Reproductive Emergencies + Postpartum Dam

Question 1

What are the neonatal killers?

Answer 1

(Hypoglycemia, hypotension, hypothermia)

Question 2

What are the three reflexes puppies should have?

Answer 2

(Suckling, righting, and rooting)

Question 3

What medication can be given for agalactia as long as it is started within 24 hours of birth?

Answer 3

(Metoclopramide, efficacy decreases past 24 hours post parturition, milk will come in after 3-5 doses)

Question 4

What are your treatment options for poor mothering?

Answer 4

(Sepia (not proven to work), intranasal oxytocin, adaptil (not proven to work in every case))

Question 5

Hypocalcemia is most common in what time period postpartum in dogs?

Answer 5

(2 weeks)

Question 6

What are the clinical signs associated with hypocalcemia?

Answer 6

(Changes in demeanor, muscle fasciculations, hyperthermia, seizures, death)

Question 7

What is the treatment for hypocalcemia if you can catch it prior to muscle fasciculations?

Answer 7

(Tums, if presenting with muscle fasciculations can give IV but need to monitor heart)

Question 8

What is typically the cause of hypocalcemia in postpartum bitches (besides the owner supplementing it willy nilly)?

Answer 8

(Not getting it from the diet so either anorexic or inappropriate diet)

Question 9

Mastitis in dogs can occur anytime during lactation but is most common when?

Answer 9

(2-3 weeks postpartum)

Question 10

What are the usually causative agents of mastitis in dogs?

Answer 10

(Either normal flora invading or fecal contamination so Staphs, Streps, and E. coli)

Question 11

What produce can be used to help treat mastitis in dogs?

Answer 11

(Cabbage → pack around the teat, will pull inflammation/edema out of the teat and it has antibacterial properties)

Question 12

(T/F) Babies should be left on a mastitic teat.

Answer 12

(T, never remove nursing babies, they will help clear stuff out)

Question 13

When is metritis most likely to occur postpartum?

Answer 13

(1-3 weeks postpartum)

Question 14

Why should dogs with vaginal prolapse be spayed? Two reasons.

Answer 14

(1 - it is heritable so you shouldn’t breed affected dogs anyway, 2 - estrogen is what induces it so removing the supply of estrogen (ovaries) will prevent it from happening again)

Question 15

Why should a vaginal cytology occur before a digital examination?

Answer 15

(Bc lube will mess with the cytology)

Question 16

How will you distinguish between a normal postpartum vaginal cytology and a vaginal cytology associated with metritis?

Answer 16

(Normal → some neutrophils and epithelial cells, metritis → excessive neutrophils)

Question 17

Normal uterine dimensions postpartum are based on what three characteristics of the dog/her pregnancy?

Answer 17

(How many puppies the dam had, what breed she is, and how many days postpartum it is)

Question 18

It is normal to have lochia for how long postpartum?

Answer 18

(3-4 weeks)

Question 19

Describe normal lochia.

Answer 19

(Green initially then red/brown then transitions to brown/clear, should be odorless the entire time)

Question 20

(T/F) Carprofen is not excreted in milk of dams unless there is mastitis present.

Answer 20

(T, inflammation d/t mastitis breaks down the normal barriers so carprofen can leak into milk)

Question 21

What is a good indirect measurement of a dam’s milk production?

Answer 21

(Puppy weight gain)