Reproduction Flashcards
At what age is early castration performed?
6-12 months
What testicular conditions can result in poor libido?
Hypoplasia and degeneration
What is the most common type of penile tumour?
Squamous cell carcinoma
Where is the most common site of penile tumour?
Urethral fossa/diverticula, kissing lesions onto preputial ring
What are white depigmented plaques on the penis indicative of?
Pre-neoplastic changes
What are the treatment options for local penile lesions with no invasion/spread?
Cryptotherapy/ topical treatment, local excision
What are the treatment options for a non invasive (S1/2) penile lesion?
Local excision, posthioplasty, partial phallectomy
What are the treatment options for a penile lesion with extensive spread/invasive (S3)?
Partial phallectomy, sheath ablation, euthanasia
What are the treatment options for a penile lesion with evidence of abdominal spread?
Palliative treatment or euthanasia
What are the signs of coital exanthema?
Small vesicles on the penis and sheath
What are the clinical signs of papilloma virus?
Small, raised florid lesions on the penis
When should broodmares aimed to be bred after parturition?
At the foal heat 5-10 days postpartum
What causes a prolonged dioestrus?
Persistence of secondary CL in absence of pregnancy
How do you treat prolonged dioestrus in the mare?
Single dose of PGF2a to lyse the persistent secondary CL
How do you treat erratic oestrus during the transitional phase?
Provide 16 hours of artificial light and additional nutrition followed by progestogens in transitional period to suppress release of LH.
How long after giving prostaglandin between day 5 to 12 should a mare return to oestrus?
4 to 6 days
What is the optimal time to breed in the cycle?
Mate 24 to 48 hours before ovulation
What are the causes of absent oestrus post-partum?
- Seasonal anoestrus/foal shy
- Prolonged dioestrus or seasonal anoestrus
In what mares is silent oestrus typically a feature?
Maiden mares or mares with a foal at foot
What is the treatment for a granulosa cell tumour on an ovary?
Unilateral ovariectomy
What is Turner’s syndrome?
Mares with chromosomal abnormalities that result in a small reproductive tract.
True or false: Mares can have cystic ovaries
False
What can endometritis be associated with?
Poor perineal conformation
Mating-induced endometritis
Chronic endometritis (+/- fibrosis)
What can be seen on ultrasonography with luteinised haemorrhagic follicles?
Haemorrhage
Follicle doesn’t point towards ovulation fossa
Follicular collapse doesn’t occur
Increase in echogenicity
What is the treatment for luteinizing haemorrhagic follicles?
Exogenous prostaglandin administration
What virus causes coital exanthema?
Equine herpes 3
At what stage of the mare’s cycle can vaginal varicose vessels protrude from the vulval lips?
When in oestrus or during pregnancy
Are endometrial cysts common?
Yes
Describe the correct conformation of a mare’s perineum
Long axis of the vulva should be vertical.
Vulvar labia should be well apposed
No vulval discharge or lesions.
Perineum should be intact and anus shouldn’t be recessed.
Normal vestibulo-vaginal seal
What does CEMO stand for?
Contagious equine metritis organism
Is equine viral arteritis (EVA) notifiable?
Yes
What is key to do before taking a uterine swabs?
Ensure the mare isn’t pregnant before breeching the cervix
What is the most common pathogen isolated on uterine culture?
Streptococcus zooepidemicus
How do you treat streptococcus zooepidemicus infection in the uterus?
Uterine infusion with penicillin or alamycin
What are indications for uterine biopsy?
Barren mares
Repeat breeder mares
Mares with early embryonic death or abortion
Anoestrus mares
Mares requiring surgery of genital tract
Pyometra or mucometra
Fertility evaluation - prepurchase
What is the normal breeding period of the mare?
May to October
What are signs of the transitional period in the mare?
Mare has follicles that grow and regress but not ovulate
Ovaries may be large, follicles may be detected
Oestrus behaviour is normally presented
Mares may stand to breed
Does not ovulate and oestrus presents weeks later
What is classed as a low risk stallion on bacteriological screening?
2 negative swabs, 7 days apart
What is classed as a high risk stallion on bacteriological screening?
2 negative swabs, 7 days apart but with screening 4 mares post mating
How do you proceed with a stallion that has screened positive for pseudomonas aeruginosa?
Isolate stallion and clean the penis.
Use topical antimicrobial agents depending on sensitivity.
Inoculate from the broth of a normal stallion then re-test
How long does a stallion typically take to recover from equine viral arteritis?
Over 1 month
Where is equine viral arteritis harboured in the stallion?
In the accessory glands
What sedation protocol should be used for urethroscopy?
Alpha-2 agonist and opioid
What is phimosis?
Small preputial orifice. Results in failure of penile protrusion.
What is paraphimosis?
Failure to retract the penis. May be caused by trauma or phenothiazines.
Results in marked gravity oedema and drying of the surface.
What is priapism?
Persistent enlargement of the penis in the absence of sexual excitement
What is posthitis?
Inflammation of the sheath may occur at the same time as inflammation of the penis
What considerations are essential when dosing neonates?
Dynamic dosage (gain 1kg/day)
Increased oral biodiversity
Volume of distribution
Decreased plasma protein
Decreased metabolic and excretory capacity
What is the leading cause of death in the first week of life of a neonate?
Sepsis
What is the treatment of sepsis in the neonate?
Bactericidal antimicrobial therapy
Haemodynamic support (IVFT)
Supportive care
What antibiotic should be used in low to moderate sepsis risk foals?
Oral TMPS
What antibiotic should be used in a high risk or septic foal with normal renal function?
IV sodium penicillin and IV gentamicin
What antibiotic should be used in a high risk or septic foal with abnormal renal function?
IV ceftiofur
What sedation can be used in the neonate (<4 weeks)
Benzodiazepines (diazepam + butorphanol)
Butorphanol alone
Foal squeeze
At what day of gestation can transrectal ultrasound first be used?
Day 12 (day 15 is common)
At what day of gestation can transrectal palpation first be used?
Day 21
At what day of gestation is transrectal ballottement of the foetus positive?
Day 80
What are the risks of taking twins to full term?
Weak/dead foals or abortion
Small and underdeveloped
Bony abnormalities
What day of gestation is manual rupture performed to remove a twin pregnancy?
Day 14/15
What are the consequences of pregnancy loss before maternal recognition?
Return to cycle - resorption
What day of gestation does maternal recognition occur?
Day 40
What are the consequences of pregnancy loss after maternal recognition but before day 40?
Delayed return to oestrus as blocked prostaglandin.
Persistent CL
What are the consequences of pregnancy loss after endometrial cup form (day 150)?
Long luteal phase
Take over from CL producing oestrogen
Expulsion
When is mummification of the foetus a risk?
Between 70 and 150 days.
On what day of gestation can the heartbeat of the embryo be detected?
Day 21
What is the average gestation length of a mare?
330 days
What are some non-infectious causes if foetal abortion?
Multiple conceptuses, umbilical cord abnormalities, uterine torsion (low progesterone, stress, severe malnutrition)
At 14 days gestation, what is the prevalence of twins?
10%
When are abortions seen when infected with equine herpes virus?
Most abortions within 60 days of infection. Most seen after 8 months.
What is the vaccination protocol for equine herpes virus in the pregnant mare?
Vaccinate at 5, 7 and 9 months
What are the presence of stillbirths commonly associated with?
Prolonged parturition
Umbilical cord obstruction during parturition
Premature placental separation
What is the normal heart rate and respiratory rate of the neonate at birth?
40-80bpm
60-80 breaths per minute
What is the normal heart rate and respiratory rate of the neonate at 1 hour of age?
120bpm
30 breaths per minute
What is the normal heart rate of the neonate at 24 hours of age?
80-100bpm
How many times a day should the normal neonate nurse?
5-6 times a day
What is the goal for milk intake of the neonate in a 24 hour period?
20% of bodyweight
What are the clinical signs of hypoglycaemia in the neonate?
Obtunded +/- seizures.
What does SIRS stood for?
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
What qualifies the neonate to have SIRS?
3 abnormal parameters including abnormal temperature or leukocyte count.
What is classed as a premature foal?
<320 days
What are important characteristics of a premature foal?
Small body, rounded forehead, silky hair coat, entropion, floppy ears
What issues arise from premature birth?
Generalised weakness and difficulty standing
Abnormal glucose metabolism
Impaired thermoregulation
Respiratory dysfunction
Endocrine dysfunction +/- others
What is neonatal isoerythrolysis?
Foal red blood cells are destroyed.
Preformed maternal anti-red blood cell antibodies ingested in the colostrum.
What are the conditions required for neonatal isoerythrolysis?
- Mares need to be negative for the antigen
- Mare must become sensitised to and produced antibodies against the offending antigen.
- Foal must have inherited from the sire, the antigen to which the mare has been sensitised
What are the clinical signs of neonatal isoerythrolysis?
Initial pale mucous membranes
Weakness, obtundation, tachycardia, tachypnoea
Dyspnoea, seizures, pigmenturia
What is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in the neonate?
Meconium impaction
What is the treatment for meconium impaction?
Phosphate enema or warm soapy water
What are the clinical signs of uroabdomen in the foal?
Depression, weakness
Signs of hypovolaemia
Stranguria/anuria
Bradycardia
What can be seen on clinical pathology with uroabdomen in the neonate?
Serum creatinine, hyperkalaemia, hyponatraemia, hypochloraemia and metabolic acidosis
