Large Animal Urogenital Exam

Question 1

What could be the result of poor vulvar conformation in a mare?

Answer 1

Pneumovagina (windsucking)
pooling of urine in vagina
fecal contamination in vagina
infection

Question 2

Where do you check mucus membrane color in a cow? What color should it be?

Answer 2

Vulva, pink

Question 3

Prepuce definition and size

Answer 3

skin covering the penis
bigger in stallions
Bovine- breed and castration dependent

Question 4

Obtaining urine in a bovine male

Answer 4

restrain in headshoot
rub prepuce to induce urination
examine hairs on prepuce for crystals

Question 5

obtaining urine in a bovine female

Answer 5

rub escutcheon with moderate pressure

Question 6

escutcheon

Answer 6

area below the vulva
rub for urine collection

Question 7

How to obtain urine in an equine

Answer 7

put them in a clean stall

Question 8

normal urination posture in female bovine and equine

Answer 8

bovine: arch back
equine: spread back legs

Question 9

normal urination posture in male equine and bovine

Answer 9

bovine: doesn’t move
equine: drop back and stretch back legs out

Question 10

normal urine in bovine

Answer 10

8-12x/day
golden color
clear
alkaline pH

Question 11

normal urine in equine

Answer 11

3-6x/day (except mare in heat)
golden, cloudy (mucus, Calcium carbonate)
alkaline pH

Question 12

Mare in heat urination

Answer 12

winking
small amount of urine multiple times a day
push out vulva mucosa

Question 13

kidney shape in bovine

Answer 13

lobated
no renal pelvis- multiple branches of ureters

Question 14

kidney palpation in bovine

Answer 14

L kidney palpable by rectal palpation- pushed to the midline by rumen on L abdomen (“L kidney is left behind”)
hangs down in a fold of mesentary/fat (not held up tight)
between 2nd-4th lumbar vertebrae

Question 15

equine kidney shape

Answer 15

R/L are different shapes
R: heart shaped
L: pyramidal shape
both are flattened
each has a single renal pelvis with mucus

Question 16

equine kidney via rectal palpation

Answer 16

L kidney is palpable via rectal palpation
dorsally against psoas muscle
between last rib and 3rd lumbar transverse process

Question 17

male bovine testicles

Answer 17

hang vertically (tail of epidydymus down), very pendulous (hang low)
thicker skin
more sweat glands than any other area of body

Question 18

stallion testicles

Answer 18

hang horizontally, tail of epididymis is dorsocaudal
thinner skin
closer to body
lots of sweat glands

Question 19

bovine penis

Answer 19

fibroelastic- grows in length not width with erection
sigmoid flexure
small glans penis
similar in small ruminant and boar

Question 20

small ruminant penis

Answer 20

similar to bovine except have urethral process to spread penis
causes problems for passing stones

Question 21

equine penis

Answer 21

musculocavernous
grows in length and width with erection
large glans

Question 22

bovine shape of uterus

Answer 22

short body with 2 horns
cervix is smooth with stiff interlocking folds

Question 23

equine uterus

Answer 23

uterus has a large body with 2 short horns
cervix is smooth muscle with softer mucosal folds

Question 24

suburethral diverticulum

Answer 24

in bovine
notch under urethral opening
makes it tricky to cathetherize

Question 25

bovine female repro tract in pelvis

Answer 25

cervix is stiff feels like turkey neck
broad ligament is long, uterus and ovaries hang low
horns are longer
ovaries are smaller (almond shape and walnut size)

Question 26

equine repro tract in pelvis

Answer 26

cervix is soft, cannot palpate
broad lig is shorter: ovaries hang higher (more dorsal to horns)
uterine horns are shorter
ovaries are larger (plum to orange size)

Question 27

reasons for rectal palpation

Answer 27

determination of pregnancy
investigating abdominal pain (colic)
breeding soundness exam
exam of abdominal structures (kidneys, uterus, GI, lymph nodes)

Question 28

risks in rectal palpation

Answer 28

more risky in horses (softer tissue)
risks: rectal tear, hemorrhage

Question 29

precautions for rectal palpation

Answer 29

short nails
now jewelry/watches
sleeves with lots of lube (thinner for equine)

Question 30

palpations with peristaltic waves

Answer 30

Do not push against peristaltic waves, make hand in to duck
equine: must recede with wave
bovine: can let wave pass over

Question 31

reasons for vaginal palpation

Answer 31

assisting in difficult partuition
investigation/treatment of retained placents
evaluation of cervix, breeding soundness exam

Question 32

risk of vaginal palpation

Answer 32

introduction of pathogens

Question 33

precautions for vaginal palpation

Answer 33

clean vulva and perineum
clean sleeve and lube
STERILE for equine

Question 34

bovine gestation

Answer 34

283 days (9.5 months)

Question 35

4 cardinal signs of bovine pregnancy by palpation

Answer 35

membrane slip
amniotic vesicle
fetus
placentomes

Question 36

membrane slip

Answer 36

palpating the developing placental membranes within uterus “slip” between fingers
reliably felt in pregnant horn at 35 days

Question 37

amniotic vesicle

Answer 37

conceptus and amniotic fluid within a turgid amniotic membrane sac
can be palpated 30-35 days, becomes less turgid 60-65 days

Question 38

risks of palpating amniotic vesicle

Answer 38

blood supply to vesicle on inner curvature of uterine is fragile (rough handling can cause damage)
vesicle can be popped
palpation btwn 40-45 days associated with atresia coli (born with no anus)

Question 39

fetus palpation

Answer 39

can be palpated as amniotic vesicle becomes less turgid at 65 days

Question 40

placentomes

Answer 40

placentation in the bovine forms “buttons” (placentomes) where maternal and fetal membranes joined together
can be palpated in 80-90 days
least sensitive for aging fetus (sizes vary)

Question 41

determination of pregnancy in mare

Answer 41

rectal ultrasound
can be determined earlier- 14 days
amniotic vesicle can be palpated at 30 days

Question 42

equine gestation

Answer 42

335-360 days