Pathology

Question 1

freemartin

Answer 1

occurs in 95% heifers born twin to a bull calf

• fusion of the two placenta causes exchange of cells and sex hormones –testosterone eventually suppresses the female phenotype, but not before some of the female repro tract has developed –result is a sterile female with shortened vagina, uterus with no cervix, and seminal vesicles

Question 2

ovarian hypoplasia

Answer 2

inadequate number of germ cells in the ovary causing a small elongated ovary with a wrinkled surface– rarely bilateral so animal is usually still fertile

Question 3

accessory ovary

Answer 3

small bits of ovarian tissue outside the main ovary –usually at the medial pole of the ovary; cause an animal to cycle even after being spayed

Question 4

oophoritis

Answer 4

inflammation of the ovary that often repairs by fibrosis, causing adhesions and compromising fertility of the affected ovary

Question 5

what infectious agent is most commonly implicated in oophoritis? what species are at highest risk for this condition?

Answer 5

bovine tuberculosis

ruminants are at increased risk for oophoritis compared to other species because their UTJ is less effective at serving as a barrier and preventing infections from ascending the uterine horn to the ovary

Question 6

paraovarian cysts

Answer 6

spherical cysts adjacent to the ovary and filled with clear fluid – do not usually cause pathology or affect fertility

Question 7

germinal inclusion cysts

Answer 7

after follicle rupture during ovulation, a small portion of germinal epithelium is trapped in the ovarian stroma . ..these bits are secretory, causing development of a cyst

Question 8

which species is most likely to have fertility affected by germinal inclusion cysts and why?

Answer 8

mares because they only have a small area (ovulation fossa) where they ovulate, cysts that develop in this area can block ovulation

performance mares are particularly affected because they are not being bred and continue to cycle throughout life –more cycles increases the chance for cysts to develop compared to brood mares that spend alot of time pregnant

Question 9

cystic follicles

Answer 9

• failure of a follicle to ovulate due to failure of LH release. It persists on the ovary and continues to grow
• follicles still produces high amounts of estradiol and can cause the animal to show a continued estrus behavior

Question 10

lutenized cyst

Answer 10

cyst follicles that have lutenized - often produce progesterone causing anestrus

Question 11

cystic CL

Answer 11

physiologic/normal finding in cattle – occurs as a result of ovulation and entrapment of follicular fluid in the CL

Question 12

in general, ovarian neoplasms with a smooth surface are likely__. While neoplasms with a shaggy papillated surface are often __

Answer 12

benign, malignant

Question 13

how do malignant ovarian tumors metastasize?

Answer 13

shaggy, papillates areas of the mass tend to flake off into the peritoneal fluid where they travel through the abdomen and end up seeding somewhere in the abdomen and developing into new, metastatic tumors

Question 14

ovarian neoplasms often arise from the __

Answer 14

stroma - often a combination of granulosa, theca, and luteal cells but granulosa cells tumors are more likely to occur singularly

Question 15

dysgerminomas

Answer 15

neoplasm of germ cells that rarely metastasize

Question 16

neoplasms in the repro tract often metastasize to what site and why

Answer 16

corpus luteum – it has lots of growth factors and other things that allow cancer to proliferate

Question 17

ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma

Answer 17

malignant neoplasm often on the surface of the ovary that can be cystic; pieces often break off and occlude diaphragmatic lymphatics, leading to ascites

Question 18

spherical cysts of the uterine tube

Answer 18

develop due to uterine tube lumen inflammation/ulceration that heals into fibrosis but does NOT occlude the lumen and the animal remains fertile

Question 19

tubular cysts of the uterine tube

Answer 19

develop due to uterine tube lumen inflammation/ulceration that heals into fibrosis and occludes the uterine tube, rendering the animal infertile

Question 20

uterine tube neoplasia is rare in all species except __

Answer 20

birds

Question 21

segmental aplasia of the uterus

Answer 21

portion of one or both uterine horns is missing

Question 22

uterus unicornus

Answer 22

complete segmental aplasia on one side of the uterus –when the affected side ovulates, the endometrium is not present to make prostaglandins, so the animal is anestrus for long periods of time

Question 23

cystic endometrial hyperplasia

Answer 23

• under the influence of both estrogen and progesterone, endometrial epithelia become hyperplastic
• epithelial cells are secretory and cause fluid buildup
• estrogen upregulates the immune system and results in atrophy of the uterine wall
• progesterone downregulates the immune system allowing bacteria to gain access to the fluid filled uterus, causing pyometra (dogs are more prone to pyo because they are under the influence of progesterone longer than other species)