Pregnancy Complications Flashcards
Does fertilisation often fail?
No 90% successful - losses are due to early embryonic loss
What are the 3 potential causes of pregnancy loss?
> early embryonic mortality - before maternal recognition of pregnancy or first return to oestrus, regular returns (18-25d or 37-48d returm to oestrus) > late embryonic mortality - after MRP, irregular returns (26-36d) - before completion of organiogenesis > foetal loss - after 42d cow - irregular returns
What factors affect pregnancy rate?
> physiological
pathological
- genetic
- environmental
How do heifers embreyos differ to cows?
^% chromosomal abnormalities
How does BCS affect service success?
BCS loss 5 weeks postpartum
- 1 = 17%
1st service PregRate
How does protein affect service/conception rate?
- high protein -> ^ no. services needed for conception
Which infectious agents are responsible for pregnancy losses?
- leptospira hardjo
- ureaplasma diversum
- campylobacter fetus
- BHV1 (IBR)
- BVDV
- neospora caninum
How does feeding protein to reindeer affect them?
Kills them by urea poisoning
What is discharge from the vagina most commonly seen with?
- non specific uterine infection (endometritis)
How does ACTH affect repro?
v LH concentrations
Why may US be better than manual palpation of the pregnant cow?
^ manipulation -> ^ pregnancy losses esp with membrane slip tested
What are the 4 main iatrogenic factors to cause preg losses?
- corticosteroids >225d
- PGs
- oestrogens and mycotoxins
- OT
What may happen to the foetus if lost >42d?
- maceration
- mummification (CL persists)
- abortion (between d152-270d)
- still birth if born dead >270d or survives less than 24hours
4 common complications of late pregnancy?
- hydrops
- uterine torsion
- vaginal prolapse
- uterine prolapse
What is hydrops?
> placental oedema
- hydropsamni (hydramnios)
- hydropsallantois (hydrallantois)
When is hydrops commonly seen? Clinical signs? Tx?
- last 3 months pregnancy
- large swollen abdomen
- induce parturition, carry out 2 stage ceasar
- or cull
- check for second calf!!*
What other complications are assoiciated with hydrops?
- retained foetal membranes always
What forms of hydrops may occour in the calf?
- hydroancephalus
- ascites
- anasarca (monster)
Tx of foetal hydrops
- partial foetotomy
- C sec
When does uterine torsion occour?
- end of term cattle
- ~9 months in the mare
Clinical signs of uterine torsion
- mild colic in the mare
- spiralling vaginal folds cow
- unable to get hand intravaginally
- broad ligaments feel tight and twisted on rectal
Is uterine torsion common?
Yes 50% dystocias
- heifers more common
Which direction is most common for uterine torsion?
anticlockwise
What will occour when the uterus is untwisted?
Lots of foetal fluid expelled!
Is cervical vaginal prolapse common?
very common esp. sheep
What causes vaginal prolapse?
- vaginal wall relaxed and capable of eversion
- relaxed vagina and vestibule
- forceto displace relaxed organs
Predisposing factors for cervical vaginal prolapse
- High/low BCS
- high roughage diet/high rumen fill
- twins
- ^ oetrogens
- lack of exercise
- urinary retention
- breed
- age (will repeat)
- inherited
What are the consequences of cervical vaginal prolapse?
> infection (caudal/cranial genital tract)
lethargy and inappetance
- urinary retentiaon
- rupture of dorsal/lateral wall with visceral eventration
Tx of vaginal prolapse?
> definitely necessary due to pain and infection risk
- caudal epidural (procain or xylazine longer lasting)
to stop straining and welling
- harness/spoon/buhner
is uterine prolapse an emergency?
YES
When does uterine prolapse occour and what is the most common cause? Potential conseuences?
- immediately pp
- hypocalcaemia
> uterine a. tear or uterine tear
Tx of uterine prolapse?
- remove foetal membranes by grabbing intersection and ‘milking’
- epidural
- frog position with legs splayed to encourage organs back in
- use of sugar to v oedema
- bottle to push further in a nd prevent microprolapse within the uterus
> NSAIDs
> Buhner
> Ca
