Rectal exam Flashcards
What are rectal examined used for?
Examine repro tract
Only GI use is rumen/colic horses
What do you need for a rectal exam?
Lubrication Rectal sleeve Bandage Stocks Sedation
Why is it important to be gentle during a rectal exam?
Rectal tears
Induce abortion
Which animals are more prone to rectal tears?
Horses
Young
Which animals do you need to remove faeces for?
Mare
And if large amounts
What should you do during a contraction?
Cow - keep hand still and wait for contraction to pass
Mare - retract with contraction
What shape are ovaries in cows and horses?
Horse - kidney due to ovulatory
Cow - oval shape
What is palpable on mare ovaries?
Follicles
No palpable projections from corpus luteum
What ovary size do mares have during anoestrus and oestrus?
2-3cm x 3-4cm = anoestrus
5-6 x6-10cms = oestrus
How do you prepare for a rectal exam?
Don rectal sleeve - no jewellery!
Lots of lubrication all over
Move tail to one size and bandage (especially in horse)
What shape should your hand be when entering the external anal sphincter?
Put hand in cone shape
Are rectal tears more common in horses or mares?
Horses
What way do the uterine horns curve in horses and cows?
Cow - ventral (down)
Mare - dorsal (up)
How far do you insert your arm during a rectal exam?
Up to shoulder then withdraw halfway
Allows relaxation and prevents straining
How is PD usually done in mare?
Scan
Why is rectal exam done in mare?
To work out if in oestrus or anoestrus
What should you palpate in the mare rectal exam?
Find cervix - on floor of pelvis, soft tone
Follow to bifurcation and continue up one horn
Do with other horn
Palpate ovares
In a mare, what indicates early pregnancy?
Increased uterine tone
Slight enlargement of one horn
Once inside the cow, describe the rectal exam
Pelvic sweep to locate the cervix - midline and meaty feel
Locate uterus and bifurcation
Uterus hangs into abdomen - use dorsal intercornual ligament to locate ventral
Hook fingers under ventral intercornual ligament and pull uterus into pelvis
Examine each uterine horn
Examine the ovaries
What do follicles and CL feel like in a cow?
Follicles - fluid filled
Corpus luteum - feel harder
What is the tone of a non-pregnant uterus and uterine horns in a cow?
Fairly firm tone
Thick walled
No bounce
Equal
What is membrane slip?
Allantochorion slipping within uterus
Feel with thumb and forefinger
Helps confirm pregnancy
How can you diagnose a 6 week pregnancy via rectal exam?
Pregnant horn bouncy
Thin walled - 2”
How can you diagnose a 7 week pregnancy via rectal exam?
Pregnant horn bouncy
Thin walled - 3”
