
```
79
If a foals development is very slow and they struggle to find the teats, what can this indicate?
PAS or sepsis
80
Newborn foals have a HR of?
80-100bpm
81
What is the normal RR of a newborn foal?
60-80/min
82
Normal temperature of a foal?
37.7-38.8
83
What are the two main diagnosis for a newborn foal which is quiet and small?
PAS
| Sepsis
84
What are the clinical sign of sepsis in a foal?
Depression, weakness and decreased sucking
Fever, hypothermia or normothermia may be present
Localised signs of infection may be present: uveitis, pneumonia, enteritis, meningitis, septic arthritis
Severe CV collpase
85
What are the clinical signs of a foal with perinatal asphyxia syndrome?
```
Mild depression
Seizures
Organ failure
Disorientation
Loss of suckle
Tongue protusion
```
86
What is a premature foal?
Less than 320 days gestation
87
What is a dysmature foal?
Signs of prematurity in a foal with more than 320 days gestation
88
What are the signs that can indicate prematurity in foals?
```
Small
Soft/silky coat
Floppy ears
Increased ROM in joints
Weakness
Poor thermoregulation
Increased chest wall compliance
Incomplete ossification of tarsal and carpus bones
Respiratory distress due to surfactant deficiency
```
89
What test should you do if you suspect a foal is septic?
CBC and acute phase proteins
(fibrinogen, serum amyloid A)
A blood culture could document bacteraemia and confirm sepsis but would take >48hrs
Plasma IgG concentration should be measured to determine the degree of FPT
90
How would you treat a foal with sepsis?
```
Antibiotic therapy
Immunoglobulin therapy
Supportive care
- Regulate environment temp
- Nutritional support
```
91
How would you treat a foal with perinatal asphyxia?
```
Squeeze the foal
Supportive care
Seizure control
Prevent further brain injury
- Osmotic agents
- Magnesium sulphate
Respiratory support
Antimicrobial drugs
```
92
What do you check is present when looking at the placenta from the mare?
Tips of both horns
Cervical pole
Amnion
Umbilical cord
93
What is the cervical star?
An area of fibrosis where the placenta did not attach to the uterus during pregnancy and is the area that the foal breaks through at birth
94
What do you need to do with the foal on day 1?
Physical exam
Tetanus antitoxin
TMPS
95
What do you need to do with a foal on day 2?
Physical exam
TMPS
Blood samples for haematology, inflammatory proteins and IgG
96
What do you need to do with the foal on day 3?
Physical exam
| TMPS
97
When does uterine torsion tend to occur in the horse?
Around 9 months
98
In the mare, how does uterine torsion tend to present?
Colic
99
How is streptococcus zooepidemicus most likely to enter a foetus in a mare?
Ascending infections - as bacterial infection in horses are predominantly ascending
100
Why might systemic illness in the mare comprise foetal development?
May interfere with foetal nutrition and oxygenation
101
What do precocious lactation in the mare suggest?
Placentitis
| Twinning
102
What is the problem with precocious lactation in the mare?
It places the foal at risk of failure of passive transfer
103
What normal foal behaviours should you check have occured?
```
Time to sit sternal (15mins)
Time to stand (1-2hours)
Time to nurse (2-3hours)
Passage of meconium (first few hours)
Urination (within 12 hours)
```
104
How do foals tend to sleep?
In lateral recumbency
105
Normal temperature of a foal?
37.2 - 38.6
106
What is the normal HR within several hours of birth in a foal?
70-100bpm
107
What is the normal RR for a foal?
20-40/min
108
What might slow development in a foal indicate? i.e. trouble getting up and finding the teats
Weakness due to sepsis or PAS
| Orthopaedic issues
109
What are the clinical signs of perinatal asphyxia syndrome (PAS)?
CNS: hyperreactivity and then progress to depression and seizures
Resp: tachypnoea and dyspnoea
CVS: tachycardia, hypotension, murmus
Renal: oliguria
GITL ileus, colic, diarrhoea
110
What are the two main causes of PAS in foals?
Prolonged stage 2 labours
| Placentitis - as functional abnormalities can compromised optimal oxygen delivery to foals
111
What is the CNS form of perinatal asphyxia syndrome known as?
Neonatal encephalopathy (NE)
112
Common bacterial causes of sepsis in the foal?
```
E. coli!!
Salmonella
Klebsiella
Staphs
Streps
Clostridum
```
113
What would haemtology show in a foal with sepsis?
Leucopenia
Increased band neutrophils
Increased acute phase proteins
114
Treatment of sepsis in foals?
Broad spec ABs e.g. cephalosporins/pen + gent
| Plasma - for IgG boost
115
Methods of testing mare colostrum?
Zinc sulphate turbity test
ELISA
Agar gel immunodiffusion
Glutaraldhyde precipitation
116
Treatment of FPT in foals?
If foal is <18-24 hrs
- Colostrum can be given
- Oral IgG supplement
If foals is 24> hours
- Plasma transfusion
117
A normal equine placenta should not weigh more than ...% of the foals body weight. Increases are likely due to...
11%
| Oedema due to infectious causes or toxin insults
