Clinical Examination of the Broodmare Flashcards
(41 cards)
What restraint is recommended for reproductive exams in mares?
usually minimal needed
- place in stall with a kick gate
- tie tail and put to the side to keep hair out of rectum
What are 3 options for chemical restraint for reproductive exams in mares? How long does it take for them to take effect?
- Xylazine - 3-5 mins
- Detomidine - 3-5 mins
- Acepromazine - 20-40 mins
start with a low dose and repeat as needed - need to keep mare from laying down for a proper exam
Where are IV sedatives injected in horses? Why does this need to be done carefully?
jugular vein —> concentrate on upper 1/3 of the vein to avoid the carotid artery and injecting drugs into CNS circulation
Why are breeding soundness exams performed on mares?
- prepurchase
- prebreeding
- cases of infertility
What are the 3 physical barriers to the equine uterus?
- vulva (abnormal alignment = ascending infection)
- vestibulovaginal (transverse) fold
- cervix
What normal external genitalia should be seen in mares?
- vulvar lips/labia —> examine perineal conformation!
- clitoris —> everts when in estrus
What is considered normal perineal conformation in mares? Where should the vulvar opening be located?
vulva sound be vertically oriented with an angle of declination <10 degrees and the labia should meet without disruption of the mucosal seal
2/3 or more of the vulvar opening should be below the pelvic brim —> more space between anus to avoid fecal contamination
What is Caslick’s index? What is normal?
distance between dorsal commissure and pelvic brim x vulval angle
< 100 —> 100-150 = further evaluation, >200 = vulvoplasty required
What is the Windsucker test?
upon separation of the vulvar lips and visualization of the vestibulovaginal fold, no air should enter the vagina
- positive Windsucker means there is a weak transverse fold or cervix allowing air into the uterus
Normal perineal conformation, mare:
able to palpate pelvis with at least 2/3 of vulvar lips below
What is poor perineal conformation associated with in mares?
- pneumovagina
- low pregnancy rates
- ascending placentitis
- abortion
Poor perineal conformation:
- not perpendicular
- close to anus
Poor perineal conformation:
history or prior tear/dystocia
Poor perineal conformation:
- not sealed
- deviated to the left
Positive Windsucker tests:
able to hear air go into vagina!
Negative Windsucker test:
- normal membrane = unable to see cervix
- good barrier against air!
What is important about properly locating the clitoris and sinuses during examination of the equine reproductive tract?
important place to collected samples and transmission of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) —> Taylorella equigenitalis
What is a normal accumulation seen in the clitoral fossa/sinus in mares?
smegma —> “bean”
Urovaginal/urine pooling:
- urine able to move cranially, making the mare unable to completely urinate
- can cause infertility during estrus —> embryo does not do well in this environment!
Endometritis:
purulent d/c
Cervical tear:
may require a digital exam
How are transrectal reproductive exams performed?
- reach for and locate cranial uterus
- follow each horn and palpate ovaries and feel for ovulation fossa
- work back and try to palpate cervix —> less cartilage, should be tight and small in diestrus, and larger and more relaxed in estrus
uterus NOT retracted - broad ligament arranged differently
What are the target structures observed on transrectal palpation?
- LANDMARK = cranial margin of the uterus
- ovaries - size, ovulation fossa, follciles, consistency (U/S required for CL)
- uterus - tone, size
- cervix - tone
L and R ovaries and follicles, U/S:
could be cysts, more commonly found paraovarian
more of an issue if it blocks the ovulation fossa, impairing fertility
