Parturition Flashcards
When can you perform abdominal palpation on a bitch?
1 month after mating
When can you perform an abdominal palpation on a queen?
21 - 30 days after mating
When can you use foetal heartbeats to diagnose pregnancy in a queen and bitch?
both in late pregnancy
What hormone do you use to diagnose pregnancy?
relaxin
When can you use x-ray to diagnose pregnancy in the bitch?
day 30 shows uterine enlargement
day 45 shows mineralisation of foetal skeleton
When can you use x-ray to diagnose pregnancy in the queen?
Day 30 shows uterine enlargement
Day 40 shows mineralisation of foetal skeleton
When can you use ultrasound to diagnose pregnancy in the bitch?
Day 28 can show the foetuses.. the heart beat can be seen
When can you use ultrasound to diagnose pregnancy in the queen?
Day 12 - conceptuses seen
day 14 - foetal tissue can be seen - same as the heart beat
What causes the release of oestrogen in late pregnancy?
by the release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal gland
What is the effect of the oestrogen?
- assist in the production of contractile proteins
- may also be a signal for prostaglandin release from uterine wall
What is the function of prostaglandins?
- increases power of the contractions of the uterus = foetus into pelvic cavity = oxytocin release
- causes regression of corpus lute = lowering of progesterone levels
- increases sensitivity of uterus to oxytocin
When is oxytocin released?
when progesterone falls
What is the function of oxytocin?
causes the contraction of smooth muscle in myometrium
What are the stages of parturition?
first stage - dilation stage
second stage - expulsion stage
third stage - placental stage
What is the sequence of the first stage of labour?
- cervix dilates as the foetuses push on it
- uterine contractions
- waters break (choroallantois ruptures and releases allantoic fluid)
- more oxytocin released = more contractions
- uterus contracts, stimulates more contractions
- more oxytocin
- contractions spread from top to bottom to expel
- cervix dilates more
What are the signs of stage 1 labour in the bitch and queen?
restlessness panting/shivering nest making anorexia/vomiting tachycardia/pnoea decreased body temp mammary discharge dilation of the cervix spongy vulva (the queen will also seek isolation and you'll be able to palpate contractions)
Whats the process of the second stage of labour?
increased uterine contractions
foetus born, head first through the vagina
once born the mother will stimulate creating and chew through the umbilical cord
What are the signs of the second stage of labour in the bitch and queen?
forceful abdominal straining vocalisation/crying amnion often seen gives birth lying down (the queen will remain standing until the last minute)
Whats the process of the third stage of labour?
placenta passed
quick and easy
placenta comes away from the wall of the uterus
bleeding is controlled by rapid contraction of the muscles around the blood vessels
What are the signs of the third stage of labour in the bitch and queen?
bitch - green coloured vulval discharge - will eat the placentas and membranes queen - brown coloured vulval discharge - will eat the placentas and membranes
What is puerperium?
the period where the reproductive tract returns to normal
starts involution - may have vulval discharge for up to 6 weeks
How is maternal behaviour stimulated?
olfaction and audition
- hearing distress calls causes mother to build a nest
- smelling the pups with increase licking but not nest building
What hormones influence nest building?
progesterone before birth
prolactin after birth
What hormone is responsible for maintaining maternal behaviour?
oestrogen
