The Mechanics of Ewe Obstetrics and Perinatal Conditions Flashcards
5 ways to ensure good health for ewe and lamb
Good Nutrition
Strict culling policy
Selecting replacemt
Good hygeine
Gentle treatment of ewe and lamb
Dystocia causes
Abdorminal foetal placement
Foetal maternal disproportion
Deformities
Maternal structural/ functional factors
What is ringwomb and possible causes
Cervix less than 5cm dilated 2 hours into 2nd stage labour
Possible causes
Prematurity / abortion
Disturbance in 1st stage labour
Calcium deficiency
Treatment of ringwomb
C section
Calcium injection
Attempt manual dilation
Evaluate safety of caesarean section in ewes
Outcome often good if
Ewe healthy
No excessive trauma of ewe
Compared to natural deliveryEwe and lamb survival similar
Caesarean section - Medications
Before
Antibiotic cover (min. 5-7 day course)
Anti-inflammatory – NSAID
Local anaesthesia
After
Oxytocin
Where to inject sheep for local anaesthetic
left flank or inverted L block
Drug used for LA
Procaine
Peri-parturient diseases
Prolapses
Metritis
Mastitis
Pre-pubic tendon rupture
Vaginal prolapses – Risk factors
Excess and inadequate body condition
Type of feed
Lying times
Multiple foetuses
Breed predisposition
Also older ewes
Vaginal prolapses – Treatment
check the exposed tissue for damage before commencing
lift prolapse to allow urination
Give antibiotics, NSAIDs and a caudal epidural, the xylazine increases the duration of the epidural significantly so is recommended.
Wash the prolapse thoroughly but gently with dilute disinfectant,
What suture to use for prolapses
Retaining sutures should be in the form of a Buhner suture
Other forms of vaginal retention
Spoon
Harness
Main difference from dealing with uterine prolapse compared to vaginal prolapse it the use of the ________ position, which is useful for both sheep and cattle with uterine prolapse
Frog leg
Metritis
Severe infection of the uterus
Metritis risk factors
Poor hygiene – both environmental and lambing equipment/hands, Retention of dead lambs,
Uterine prolapse
Metritis - Signs
Signs of toxaemia- Depression, Inappetance
Vulval discharge/swelling
Hungry lamb due to decreased milk production and ewe unwilling to stand
Metritis - Treatment
Oral or intravenous fluids
Systemic antibiosis (min 5-7 days)
NSAID
What bacterial infection causes malignant oedema in the perineal area
Clostridium
Mastitis – Signs
Abnormal gait
Sick ewe
Inappetence, isolation, depressed
Udder Swollen ± hard
Milk – watery, clotted or blood tinged
Mastitis – Predisposing factors
Mostly within first 3 weeks of lactation
Teat trauma
Orf
Mastitis – Causative agents
Common causes:
Mannheimia haemolytica
Staphylococcus aureus
Coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp.
Less common causes:
Streptococcus spp; E. coli
Acute mastitis – Treatment
Prompt treatment with system antibiotics and NSAIDs is indicated in cases of acute or gangrenous mastitis, as ewes can rapidly die of toxaemia.
Milking out affected quarters can reduce the bacterial load in the udder
Pre-pubic tendon rupture predisposing factors
Older multigravid ewes in late pregnancy
Treatment for Pre-pubic tendon rupture
Euthanasia
