Neonatal Care Flashcards
1
Q
From foetus to neonate Respiration
A
- Newborn has to initiate and maintain breathing
- Ensure membranes and fluid are not blocking nose and mouth
- Fingers, suction bulb
- May be boosted by stimulation • Rubbing ribs
- Tickling nose with straw
- Drop of stimulant on tongue (doxapram)
- ‘Swinging’ by hind legs (not recommended)
- Artificial respiration
- Occlude one nostril, blow into the other (can use tube)
2
Q
From foetus to neonate Cardiovascular system
A
- Neonate recovers a considerable proportion of its total blood volume from placenta before separation (e.g. foal 1.5 litres):
- Early separation can cause hypovolaemia and anaemia.
- Heart circulation must change to include the lungs: • Closure of
- ductus arteriosus between pulmonary artery and aorta
- foramen ovale between the left and right atria
- Murmur present > 4days old suspect failure of closure
- may follow hypoxia/hypothermia
3
Q
From foetus to neonate Digestion and absorption
A
- Nutrient supply in utero is via maternal blood
- Digestive function needs to start with the first meal after birth • Stomach pH is high but falls rapidly
- Meconium (orange-coloured gut contents) needs to be passed
- Neonatal mammals feed on milk, gradually changing to adult diet
- Initially, dam produces modified milk called colostrum (beestings) • Nutrition:
- High-fat, high energy
- Immunity: passive source of antibodies to the neonate
4
Q
Colostrum – nutrition and immunity for the
neonate
A
- PASSIVE TRANSFER OF IMMUNITY
- Important:FailureofPassiveTransfer(FPT)
- Foals and many mammals are born without circulating antibodies
- First milk or colostrum is rich in immunoglobulin (Ig)
- Immediately after birth:
- Neonatal gut digests protein poorly and is permeable to Ig
- Colostral antibodies can be absorbed from SI and protect neonate for first few weeks of life
- Permeability is highest at birth and declines after 6 hours, ceases after 24 hours
- Human has different kind of placenta (haemochorial) which allows antibody transfer to foetus.
5
Q
Compared to milk, colostrum has …
A
- Lesslactose
- Morefat
- Moreprotein&peptides • Casein
- IgG(andIgMandIgA)
- Minerals & vitamins
- Antimicrobialcomponents
- Growthfactors
- Reddish-yellowcolour
- Higherdensityandspecificgravity
- Influences metabolism,endocrine systems and nutritional state • Stimulates development and function of GI tract
6
Q
Colostrum quality
A
- Not all colostrum is equal
- Individual, breed, season, volume produced • First v subsequent milkings
- If udder has leaked pre-partum
- Testing colostrum IgG concentration in colostrum
- Brix refractometer (measures total solids) – optical or digital • Colostrometer (measures specific gravity)
- 50g/l IgG is considered good enough for first and second feeds
- Testing IgG concentration in serum or plasma of foal or calf • Zinc sulphate turbidity test
7
Q
Colostrum feeding
A
• 10-20% of bodyweight in first 24 hours
• Method:
• Natural suckling
• Milk the dam, then tube feed
• All animals: weak neonates
• Dairy cattle: may be used for all calves
• Colostrum bank: Stored (frozen) excess from previous
or even another species
• Test and store highest IgG
• Commercial dried products, reconstituted
8
Q
Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT)
A
- Or partial failure (PFPT) – lower than ideal IgG levels
- Failure to ingest or absorb colostral antibodies • Didn’t feed or delayed feeding
- Dam had leaked colostrum prior to parturition • Low quality colostrum
- Young susceptible to infections
- Septicaemia
- Joint ill • Navel ill
- Major cause of losses in neonates
9
Q
Thermoregulation in neonates
A
- Neonates have limitations in ability to maintain body temperature
- High risk of hypothermia
- Born wet – heat loss due to latent heat of evaporation • High surface area:volume ratio
- Very low body fat
- Species variation
- All: require to be dried and kept warm
- Usually the dam licks the offspring and this helps to dry it
- Weather and environment are important
- Born with thermogenic brown fat
- Limited reserves
- Limited glucose, fructose and liver glycogen
- Require nutrition to keep warm
10
Q
Renal function in neonates
A
- The newborn kidney has limited ability to concentrate urine
- Neonates are susceptible to dehydration
- As well as starvation
11
Q
Mothering
A
- Dam-offspring bond is very important in dam-reared young animals
- Anything that interferes with the birth process can reduce it
- Dystocia
- Intervention
- Caesarian section
- Observation/disturbance
- Moving from one location to another
- Overcrowding of accommodation
- Impaired bonding reduces viability and growth of offspring
- In some circumstances, it is planned that dam-offspring bonding does not occur • E.g. dairy cows and calves
- This may be at a welfare cost to one or both of the dyad
12
Q
Normal post-natal behaviour: Foal
A
- Breathes within 30 seconds
- First breaths are literally inflating the lungs • Regular breathing within 2 minutes
- Mucous membranes pink within a minute or so
- Heart rate 60-80, increases to 120-150 within the first hour
- Mare rises within 10 minutes
- Umbilical cord breaks (treat navel asap and within 1-2 hours)
- Mare licks and is interested in the foal
- Foal will usually stand within 30 minutes • Typically several failed attempts
- Once steady on its feet, usually within one hour of birth
- Foal begins to search for the udder
- Darkplacessuchaswall,cornerofbox,wrongendofmare • Maremaycircleormovehindlegtoassist
- Sucking is initially sloppy but rapidly becomes efficient • Observecarefullytoseethatfoalisactuallyswallowing
- Oesophagusonleftofmidlineofneck
- Foal will stand and nurse every 20 minutes or so • Mare passes placenta
- Foal passes meconium
13
Q
Normal Post-natal behaviour: Calf
A
- Calf will breath within first 30 seconds • Cow will rise and lick the calf
- Treat navel asap and within 1-2 hours
- Calf will stand within 1 hour and nurse within 2 hours of birth
- Dairy calf may be removed shortly after licked clean
- Tube feeding of colostrum ensures a known amount is ingested, and when • Avoid feeding colostrum from Johnes disease positive cows
- Calf will suck every three to four hours (7-10 times per day) • Artificially reared calves often fed twice a day
- Need to be trained/supervised for bucket or machine teat feeding
14
Q
Normal post-natal behaviour: lambs
A
• Breathing within 30 seconds of delivery
• Ewe stands and beings to lick and clean the first lamb before the second is
delivered
• Next lamb is delivered either within a few minutes or 30-60 minutes
• Lamb stands and feeds within one hour
• Placenta is passed within 2-3 hours
15
Q
Normal post-natal behaviour: piglets
A
- Litter size varies from 12-18 (10-22)
- Piglets are born one every 15-20 minutes
- On their feet within a minute or two • Suckling in about 15 minutes
- If they can move around, sow may lick and encourage piglets • Then lie down to deliver next one and crush the first ones
- Require two microclimates: 15oC for sow, 30-35oC initially for piglets
- Sows have 12-14 teats (10-16)
- Pigs establish and maintain ‘teat order’.
- Early born and stronger piglets often establish on best teats (anterior)
