Reproduction Flashcards
What are the classic signs of oestrous?
Female is stood to be mounted- sexually receptive to the male.
What is the fertile period?
The time, before and after, where insemination could result in a pregancy.
In what species is progesterone a measurable indicator of ovulation?
Dog
In what species is LH an indicator a measurable of ovulation?
Dogs and Cats
Why can an increase in progesterone be used to indicate ovulation in the dog?
The increase in P4 indicates luteinisation and thus immanent ovulation.
Why can LH be used to indicate ovulation?
The LH surge triggers ovulation.
You perform a rectal ultrasound on a cow:
There is an active CL, what does this mean with regards to optimum time to breed?
An active Cl means that P4 is high and therefore ovulation can not occur.
What size of a bovine follicle is likely to indicate immanent ovulation?
A follicle between 16-20mm.
A follicle will not ovulate if it is smaller than 10mm
What sized follicle would you introduce the stallion to the mare?
Typically between 35-50mm as this indicates that ovulation is likely.
What are you likely to note on rectal examination of a cow in oestrous?
That the cervix is narrow and tense. The uterus is oedematous with increased tone.
You rectal a cow and note that the: cervix is soft and flaccid, and the uterus is flaccid with reduced tone. Is oestrous likely, why?
No, as these clinical signs indicate that the cow is in the luteal phase, where progesterone is dominant.
You rectal a horse and note that the cervix is broad and soft, and the uterus is larger and more oedematous. Is this a good time to introduce the stallion, why?
Yes, as it indicates that they mare is in oestrous, where oestrogen is the dominant hormone. Therefore, ovulation is likely to occur.
What clinical signs would you expect to find when rectalling a horse in the luteal phase?
Cervix: hard and narrow
Uterus: smaller with increased tone
Because progesterone is dominant.
What is the key notifiable disaese in mares which relates to breeding?
Contagious equine metritis (CEM) - Notifiable
Upon clinical exam you note this on the mare:
What is this and what risks are associated with it?
Poor vulval conformation (sloping vulva). The vulva sits at an angle that is more likely to trap faeces and gas. This makes an acending infection more likely. Greater risk of (endo)metritis.
What are the optimum pregancy dignostic indicators of the cow, and at what day can they be done at?
- Transrectal ultrasound - Day 28
- Transrectal palpation - Day 35
- Transrectal ballotment of foetus - Day 50
What are the optimum pregnancy diagnostic indicators of the ewe, and at what day can they be done at?
- failure to be raddled - Day 16-19
- Transabdominal ultrasound - Day 30
- Foetal pulse detector with doppler ultrasound - From Day 80
What are the optimum pregnancy diagnostic indicators of the sow, and at what day can they be done at?
- Failure to return to oestrus - day 18-24
- Transabdominal B-mode ultrasound - from day 20
- Elevated plasma progesterone - day 22-24
What are the optimum pregnancy diagnostic indicators of the mare, and at what day can they be done at?
- Failure to return to oestrus - day 18-24
- Transrectal ultrasound from day 12 (15 common)
- Transrectal palpation from day 21
- Plasma equine chorionic gonadotrophin from day 60 – 120
What are the optimum pregnancy diagnostic indicators of the bitch, and at what day can they be done at?
- Transabdominal ultrasound - from day 25
- Plasma relaxin - from day 25
- Radiographic examination - from day 45
What are the optimum pregnancy diagnostic indicators of the queen, and at what day can they be done at?
- Transabdominal ultrasound - from day 25
- Plasma relaxin - from day 25
- Radiographic examination - from day 45
What can not be used to diagnose pregnancy in the bitch?
A lack of return to oestrous
Elevated plasma progesterone.
What techniques may be used to examine the accessory glands?
– Semen collection
– Rectal palpation
– Radiographic (often including positive contrast)
– Trans-rectal or trans-abdominal ultrasonography
– Lavage techniques
What is the submission rate?
The percentage of cows served.
What is a true hermaphrodite?
The karyotype is more often
XX. Histological evidence of ovarian and testicular
tissue (E.g. ovotestis). Ambiguity of external or
internal genitalia or both.
What is a male pseudohermaphrodite
The karyotype is XY. The gonads are recognisable as testis. Incompletely masculinised and ambiguous external and internal genitalia
What is a female pseudohermaphrodite
The karyotype is XX. Feminine internal genitalia, masculinised external genitalia.
Outline a potential cause of epididimitis and why it is significant.
Brucella ovis - notafiable
What is conception failure?
The failure of fertilisation:
Mistiming of mating
Ovulation failure/delay
Male infertility
What is embryonic death?
Death after fertilisation
What species is early preganacy loss uncommon?
Cats, Dogs and Sheep
Ouline some cuases of failure to establish pregnancy in cows.
Conception failure assosiated with: metalbolic stress or ovaian pathology.
Failure to detect oestrous
Mis-timing of AI
Outline some of the causes of embryo mortality in cows?
Failure to secrete materal recognition hormone.
Outline some causes of failure to establish pregnancy in sows.
Seasonal affects- decreased in summer/autumn
Ovulation failure: stress/pathology
Genetics
Infectios causes: parvoviris (PPV)
Nutrition
Outline some causes of failure to establish pregnancy in mares.
Age of the horse
Haemorrhagic anovulatory follicles
Uterine pathology
Infectious causes: CEM
Stress
Outline the clinical use of GnRH.
- As part of OvSynch
- Hasten ovulation by inducing LH surge
- Force ovulation/luteinisation of cyctic structures
- Measure sex steroid response
Outline the long term clinical use of GnRH.
- Initial stimulation, follwed by down reculation and thus supression of HPG axis.
- Control/supress oestrous behaviour
- Controls fertility in male dogs (prevents breeding)
Outline the clinical use of FSH/LH?
Induce superovulation
and other similar treatments to GnRH. They are used much less.
Outline the clinical use of progesterone.
- Vaginal (PRID/Sponges): Induction of oestrous. Synchronisation upon withdrawal.
- Depo: prevention of oestrous in bitches.
- Oral: prevention/suppression of oestrous in bitches and prevention/induction/suppression in mares.
Outline the clinical use of a progesterone receptor antagonist.
Termination of pregnancy
Outline the clinical use of oestrogen.
Urinary incontinence in the bitch.
Outline the clinical uses of PGF2a
- Termination of luteal phase to synchronise oestrus
− Induction of abortion
− Induction of parturition
− Ecbolic effect (contractions)
Outline the clinical uses of prolactin inhibitors.
- Removes support for CL (prolactin)
- To end the luteal phase
- Terminate pregnancy
- Treat pyometra
- Reduce milk production and behaviour of pseudopregancy
- To reduce milk after weaning.
Outline the clinical uses of melatonin.
Hasten onset of cyclicity in sheep.
Outline the clinical uses of oxytocin.
- Initiation of uterine conractions- to aid parturition.
- Promotion of involution of post-parturient uterus
- Aid passage of retained placenta
- Promotion of milk let-down in agalactia
Outline the clinical use of GnRH/hCG in males.
For testing for presence of a testis.
Depot GnRH for suppression of HPO axis (reduce male behaviours)
Outline the clinical use of progesterone in males.
Reduction on testosterone production
Outline the OvSynch protocol
Day 0 - GnRH
Day 7 - PGF2a
Day 9 - GnRH
Day 10 - AI (16-20hrs later)
Outline the OvSynch with P4 protocol.
Day 0 - Insert PRID and inject GnRH
Day 7 - Remove PRID and inject PGF2a
Day 9 - GnRH and AI
In what type of animal would the OvSynch and P4 protocol be used
Cycling and non-cycling cows
Outline the P4 and PGF2a protocol
Day 0 - Insert PRID
Day 7 - Remove PRID and inject PGF2a
Day 10 - 1st AI
(Day 10.5 - If single AI only)
Day 11 - 2nd AI
State the clinical treatment of a cow in anovulatory anoestrus.
OvSynch with P4
Outline the clinical treatment for cyctic ovarian disease.
Follicular phase: GnRH/hCG
Luteal phase: PGF2a
OvSynch - Either!
Outline the clinical treatment for persistent CLs.
PGF2a
List the advantages of surgical nuterining in females.
– Reduction in the incidence of mammary neoplasia
– Prevention of uterine disease including CEH, pyometra and uterine neoplasia
– Prevention of ovarian disease including neoplasia
– Prevention of (pseudo)pregnancy
List the disadvantages of surgical nuterining in females.
– Increased incidence of some neoplasia (osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma)
* In some breeds there is a clear relation the longer that ovaries or testes are present the
lower this risk
– Increased incidence of urinary incontinence in dogs?
– Changes in coat texture?
– Tendency to gain weight?
– Changes in behaviour
Describe the best timing for female sterilisation.
3 months after oestrous or 3 weeks post oestrous.
Prevents pseudopregnancy
Outline the three types of female surgical nutering and which is the most common in the UK.
- Ovariohysterectomy (UK most common)
- Ovariectomy (Lap spays)
- Hysterectomy