Lecture 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Why do we preg test (things of the ideal pregnancy test)

A
  1. Economical
  2. Simple
  3. Rapid
  4. Has high sensitivity and specificity
  5. Low negative prediction value
  6. Enables early detection
  7. Distinguishes between live and dead foals
  8. Determines stage of gestation
  9. Avoid having to handle animals
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2
Q

Purpose of pregnancy diagnosis

A
  1. Detect non-pregnant animals
  2. Determine stage of pregnancy to facilitate management or certification for sale
  3. Analyse, benchmark and document reproductive performance
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3
Q

How diagnosis of pregnancy is usually done in domestic animals

A
  1. Observation
  2. Lab tests
  3. Rectal palpitation
  4. Electronic methods
  5. Abdominal ballottement
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4
Q

What to look at in the observation phase

A

Signs of oestrus - if the cow is back in oestrus, she is not pregnant

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5
Q

What may cause some false positives in the observation phase

A
  1. Prolonged luteal phase
  2. Early embryonic loss
  3. Pseudopregnancy
  4. Anoestrus
  5. Abortion after formation of endometrial cups
  6. Failure to detect oestrus
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6
Q

What may cause some false negatives in the observation phase

A
  1. Pregnant animals exhibit behavioural signs of oestrus
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7
Q

In the observation stage: what are some external indicators

A
  1. Non-specific indicators of pregnancy
  2. Change in size and shape of abdomen
  3. Foetal movement
  4. Enlargement of mammary glands
  5. Enlargement and softening of vulva
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8
Q

What do rub marks indicate

A

The cow has been in heat and is unlikely to be pregnant

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9
Q

What do lab test look for with a pregnancy

A
  1. Progesterone
  2. Oestrone sulphate
  3. Pregnancy specific protein B-secreted by binucleate trophoblast (placental) cells
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10
Q

When testing for progesterone what do you use and what do you look for

A

Test milk or plasma at time of expected return to oestrus

NON-SPECIFIC INDICATOR of pregnancy

A test for non-pregnancy: low concentration indicative of non-pregnancy
18-24 days post ovulation, high con. indicated functional CL

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11
Q

When testing for progesterone what is a false positive

A

Persistent CL function, embryonic death

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12
Q

What is oestrone sulphate produced by

A

Foetal-placental unit

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13
Q

What does a positive test for oestrone indicate

A

A viable foetal-placental unit, so it can be used as a test for foetal viability

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14
Q

What cells produce pregnancy associated glycoproteins

A

Trophoblastic cells of the chorion/trophectoderm of the placenta

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15
Q

When do pregnancy associated glycoproteins enter the maternal blood stream

A

Around the time the conceptus becomes closely associated with the uterine lining during placentae formation

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16
Q

How to test for pregnancy associated glycoproteins

A

ELISA

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17
Q

How many days on can the ELISA detect pregnancy associated glycoproteins

A

28 days in

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18
Q

What test are available for pregnancy associated glycoproteins

A

Serum and milk

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19
Q

What can cause false positives when testing for pregnancy associated glycoproteins

A

Early embryonic loss and foetal death

Cows <60 days postpartum may produce false positive results due to residual protein from the previous pregnancy

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20
Q

What is abdominal ballotteement

A

Vigorous ballottement of right lateral and ventral abdominal wall to detect a foetus

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21
Q

Where can you get a false negative of abdominal ballotteement

A

Fat, large cows

22
Q

How many moths along do cows have to be for abdominal ballotteement

A

> 7months

23
Q

What are the electronic methods used in cows

A

Ultrasonography

  • Doppler
  • B-mode
24
Q

What does a doppler ultrasound detect

A

A change in the frequency of sound waves emitted from the doppler transducer and the frequency of sound waves reflected from moving tissue

25
Q

What does accuracy for the doppler ultrasound depend on

A

Operator and stage of gestation

26
Q

How early can you reliably test for cows pregnancy with ultrasound

A
  1. Max sensitivity and negative predictive value
    - Heifers: at day 26
    - Cows: at day 29
27
Q

When a cow is deemed not pregnant at less that 5 weeks what should happed

A

The cow should be scanned again when over 5 weeks of gestation

28
Q

What are the advantages of real-time ultrasonography

A
  1. Early pregnancy diagnosis
  2. Diagnosis of multiple foetuses
  3. Uterine pathology
  4. Determine stage of gestation, foetal sex, foetal viability
  5. Assess postpartum uterine involution
  6. Ovarian cyclic status
  7. Stage of oestrous cycle
  8. Ovarian pathology
29
Q

What are the disadvantages of real-time ultrasonography

A
  1. Cost

2. Portablilty

30
Q

What are the advantages of rectal palpation

A
  1. Rapid
  2. Economical
  3. High sensitivity and specificity except early in gestation
  4. Equipment is portable
31
Q

What are the disadvantages of rectal palpation

A
  1. Takes time to develop skill
  2. Very physical
  3. Safety issues
32
Q

From 6 weeks to term what is the expected pregnancy loss in cattle

A

5-12%

33
Q

What are the definitive signs of pregnancy

A
  1. Important that you train yourself to make a diagnosis on definitive and not suggestive signs of pregnancy
  2. Foetal membrane slip
  3. Palpation of the amnionic vesicle
  4. Palpation of foetus
  5. Fremitus of the uterine artery
34
Q

What are the suggestive signs of pregnancy

A
  1. Change in size or location of uterus
  2. Asymmetry of uterine horns
  3. Detection og fluid in uterus
  4. Cervix is difficult to retract and the tract feels heavy when you try to retract the cervix
  5. Hypertrophy of the uterine artery
35
Q

What are the suggestive signs of non-pregnancy

A
  1. Failure to detect a definitive sign of pregnancy
  2. Small uterus, both hires equal diameter, no fluctuation, no detection of fluid in uterine horn
  3. Small ovaries - CL not detectable
  4. Rub marks indicating recent oestrus
36
Q

Explain the foetal membrane slip

A

Gently grasp uterine wall between your thumb and forefinger. A distinct feeling of movement of the chorioallantoic moving between the thumb and forefingers indicates the presence of chorioallantoic and the existence of a pregnancy

37
Q

Major problem with foetal membrane slip

A

May induce abortions

38
Q

What does the size of the amnionic vesicle indicate

A

Gestation length in embryos/foetuses 30 to 70 days

39
Q

What method is used to localise and estimate the size of the amnionic vesicle

A

The amnionic vesicle is gently surrounded by placing all 4 fingers dorsally and the thumb ventrally along the greater curvature of the horn

40
Q

What are the rules of thumb with the amnionic vesicle

A
1/2 finger - 5 weeks 
1 finger - 6 weeks 
2 fingers - 7 weeks 
4 fingers - 8 weeks 
9 weeks - hand less thumb 
10 weeks - > hand and thumb. Distinct vesicle not felt
41
Q

What is a placentomes

A

Uterine caruncle and cotyledon

42
Q

Where is it best to size placentomes

A

Just cranial to cervix

43
Q

How many cotyledons does a placenta have

A

70-120

44
Q

Where are the cotyledons located on the placenta

A

2 dorsal and 2 ventral rows

45
Q

Where are the cotyledons largest and smallest

A

Largest: near middle of gravid horn
Smallest: near cervical and ovarian poles

46
Q

Which horn is a 70 day foetus located in

A

Right horn

47
Q

Best age for foetus palpations

A

10-16 weeks and > 8 months (most difficult between 5-7 months)

48
Q

Palpation of foetus - what causes false positives

A
  1. Firm filled rumen
  2. Kidney
  3. Ovarian and uterine tumours
  4. Fat necrosis
  5. Mummified foetus
  6. Uteroliths
  7. Dead foetus
49
Q

What is the earliest presumptive diagnosis of pregnancy

A

Transrectal palpations can be made on the basis of asymmetry of the horns and the presence of fluid in the larger horn on the side of a fully developed CL

50
Q

What are some causes of error with rectal palpation

A
  1. Recording errors
  2. Fatigue
  3. Failure to identify definitive sign of pregnancy
  4. Inexperience
  5. Inadequate facilities hinder an adequate examination
  6. Going too fast
  7. Mistaking an ovary from cotyledons
  8. Pyometra/mucometra
  9. Recent parturition or abortion
  10. Pneumorectum - difficult to palpate
  11. Fat cows
  12. Unable to palpate the uterus
  13. Enlarged LN
  14. 5-8 months
51
Q

How safe is rectal palpation

A

<12 weeks by palpation of the amniotic vesicle or foetal membrane slip can cause foetal death. Other reports indicate that there is no significant loss