Obsetrics

Question 1

What is gestation length in Bos Taurus?

Answer 1

280 days +/-

Question 2

Cows carrying twins tend to go into labor when?

Answer 2

2 weeks early, sometimes dystocia

Question 3

What hormones relax pelvic ligaments in preparation for parturition?

Answer 3

Relaxin and estrogens

Question 4

What hormones soften the cervix?

Answer 4

Relaxin and PGE

Question 5

What is different about the bovine cervix?

Answer 5

It is cartilaginous so softening is very important

Question 6

What ultimately determines when parturition will occur?

Answer 6

Fetal cortisol, all cow hormones respond to fetal signal. (rising PGF2A, and estrogen, falling P4)

Question 7

When does the fetus get into position for parturition? what is that position?

Answer 7

When myometrial contractions occur. Anterio-dosal most commonly (dorsum of fetus is dorsal in uterus, front feet toward cervix.)

Question 8

What ends the first stage of parturition?

Answer 8

rupture of the chorioallantois

Question 9

Normal stage 2 time frame?

Answer 9

Cows 0.5-2 hrs

Heifers: 2 - 4 hrs

Question 10

How long after expulsion of calf should we see the fetal membranes?

Answer 10

Less than 12 hours.

Greater than 12 hours = retained placenta. But she could have eaten it while you weren’t watching

Question 11

Under what conditions can you induce parturition?

Answer 11

If you know the breeding dates (its not common to do this)

Question 12

How do we medically induce parturition?

Answer 12

Give Dexamethasone and Cloprostenol (PGF2A) 2 days before you want them born. - most predictable parturition timing.

Question 13

Why don’t you want to use natural PGF2A (dinoprost) to induce parturition?

Answer 13

High rate of retained placenta and dystocia

Question 14

When should you intervene in stage one labor?

Answer 14

no progression after 4 hrs. bleeding, hypocalcemia, uterine torsion, bilateral hop flexion

Question 15

cloned embryos are at risk of dystocia due

Answer 15

large size

hydrallantois

Question 16

What are methods to prevent dystocia?

Answer 16

Bull selection for calving ease
Nutritional management
Pelvimetry

Question 17

What are the 5 factors that are related to gestation difficulty

Answer 17

Gestation length
Parity (how many times calved)
Season
Nutrition
Genetics

Question 18

When coming onto a dystocia case, what is the first thing you should look at?

Answer 18

Is she even pregnant? Transrectal exam

Question 19

Before a vaginal examination, what should we do for analgesia?

Answer 19

Caudal epidural: 1 mL 2% lidocaine/100kg BW

Question 20

what type of lube should we use?

Answer 20

Not J-Lube…

Question 21

Normal Presentation of a calf in canal at birth

Answer 21

Longitudinal cranial or caudal

Question 22

Normal Position of calf at birth

Answer 22

Dorso-sacral (fetus - mom pelvis)

Question 23

Normal posture of a calf at birth

Answer 23

Extended limbs

Question 24

What are ways you can check for fetal viability, and what should you keep in mind?

Answer 24

Interdigital claw reflex (pinch)
Swallowing reflex
Eye reflex
Be careful with false negatives, may just be hypoxic and still alive

Question 25

What is a method to diagnosis uterine torsion?

Answer 25

Transrectal palpation you feel for the broad ligaments *most common is counterclockwise

Question 26

What is the most reliable clinical sign that a cow has a uterine torsion?

Answer 26

* **Failure to progress to the second stage of labor * *Raised tail head * Restlessness

Question 27

How do you manage uterine torsion?

Answer 27

Rolling if you have enough people, c-section if not. Lay her down on side the torsion has twisted to (so left side if it is a counter clockwise torsion)

Question 28

3 types of manipulations to restore the fetus to normal position for birth

Answer 28

Repulsion Rotation Version or extension of extremities

Question 29

When would you use version?

Answer 29

if the fetus is in transverse presentation, but not possible in ventral transverses

Question 30

If the head has not moved spontaneously into the pelvis, or the forelimbs are crossed, what should we be thinking?

Answer 30

Likely vaginal delivery is impossible (too big)

Question 31

What are the consequence's if you place obstetrical chains on a fetal limbs incorrectly?

Answer 31

Degloving, fractures

Question 32

How can you maximize the pelvic diameter when pulling a large calf?

Answer 32

Rotate the body to a 45 degree angle, largest diameter of the pelvis

Question 33

How do you know if vaginal delivery is possible with posterior presentation?

Answer 33

If the hocks can be exteriorized with simple force

Question 34

What is the surgical approach 90% of the time for c-section?

Answer 34

Left- paralumbar

Question 35

Where do you cut for c-section

Answer 35

caudal third

Question 36

What does Dr. Tibary recommend for instrument use for cutting?

Answer 36

Scalpel on skin, metzenbaums on anything deeper

Question 37

Once in the peritoneal cavity, what do you do first?

Answer 37

wet sterile sleeves check condition of cavity, uterus, check for lacerations, torsion, tone of uterus

Question 38

What part of the uterus do you exteriorize?

Answer 38

the tip of the uterine horn by grasping a fetal limb

Question 39

Where is the incision into the uterus made?

Answer 39

the greater curvatures (tip of horn extended caudally)

Question 40

How many layers do you close the uterus?

Answer 40

2 layers 1: continuous 2: inverting pattern (intramurally), make sure each suture is pulled tightly

Question 41

For the abdominal incision what direction do we start?

Answer 41

ventral commissure: gives better visualization and allows you to push air out of abdomen right before closure.

Question 42

What is included in the first abdominal closure layer?

Answer 42

Peritoneum, transverse and internal oblique

Question 43

Second abdominal incision layer?

Answer 43

External oblique, subcutaneous tissue

Question 44

What pattern do we use to close the skin?

Answer 44

Ford interlocking (4 cm from ventral edge leave room for cruciate - drainage)

Question 45

Calf resuscitation, what do we need to do for the calf after they are out?

Answer 45

suction/hand, place calf in sternal, rub for stimulation of respiration, ET tube if needed, MAINTAIN body temp (101), make sure it gets adequate early colostrum

Question 46

How do we assess calf vitality?

Answer 46

should lift head in 3 min be sternal in 5 min Attempt to stand in 30 min Stand spontaneously w/in 60 - 90 min

Question 47

What do we dip the umbilical cord with?

Answer 47

Chlorhexidine

Question 48

How do we know colostrum quality is good?

Answer 48

Should have > 50 g/L IgG on a refractometer

Question 49

Who has better colostrum, beef or dairy, young or old?

Answer 49

Beef, middle aged

Question 50

colostrum absorption timeframe?

Answer 50

By 6 hours after birth 50% of absorption ability is lost | FPT = IgG < 10 mg/mL

Question 51

What are life-threatening dystocias?

Answer 51

Metritis and toxic shock Downer cow Uterine prolapse Uterine hemorrhage

Question 52

Cow 7 days post partum, anorexic, fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, dehydrated, dark brown foul smelling discharge from vagina, rumen atony. What are your 3 big differentials?

Answer 52

Septic metritis Toxic mastitis Peritonitis

Question 53

What is the most common predisposing factor for uterine prolapse?

Answer 53

Hypocalcemia