Week 5 Flashcards
How many cattle need assistance with parturition? horses?
3-25%, especially heifers
1-2% in horses (urgent, dramatic), pigs, sheep
Causes of Dystocia
- Foetal-pelvic disproportion (size issue)
- Malpresentation- usually front feed up, head first (orientation issue)
- Ineffective labour (Mom is not pushing hard enough)
- Other
Foeto-pelvic disproportion
* relates to both :
Foetal birth weight & maternal body weight/ conformation
* If Mom is fat, it is a problem
* Frequency- 50-70% of dystocias in beef, 15-30% in dairy cattle, probably less common in other species
Malpresentation
* Cause often not known- foeto-pelvic disproportion contributes; foetal maturity/strength/ coordination
* Especially in posterior presentation
*Range from simple to horrible
* Frequency: 20-45%, relatively common in horses
Presentation?
Anterior= frontwards
Posterior= backwards
Transverse= sideways

Position?
Dorso-iliac isn’t a bad thing

Posture?

Ineffective labour
* Weak or ineffective contractions
* Primary: hypoCa, debility, obesity
* Secondary: Exhaustion (obstruction, twins, hydrops)
* Frequency: 10-20% in cattle; less common in horses, the most common cause in pigs, dogs, and cats
Insufficient Dilation
vulva= scar tissue- doesn’t stretch as well as it could the next time around
Uterine torsion= uterus has rolled- 180 degrees- 540 degrees (3x around)


hydrocephalus- fluid filled heads
Schistosoma reflexus- inside out essentially- happened early week 1, can even be alive– one dozen per year

Prevention of Dystocia
- Genetics- some factors can be selected for
* foetal BW, double muscling, gestational length, maternal pelvic diameter (is not the same as hip width)
* Some don’t respond well to selection: foetal presentation, posture, position; dystocia itself has low heritability
** Beef production traits linked to same traits that lead to dystocia
- Nutrition:
* Preweaning growth of heifers: has some effect on size at puberty
* Weaning to mating: growth in this period affects pelvis size
* Mating to 1st parturition: restriction of gestational nurition is an imprecise way to affect foetal growth, restriction of late gestational nutrition carries considerable risk to the dam ** or if you gave extra feed, she will give it to her calf, so skinny cow with big calf**
- Management:
* excessive intervention- some species differences
* Delayed intervention- timely intervention may prevent a minor dystocia from developing into a serious dystocia
* Frequency and expertise of observation
What do you want to know on your way out to a calving?

Decision making around dystocia in calving

Options with dystocia
* manipulation, extraction, foetotomy, caesarean section, euthanasia (mom)
What does manipulation with dystocia mean?
* Hygiene and lubrication (Benzalkonium chloride, Methylcellulose, K-Y Jelly)
* You are working in a very confined space
* Correct positions and postures if possible– straighten up the head; the legs
* Don’t try to correct presentations- turning posterior to anterior is unrewarding
* minimize the diameter of the calf/ foal/ lamb…
* Protect the uterus at times (teeth for example)
* Use retropulsion intelligently- can push back in
* Minimize maternal straining
* Positioning of the patient
* Directed and appropriate traction– you can pull in any direction– 3D– which is why the cow in the raceway is not good
Prior to starting in dystocia…
* Assess the cow- she’s down, for example, in a raceway- we can’t move her and turn her– can we get her out of there– move some rails off the fence, etc.
* Wash up- warm water over the back of her, it’s calming
* Assess the calf’s… viability (skin pinching- pulls foot away- if doesn’t could just be stuck; feel for a pulse- femoral, side of chest; stick fingers in eye sockets, it moves it’s head– if it doesn’t maybe jammed and can’t; stick fingers in its mouth– it will start trying to drink), presentation,


Head flexion- fingers, eye hooks, snares

Rotation of calf- directed traction, manual leverage, detorsion rod, pulley system
When do you use forced extraction?
* Correct any malpresentations first; place chains/ ropes properly; orientate the foetus; dilate the cervix (manually)
* When there is no physical obstruction to passage of the foetus
* When foeto-pelvic disproportion has been assessed
* Don’t apply traction to the jaw- very common for farmer
* How hard should you pull? Not too hard
* How do you tell if it will fit? Front feet out of the vulva and the head into the canal- it will likely fit– if I can’t get the hocks out of the vulva- probably too big
* equipment? Jacks, pulleys, people
* Where do you do it? Anticipate the standing patient becoming recumbent
How do you help a small animal with dystocia?
* Space is seriously limited (one finger can get in)
* External manipulation may be more effective (can use your hand and push them from behind)
* Any traction needs to be applied very carefully
What is an episiotomy?
* If the vulval isn’t stretching enough- you can do a cut
* Allowing vulva to tear in the direction you want it to tear
* Occasionally useful in cattle but rare
What do you do with a hip-lock?
Direction of pull more important than strength of pull
* Calving jack– chain on legs (apply tension)– pull in the direction towards the leg
Foetotomy
* Reduction of foetal size by dissection
* Indications: dead calf, alternative to correction of difficult flexions
* Total (2 hours) vs. Partial
* Percutaneous vs. Subcutaneous

















































































