Perinatal period in ewes and does Flashcards
Caudal epidural anaesthesia
Anaesthesia of perineum
Indicated for dystocia and needed for prolapse correction
2ml of procaine or lignocaine
Inject at most mobile joint at base of the tail
Buhner suture
For vaginal prolapse retention
Insert needle at junction of haired and hairless skin, level with pelvic floor
Should be able to insert a finger below the know to allow space for urination
Indications for caesarean
Prolapsing and lambing at same time
Ringwomb (10 minds not sufficient)
Foetal monsters
Oversized lambs
Dystocia in pygmy goats
Dystocias where you are not making progress within 10-20 mins
Usual cause of uterine rupture
Rough assistance to dystocias.
Often dorsal
Euthanise
What is a high incidence of vaginal prolapse
above 3%
Treatment for vaginal prolapse
Epidural, clean, lubricate, replace
Retain with Buhner or harness
NSAIDs and antibiotics
Prognosis for vaginal prolapse
Good unless necrotic or lacerated
Likely to recur so cull before next season
Vaginal rupture
If evisceration prognosis is helpless - euthanase
otherwise repair surgically
Uterine prolapse
Occurs within 24hrs of parturition
Treat same as vaginal prolapse, ensuring horns fully everted
Antibiotics, NSAIDs, calcium, and oxytocin
Good prognosis is treated early, no more likely to happen again
Rectal prolapse
If associated with vaginal prolapse should resolve with that, otherwise may need replacement
Purse string suture around anus aids retention
Diagnosis of ketosis/twin lamb disease
Often 48hrs after a stressor
Isolation, inappetance, sham drinking, apparent blindness, facial tremors, salivation, terminal convulsions, coma, death.
Elevated BHB levels (>1.1.mmol/l)
PM: fatty change to liver and often fatty infiltration of kidney
Treatment of ketosis
Propylene glycol
Palatable feeds
Oral rehydration
If subclinical hypocalcaemia, calcium borogluconate
Poor prognosis
Hypocalcaemia
Seen fairly soon after a stressor
Stilted gait, muscle tremors, recumbency etc.
Coma and death in 6-12 hrs
Blood calcium <1.4 mmol/L
Treat with calcium borogluconate
Hypomagnesaemia
Usually in early lactation on lush grass
Incoordination, ataxia, hyperaesthesia, increased TPR, collapse, convulsions and death
Treat with magnesium sulphate solution subcut
If unsure if hypoCa or hypoMG then give calcium/magnesium/dextrose (CMD)
Acute necrotic/gangrenous mastitis
Most common in early or peak lactation
Dull, anorexic, may appear lame, dehydrated, pyrexic
Udder is red, swollen, painful, hard and hot -> purple, blue/black and cold, secretion is often thin and straw coloured
Treat with systemic antibiosis, NSAIDs, regular stripping
Poor prognosis for return to function, relatively high mortality rate
Metritis
Especially in first week after lambing
Ewe sull with signs of septicaemia/toxaemia
Vaginal discharge - foul smelling and fetid
Reduced milk production
Often associated with dystocia, abortion, RFM
Treat with broad spectrum antibiotics, NSAIDs
Clostridial diseases
Gangrene most common in ewes and does at lambing time
Vaccinate and avoid risk factors
Causative agents of mastitis
Suckling ewes and does: 80% due to M. haemolytica and S. aureus, also E. coli, T. pyogenes etc.
Dairy animals: Mainly S. aureus if clinical or CNS is subclinical
Per-acute/gangrenous mastitis
Very sudden onset
Toxaemic, dull, inappetant
Udder becomes red, then purple, then black
Udder secretion is bloody
Discoloured tissue necrosis
Acute mastitis
Sudden onset
May appear lame
Inappetant, dull, pyrexic
Udder painful and swollen
Udder secretion altered - clots, blood tinged etc.
May subsequently develop abscesses or scar tissue
Good prognosis if treated promptly
Chronic mastitis
May first be detected as lamb not growing well
Decreased milk production - so bigger problem in dairy animals
Milk taint - zoonotic risk
SCC is less reliable in sheep than in cattle
CMT is a good screening identifier
Risk factors for teat damage
- Poor body condition
- Stage of lactation
- Udder and teat conformation
- Orf
- Large litters
