Pregnancy Diagnosis Flashcards
what is the purpose of pregnancy diagnosis (5)
-Every “day open” costs a dairy producer $4 to $5
-Earlier diagnosis = earlier opportunity to rebreed
-Planning help for calving/foaling/lambing
-Nutrition
-Herd management
potential pregnancy tests (7)
-History of breeding
-Non-return to estrus
-“She looks pregnant” = Udder development and abdominal enlargement
-Blood tests for “pregnancy factors”
-Hormonal analysis
-Palpation of the uterus
-Ultrasonography of the uterus
possible reasons for a false positive pregnancy
Inaccurate estrus detection
-Missed estrus
-Not knowing signs of estrus
Prolonged diestrus or anestrus
-Cystic ovarian disease in cows
-Up to 20% of mares may have a prolonged luteal phase
Signs of estrus in early pregnancy (~5%)
are false pregnancies common in horses
no
causes of false pregnancy diagnosis
-Canine – may show mammary development, lactation and nesting behaviour
-Caprine – develop enlarged abdomen, uterus full of fluid (“cloud burst” or mucometra)
what pregnancy associated glycoprotein are tested in blood
PAGS
biopryn test; what does it look for, species it can be used in
-For Pregnancy-Specific Protein B (one of many PAGs)
-Cows, Sheep, Goats
PAG protein B production
-produced by binucleate trophoblast cells from about 28 days of pregnancy
what is the issue with biopryn test in cows
it persists in blood of cows up to 73 days postpartum = so keep in mind based on if the cow you are testing is PP
when to use biopryn test + limitations
-Uses: after 73 days postpartum and for cows 30 days or more after insemination
-Limitations: send out blood, lab delays, cost
-Re-check recommended due to false positives and EED
D29 blood test; when it is used, what does it look for, species it can be used in
-Used as early as 29 days post insemination
-Finds DG29 marker – a proprietary “Pregnancy Specific Protein”
-Cattle, sheep, goats
what are some potential hormone tests for pregnancy diagnosis
Species Dependent
-Progesterone
-Estrogens
-Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin
-Progestagens
-Relaxin
hormonal pregnancy diagnosis in cows
-what hormone
-time of low/high values
-can this confirm pregnancy
-Progesterone
-Low levels 19 – 21 days post breeding are suggestive of estrus and NON pregnancy
High levels do not confirm pregnancy
-Cannot differentiate from Diestrus
-Pyometra, mummified fetus etc.
-Progesterone is NOT a good pregnancy test
Hormonal analysis in mares – potential tests
-Progesterone
-Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG)
-Estrone Sulfate
Hormonal analysis in mares – eCG
-when can you use
-false negatives
-false positives
-what can you use with this
-Test between 40 and 120 days
-Cups persist through 120 days even
if fetus dies = false positives
False negatives = tails of curve
-Too early in pregnancy
-Too late – after cups are gone
-Can use together with estrone sulfate – tandem assay repeated after 2-4 wks
-If show rising levels of estrone, with continued presence of eCG, indicates live fetus, viable pregnancy
Hormonal analysis in mares; estrogens
-when to use
-diagnosis
Estrone sulfate (conjugated estrogen):
-Serum estrogens elevated as soon as Day 35-40
-After Day 60 feto-placental source
-Diagnostic of pregnancy by day 45 >6.0 ng/ml (BEWARE THE MINI: day 80 >60.0 ng/ml)
-Can be used for fetal viability prior to 7 months gestation
Hormonal analysis in the bitch
-what hormone is useful
-what is it produced by and when
-Progesterone is NOT useful (same diestrus phase whether pregnant or not)
-Relaxin hormone (Witness® or ReproCheck®)
-Produced by canine placenta; increases in pregnancy, NOT diestrus
-From days 22-27 after breeding
Pregnancy diagnosis in cows by palpation; what are the 4 absolute signs?
The four absolute (definite) signs on rectal palpation:
-Amniotic vesicle
-Fetal membrane slip
-Fetus
-Placentomes
Palpation of the uterus – estimation of gestational age in cows (fluid and size of fetus)
Fluid
-Horn diameter
-Day 30 – 1 in. diameter
-Day 60 – 3 in. diameter
-Day 90 – 6 in. diameter
Size of fetus
-Day 60 – large mouse
-Day 90 – rat
-Day 120 – cat
Palpation of the uterus – timing of events in the cow – First felt
Fluid-filled horn (CL on same side)
-Heifers: d 30
-Cows: d 30-40
-Fetal membrane slip: > d 30
-Ballot Fetus: > d 70
-Feel Placentomes: > d 80-90
Uterine artery “fremitus:” > d 80-120
-“buzzing” of the middle uterine artery within broad lig.
-Apply slight pressure to artery to feel
-Associate with pregnancy but not definitive
Differential diagnoses for pregnancy - rectal palpation (6)
Other causes for uterus not retractable
-Adhesions, large ovarian tumour
Other causes of fluid in the uterus
-Pyometra
-Mucometra
Other causes of masses in the uterus
-Mummified or macerated fetus
-Tumor
-Embryonic death
-Incomplete postpartum involution
-Palpation of the bladder
Palpation of the uterus - mares
-what do you feel and when
Increase in cervical and uterine tone
-Usually by day 15-18
Detect bulge at the base of uterine horn
-Ventral aspect
-By day 20-25
Ballot fetus
-Day 90-120
Palpation of the uterus - bitch
-Abdominal palpation is reliable and safe between 25-30 days
-At this stage individual sacs can be palpated
Ultrasonography -Earliest day detectible
-cows
-equine
-small ruminants
-porcine
-canine
-feline
-Bovine: approx day 27 (Placentomes first visible on U/S by day 35-40)
-Equine: day 10 (day 14 is typical)
Small ruminants:
-Transrectal: day 18
-Transabdominal: day 35
-Porcine: transabdominal, from day 22
-Canine: day 18 from OV
-Feline: day 16 from OV
when are placentomes first seen in cows
30-35 days
when can ultrasound detect pregnancy in mares
-In the mare pregnancy can be identified as early as 10 days post-ovulation by ultrasound
-Day 14 is the usual first check
use of doppler ultrasonography
-Highlights blood flow
-Earlier diagnosis
-Fetal heartbeat
Small ruminants ultrasound
-what do you have to differienate from pregnancy
-Ultrasound is useful to differentiate pregnancy from hydrometra (false pregnancy) of goats
-Fluid but absence of placentomes, no fetus
Ultrasound exam - bitch
-when to use and for what
-Transabdominal
-As early as day 20
-Estimation of fetal numbers
-Fetal viability
-Gestational age
-Predict whelping dates
Ultrasound diagnosis of fetal gender
-when
-how to tell the difference
-Day 60 is ideal in cattle and mares for transrectal
-Examine the area under the tail (female) and behind umbilicus (male) for genital tubercle
-Later examinations > 90 days to look for gonads
Ultrasound in later pregnancy
-what you look at
-Fetal age
Fetal health
-Heart rate
-Activity
-Placenta
-Twins
what 4 methods of pregnancy and most useful
-Blood tests for “pregnancy factors”
-Hormonal analysis
-Palpation of the uterus
-Ultrasonography of the uterus
