Foaling, Induction, and Postpartum Disorders Flashcards
Four broad aspects of preparing the late term mare for foaling:
1.
2.
3.
4.
- Vax at 10 months gestation for antibodies in colostrum
- Deworm
- Slow gain of nutrition
- Exercise
Normal gestational length?
T/F: A normal fetus can be delivered 400+ days?
- 320-365 days
2. T
Foaling area:
- Move mare here when?
- Why?
- 4-6 weeks before delivery
2. Allows adjustment to environment and management
Preparing the mare for Foaling Are:
- Do what to the mare itself?
- Open Caslick 1 wk prior, Clean perineum and udder.
Describe what the foaling area should look like
Clean quiet, free of obstacles. At least 16’ x 16’. Small grassy paddock that’s well bedded (straw)
Signs mare is nearing delivery:
- Gestation length?
- Enlarged ____
- Decrease of ____
- Relaxation of ____
- “_____”
- Relaxation of area around _____
- ______
- Gestation length > 320 days
- Enlarged abdomen
- Normal activity
- Abdominal muscles “dropped abdomen
- “Hollows”
- area around tail head and vulva
- Ventral edema
Signs of impending parturition:
1.
2.
3.
4.
- Udder enlargement (2-4 wks prior)
- Clear water secretions (4-5 days)
- Thick waxy exudate on teats (1-2 days)
- Thick, sticky, clear or yellowish fluid (24-48 hrs = colostrum)
- pH (decreases/increases) near foaling?
2. The negative predictive value of an individual mare not foaling within 24 hours if the pH is _____ is 99.4%
- decreases
2. >6.4
Pathway of fetal maturation for delivery:
- —>
2.
–>
3.
—>
4.
5.
6.
- Fetal HPA (ACTH) = fetal gonads increase pregenolone
- Increase in progestagens and decrease estrogen 20-30 days prior to foaling
- Increased cortisol decreases progestagens and increases estrogen
Leads to:
- Rapid fetal maturation
- Utero-placental prostaglandin
- Prostaglandin / Oxytocin (Ferguson’s reflex)
First stage of labor:
- duration? the ____ relaxes
- (small/large) uterine contractions?
- Mare behavior?
- 12-48 hours. Cervix
- small
- Restless
Second Stage of Labor:
- (small/large) uterine contractions?
- Mare behavior?
- Fetus enters ____
- ______ ruptures
- large and intense
- sweating
- birth canal
- Chorio-allantoic membrane = water breaks
Second Stage of Labor:
- ___ contractions.
- ___ appears at vulva.
- Duration?
- Abdominal
- Amnion (white membrane)
- Very quick, 30-60 min
During Foaling:
- Ensure amnion is ____
- Clear foal’s ____ if needed
- Otherwise…
- torn away from foals nose
- airways
- let mare and foal rest undisturbed
Dealing with the foal after umbilicus is severed:
2.
- Disinfect the navel with Chlorhex 2%, or Dilute iodine (povidone or Lugol’s)
- Feed colostrum via tube, and enema of 150-200mLs. Test level of IgG in colostrum.
Gestational abnormalities that can cause induction of parturition:
1.
2.
3.
4.
- Rupture of prepubic tendon
- Hydrallantois
- Abdominal muscle tears or hernias
- Chronic debilitating pain
Requirements for induction:
1. 2. 3. 4. . 6
- Mare appears ready > 330 days
- 315 days when mare is deteriorating
- Cervix is open at least 3 fingers
- Colostrum or milk in udder (high calcium)
- Compromised mare > 315 days
Prostaglandin for induction of parturition:
- Result?
- (is/is not) recommended
- Causes explosive birth with torn cervix with broken ribs and ruptured bladder in foal
- Not recommended
Drug options for induction of parturition:
1.
2.
3.
- Prostaglandin - not recommended
- Oxytocin - method of choice in normal mares
- Steroids (Dexmethasone) recommended for compromised mares
Third Stage of labor:
- Definition?
- Should occur within how long?
- Mare appearance?
- Expulsion of the placenta or fetal membranes
- 3 hours
- Appear to be very colicky
Third Stage of Labor:
- What should YOU do?
- Make a knot with the placenta above above the hocks so that the mare does not step on it and the weight of the placenta helps in its delivery
Expulsion of the Placenta of Fetal Membranes:
- Cessation of blood flow through the placenta and uterine contractions lead to _______ and corresponding _____
- Therefore any process that causes ___ of the endometrium or reduces _____ will adversely affect membrane passage
- collapse of the fetal vessels
decrease in size of the chorionic microvilli
- Inflam
reduces uterine contractility
Placenta:
- # of layers?
- (endothelial/epitheliochorial)?
- (diffuse/zonary)?
- micro-_____
- 6
- Epitheliochorial
- Diffuse
- Micro-cotyledonary
Placenta:
- Placental weight __-__% of foals weight
- 10-12
Post-Partum problems in systemically ill mare:
1. *** 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
- Septic Metritis
- Hemorrhage from uterine or ovarian vessels
- GI problems
- Uterine laceration
- Uterine horn intususception
- Uterine prolapse
Post-Partum problems in a “healthy” mare:
1.
2.
3.
- Hypogalactia/agalacita
- Urovagina/urometra
- Retained fetal membranes
Clinical Presentation of Retained Fetal Membranes:
- ___ leads to ___
- ___ leads to _–
3.
- Endometritis –> septic metritis
- Endotoxemia –> laminitis
- Rotation of coffin bone (founder)
It is a common belief that RFM after how long are an emergency?
After 3 hours
Treatment of RFM:
Drugs:
1.
2.
Procedures:
1.
2.
- Oxytocin IU or CRI
- IV Calcium Borogluconate
- Burns technique
- Manual removal
- The Burns technique treats what condition?
2. Describe it
- RFM
2. Infusion of a large volume of fluid in the unruptured chorio-allantoic space to stimulate endogenous oxytocin release
Mares have their first post partum heat starting around day __ and ovulate when?
- day 6. Ovulate day 10
Post-partum breeding:
- If mare is normal at day __ and ovulated, than give admin ___ at day __
- If not ovulated and looks normal?
- 10, admin PGF at day 10
2. consider breeding depending on time of the year
Do not post-partum breed if…
there have been foaling complications
