Pregnancy Diagnosis Flashcards
every day open costs a producer how much
$4 to $5
why do we bother to diagnose pregnancy?
1) open days cost producers
2) earlier diagnosis means earlier opportunities to rebreed if open
3) planning help for parturition
4) planning nutrition
5) herd management
is “stood for breeding” a good pregnancy diagnosis?
no
is failure to return to estrus a good sign of pregnancy?
it may indicate pregnancy, but is not DEFINITIVE (there are many reasons why a mare may not return to cyclicity)
what might confound “failure to return to estrus” as a pregnancy test (3)
- inaccurate estrus detection (ex. missed estrus)
- prolonged diestrus or anestrus (ex. cystic ovarian disease in cows)
- signs of estrus in early pregnancy occur in 5% of mares
why is looking for belly growth and mammary development a poor pregnancy test
false pregnancy is common in some species (note, not common in horses)
examples:
- dogs show pregnancy behaviour during diestrus regardless of pregnancy status
- caprine spp. commonly develop mucometra, giving the appearance of a full abdomen
are blood tests for pregnancy factors a good pregnancy test
yes
what is an example of a blood test for pregnancy diagnosis in ruminants
BioPRYN
what does BioPRYN test for
pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAGs), specifically Pregnancy-Specific Protein B
what produces Pregnancy Specific Protein B in ruminants and from what day of pregnancy onward
binucleate trophoblast cells from day 28 onward
what is the issue with the BioPRYN test
the PAG it tests for (Pregnancy Specific Protein B) persists in the blood until day 73 postpartum
BioPRYN can be used in cows after ____ days postpartum and ___ days or more after insemination
73; 30
why is recheck recommended if using BioPRYN
false positives and EED
DG29:
- can be used how many days after insemination?
- species
- major limitation
- 29 days after insemination
- ruminants
- specificity drops significantly in inseminated, non-pregnant animals
T/F concepto diagnostics is the best pregnancy blood test because it can be used as early as 48 hours after mating to detect pregnancy
F; it is bullshit, basically 50/50
what are 5 potential hormones that can be tested to indicate pregnancy
- progesterone
- estrogens
- eCG
- progestagens
- relaxin
in regards to using progesterone as an indicator of pregnancy:
- used how many days post-breeding?
- low levels suggest what?
- high levels suggest what?
- bottom line (is it good or not)?
- 19-21 days post breeding
- low levels suggest NO pregnancy
- high levels do NOT confirm pregnancy
- NOT a good test
what are 3 potential pregnancy tests in mares
1) progesterone
2) eCG
3) estrone sulfate (E2SO4)
is progesterone a good pregnancy test in the mare?
NO
when can you test a mare for eCG to confirm pregnancy
between days 40 and 120
what are some limitations to eCG as a pregnancy test in mares
1) endometrial cups will persist even if the fetus is dead, so it does not confirm a VIABLE pregnant
2) false negatives on the tails of the curve (too early or too late in pregnancy when cups are already gone)
how can we use eCG to confirm VIABLE pregnancy
tandem use of eCG and estrone sulfate assays repeated after 2-4 weeks
if using eCG and estrone sulfate to confirm pregnancy with repeated testing, what would indicate VIABLE pregnancy
continued presence of eCG with rising estrone sulfate
what is estrone sulfate
conjugated estrogen
estrone sulfate in the mare:
- serum estrogens elevated as soon as day _______
- feto-placental source after day _____
- diagnostic of pregnancy in normal sized horses by day ____ (>___ng/mL)
- diagnostic of pregnancy in minis by day ______ (>___ng/mL)
- used for fetal viability prior to ___ months gestation
- 35-40
- 60
- 45 (>6.0 ng/mL)
- 80 (>60 ng/mL)
- 7
can you use progesterone to diagnose pregnancy in bitches
no
what can you use to diagnose pregnancy in bitches? what produces it? how many days after breeding is it produced? what is a limitation?
relaxin; the placenta; after 22-27 days; false negatives and positives can occur
stage pregnancy based on the following… you perform a rectal palpation and the uterus is:
- heavy
- light
heavy: >3 months
light: <3 months OR not pregnant
you’ve determined that the cow you are palpating is > 3 months pregnant…. what is the next step
ballot the fetus (if you cannot, she is not pregnant)
You have determined the cow you are palpating is > 3 months pregnant and you can ballot the fetus, you now palpate the cotyledons.
Determine the stage of pregnancy based on the following size of the cotyledons:
- quarter:
- toonie:
- silver dollar:
quarter: 3 months pregnant
toonie: 4 months pregnant
silver dollar: 5 months pregnant
You are palpating a cow and have already determined that she is > 3 months pregnant. You feel the uterine artery for fremitus next. Determine the stage of the pregnancy based on the following:
- fremitus in one horn
- fremitus in 2 horns
fremitus detected in one horn: > 3-4 months but less than 7
fremitus detected in both horns: at least 7 months pregnant
Stage the pregnancy based on the following information:
- cervix is heavy
- fetus can be balloted
- cotyledons are the size of a silver dollar
- fremitus detected in one horn only
- cervix is heavy -> SHE IS > 3 MONTHS
- fetus can be balloted -> PREGNANT
- cotyledons are the size of a silver dollar -> SHE IS AT LEAST 5 MONTHS
- fremitus detected in one horn only -> SHE IS LESS THAN 7 MONTHS
Therefore, she is approximately 5-6 months along
You are palpating a cow and determined the cervix is light. Interpet the following:
- one horn is bouncy and thin-walled, CL on same side; other horn is not bouncy and thick-walled
- both horns bouncy and thin-walled and the fetus can be balloted
- light cervix indicates she is less than 3 months
- 30-50 days
- 60-90 days
What are the 4 absolute signs of pregnancy in cows on palpation
1) amniotic vesicle
2) fetal membrane slip
3) placentomes
4) fetus
what “slips” in a fetal membrane slip; what species can you feel this in?
the chorioallantois (spaces between the placentome); in species with a chorioallantoic placenta (not horses!)
by what day should you be able to feel the following on rectal palpation in a cow:
1) Fluid filled horn (CL on same side):
- Heifers:
- Cows:
2) Fetal membrane slip
3) Ballot fetus
4) Feel placentomes
5) Uterine artery fremitus
1) Heifers: 30d; Cows: 30-40d
2) >30d
3) >70d
4) >80-90d
5) >80-120d
what is fremitus and what are we feeling
buzzing of the middle uterine a. within the broad ligament
What is the horn diameter on the following days in the cow:
- Day 30
- Day 60
- Day 90
- Day 30: 1 inch
- Day 60: 3 inches
- Day 90: 6 inches
Describe what day you would expect to feel the following size of the cow fetus:
- large mouse
- rat
- cat
- large mouse: 60d
- rat: 90d
- cat: 120d
Describe what day you would expect to feel the following in the pregnant MARE:
- increase in cervical and uterine tone:
- bulge at base of uterine horn:
- ballot feuts
- day 15-18
- day 20-25
- day 90-120
at what stage can you do abdominal palpation safely and reliably on the pregnant bitch
25-30 days
what can you palpate between days 25-30 gestation in the bitch
individual sacs
what largely determines when you can detect pregnancy by ultrasound
the quality of the US equipment
When can you approximately detect pregnancy by ultrasound in the following species:
- bovine:
- equine:
- small ruminants (transrectal and transabdominal):
- porcine:
- canine:
- feline:
- bovine: day 27
- equine: day 10 (day 14 typical)
- small ruminants: transrectal = day 18; transabdominal = day 35
- porcine: day 22
- canine: day 18 from ovulation
- feline: day 16 from ovulation
when do you typically first ultrasound a mare for pregnancy
day 14
what does doppler ultrasonography highlight and why is it better
highlights blood flow; it provides an earlier diagnosis and detects the fetal heart beat
how can you use ultrasound to differentiate pregnancy from hydrometra in goats
if fluid but no placentomes and no fetus -> hydrometra
how is ultrasound performed in the bitch (rectal vs transabdominal)? when is it performed?
transabdominal; day 20 or more
what is ultrasound used for in the bitch
- estimate fetal numbers
- gestational age
- fetal viability
- predict whelping dates
how do you determine fetal gender in cattle and mares:
1) before day 60
2) after day 90
1) genital tubercle
2) gonads
where is the genital tubercle in the male and in the female
male: behind umbilicus
female: under tail
what is ultrasound used for in later pregnancy 3
1) fetal age
2) fetal health (heart rate, activity, placenta)
3) twins
In conclusion: Group the following pregnancy tests as good or bad:
- history of breeding
- udder development/abdominal enlargement
- hormonal analysis
- non-return to estrus
- blood tests for pregnancy factors
- palpation of the uterus
- ultrasonography of the uterus
Good:
- hormonal analysis
- blood tests for pregnancy factors
- palpation of the uterus
- ultrasonography of the uterus
Bad:
- history of breeding
- udder development/abdominal enlargement
- non-return to estrus