Copies of PowerPoint slides from presentation on obstetrics by Dr. Susan Kerr, 4-H Extension Educator and veterinarian from Washington State University.

1. YOUTH &
AGRICULTURE HEALTH ECONOMY ENVIRONMENT ENERGY COMMUNITIES
FAMILIES
GENERAL ADVICE
• Know due dates!
• Feed dams correctly
Obstetrics, Part 1
during gestation
Dr. Susan Kerr • Labor is a process that
WSU-Klickitat Co. Extension takes time; don’t interfere
too much or too early and
create iatrogenic
problems
• Watch for bagging up, www.goat-link.com
relaxed ligaments
PARTS OF THE
FEMALE
REPRODUCTIVE
KNOW WHAT IS NORMAL TRACT
• Behavior
• Anatomy
• Duration
• Difficulty
• Recovery time
http://shantara.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/textbook-goat-kidding-with-pictures
Fetus
Uterus
Source: www.wisc.edu/ansci_repro/lec/lec_19/lec19_images.html Source: www.wisc.edu/ansci_repro/lec/lec_19/lec19_images.html
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2. NORMAL KIDDING
• Phase 1 = Prepatory period (ligaments relax,
udder fills, fetus repositions, cervix
dilates, cervical plug discharged); lasts
12-36 hours
• Phase 2 = Labor and delivery of kid(s); lasts
5-60+ minutes
• Phase 3 = Passage of fetal membranes and
placenta; lasts 0-12 hours
Sheep fetus in uterus
Source: http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/reprod/placenta/ruminants.html
PHASE 1 PHASE 1
• Pacing
• Vocalizing (“soft talking”)
• Off by self
• Gets up and down often
• Looks at abdomen
• Doesn’t eat
• Paws ground
• May leak milk
• Tailhead ligaments very loose
• Fetus is being presented to cervix,
causing dilation
• Vulva swollen
PHASE 2 PHASE 2
• Often lie down
• Fetal membranes
appear
Presentation of
• Abdominal presses
evident fetal nose
• Nose and/or feet
appear
• 5 to 60 minutes
between kids/lambs
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3. PHASE 2 PHASE 2
Delivery of
D li f
fetal head
http://shantara.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/textbook-goat-kidding-with-pictures
PHASE 2 PHASE 2
Note angle of lamb’s body with respect to ewe’s pelvis and
mimic this when helping to deliver kid/lamb/calf/foal.
COMPLETION OF PHASE 2: DELIVERY OF LAMB COMPLETION OF PHASE 2: DELIVERY OF KID
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4. PHASE 3: EXPULSION OF FETAL MEMBRANES & PLACENTA Series of photos from www.FiasCoFarm.com
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5. Lochia: Normal for up to three weeks post-birthing. Dark red, no foul smell.
YOUTH &
AGRICULTURE FAMILIES HEALTH ECONOMY ENVIRONMENT ENERGY COMMUNITIES
Obstetrics, Part 2 Normal presentation =
Dr. Susan Kerr
WSU-Klickitat Co. Extension
Front feet and nose of one kid
From www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/facts/98-091.htm
DYSTOCIA = DIFFICULT DELIVERY
Causes:
• Fetal-maternal relative size mismatch
• Uterine inertia (fatigue, low calcium)
Ut i i ti (f ti l l i )
• Maternal factors: ringwomb, hernias,
starvation, pelvic fracture...
• Malpresentation of fetus
• Fetal monsters or malformations
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6. MALPRESENTATIONS KEYS TO ASSISTING
• Be clean, be gentle, be patient, be calm
• Head back • Use sterile lubricant
• Leg(s) back • Small hands help
• Jumbled up
Jumbled-up twins/triplets • Use sterile gloves; wash hands, remove jewelry
• Wash and rinse vulvar area thoroughly
• Transverse
• Twins can be very confusing
• True breech (rump and tail presented) • Take time to figure out what you feel
• Posterior presentation (hind feet presented) • Look for key landmarks you can identify
• Poll presented • Have assistant retract does’ vulva
• Be willing to be “repulsive” (retropulse fetus back into
dam)
QUESTIONS WHEN TO ASSIST
• Is she dilated enough?
1. Malpresentation
• Is there an underlying problem?
• Does she just need a tincture of time? 2. No progress after one hour of active labor
• Front leg or hind leg? (doeling) or one half hour (doe)
• One or more kids?
• Which parts are which?!
• Should I check for another kid?
“If you pull one, pull the rest.”
--Dr. Mary C. Smith
LEG BACK HEAD BACK
• Very common
• ID front leg vs. back • Quite common
• ID twins, single or triplets • Could confuse with breech
• Follow leg to chest to other presentation
shoulder; follow leg to • W ’t feel tail or anus
Won’t f l t il
knee, bend knee tightly
closed, cup hoof in hand, • Check for ear, eye, teeth
lift up and forward while • Angle of mouth is a good
pushing shoulder back; handle
hoof must be delivered first • Can be difficult to correct if
• Must protect uterus from kid dead a while
hoof
• Head snare can help
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7. BREECH POSTERIOR PRESENTATION
• Often: mild signs of labor,
minimal discharge; fetus
dead when checked days • Easier. Why?
later • How to ID hind feet?
• ID via feeling tail, anus, • If ID, don’t dilly-dally; cord
hocks could be compromised so
• Correct by finding and deliver ASAP.
cupping one rear hoof;
bend fetlock; pull lower
leg backward while
elevating hock. Repeat.
ELBOWS BACK (photo from www.fiascofarm.com) MULTIPLE BIRTHS: ALL BETS ARE OFF!
• AKA elbow lock
• Usually easy to correct: pull
one leg forward, then the
other – reduces width of
body to be delivered
• Can indicate a large fetus,
so rotate body 90 while
pulling to prevent hip lock
• Small kids/lambs can be
born this way without trouble From www.esgpip.info/PDF/Technical%20bulletin%20No7.html
WHICH WAY DO THE JOINTS BEND? HIND LEG VS. FORE LEG PERIPARTURIENT PROBLEMS
• Dystocia
• Pregnancy toxemia
• Milk fever
• Abortions
• Retained placentas
• Prolapsed uterus
• Trauma
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8. RETAINED PLACENTA OXYTOCIN
• Retained beyond 12 hours
• Causes: infections, premature, abortion, selenium • Natural hormone produced by the posterior lobe
deficiency, calcium deficiency of the pituitary gland
• DON’T PULL! • Causes smooth muscle to contract (uterus,
• Treatment: call your vet myoepithelial cells of udder)
ith li l ll f dd )
– Oxytocin • Short half life
– Perhaps prostaglandins (goat) • Administer IV or IM
– Antibiotics (intrauterine vs. systemic) • Never give without conducting a vaginal exam—
– NSAIDs help with fever, inflammation, toxins contraindicated with closed cervix
– Tetanus booster
PROLAPSED UTERUS TEARS
•Associated with lack of exercise, • Often due to human adrenalin
nutritional deficiencies, exhaustion toxicity – be patient and WAIT
and/or dystocia
before pulling!
•Treatment: call your vet
• Can be due to fetal-maternal
– Clean, clean, clean (use
(
HOT soapy water) mismatch,
mismatch dead (dry) lamb, lack of
lamb
lubrication
– Elevate hind quarters
– Elevate uterus • Tincture of time, manual dilation
usually works
– Use gentle fists, not fingers
– Antibiotics, oxytocin, tetanus booster • If mandatory, make incisions from
vulva at 10 and 2 o’clock; clean,
– No need to stitch vulva if uterus replaced properly
suture after delivery. Rarely, rarely
– “Bit” or bite block prevents doe from straining against needed
prolapse reduction efforts
HEAT-TREATING COLOSTRUM MASTITIS
• Heat colostrum to 135 F for 60 minutes; stir
• Usually caused by bacteria
• Heat-treated or negative colostrum may be • Can be mild to fatal
frozen for up to one year Thaw in warm
year. • Udder: pain, redness, swelling, abnormal milk
water bath, not microwave oven • Most common in unsanitary conditions and at dry-off
time
• Do not pasteurize (inactivates antibodies) • Treatment varies: supportive care, +/- antibiotics;
milk out as often as possible
• Bacterial culture and sensitivity best
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9. FLOPPY KID SYNDROME PREGNANCY TOXEMIA
• Most common in late-term fat does
and ewes carrying multiple kids
• Cause = ? • Due to negative energy balance
• Very weak and depressed • Can be precipitated by a sudden lack
of feed or decreased feed intake for
• Kids normal at birth; sick between 3 10 days old
3-10 any reason
• Severe metabolic acidosis without dehydration • Off feed, depressed, weak, act
• Diagnose via signs, bloodwork strange, grinding teeth, fruity breath
• Treatment: sodium bicarbonate orally or by IV, • Preventable by good management:
tube feed, IV fluids, keep warm, TLC make sure does are in a gaining plane
of nutrition during last 6 wks. of
• Positive response to ½ tsp. oral baking soda pregnancy
considered diagnostic
• May need emergency C-section to
save doe’s life
MILK FEVER (ECLAMPSIA, HYPOCALCEMIA) HEALTH KIT
• Rare in sheep • Gloves • Syringes and needles
• Usually within 24 hours pre-or post-kidding/lambing • Aspirin • Alcohol
but can be any time during lactation (does: one • Electrolytes • Antiseptic soap
month post-kidding) • Hemostats • Injectable antibiotics
• Signs: lying down, weak, cold, depressed, trembling
down weak cold depressed • Thermometer
Th t • Epinephrine
E i hi
muscles. Can be fatal • Stethoscope • Iodine
• Check udder--could be toxic mastitis • Vit. E/Selenium • Bandages
• Treatment and prevention: Call vet! Calcium (IV, by • Antitoxins • Probiotics
mouth, IM, SQ) administered carefully • Aspirin • OB equipment and lube
• Chance of milk fever increases with age and • Feeding tube • Dextrose
production?
• Calcium • Propylene glycol
• Watch for recurrence in future lactations
• Electrolytes • Anti-inflammatories
CAUSES OF ABORTIONS RECORD KEEPING
• Birth weight
• Spontaneous regression of CL • Listeriosis • Animal ID
• Exogenous hormones • Salmonella • Dam and sire
• Fetal malformation/genetic • Steroids • Number of kids
error
• Molds/fungi • Kidding ease
• Trauma
• Toxoplasmosis • Treatments, medications
• Maternal illness (fever, • Weaning weight
starvation) • Leptospirosis
• Dates of routine
• Too many feti for uterus to • Immune factors procedures
support • Chlamydiosis / E.A.E. • Illnesses
• Campylobacteriosis (vibriosis) • Selenium deficiency • Birth date
• Toxins • Number of kids weaned
• Pounds of kids weaned
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10. GRAFTING KIDDING AND LAMBING SUPPLIES
• Reasons
• Pelt technique
• See handout
• Meconium & fetal fluids • ESSENTIAL:
technique – Tube feeder
• Doe relies on smell, especially
smell – Bo-Se®
B S
anal area, head and umbilicus
• If graftee kid too old and
– Iodine
vigorous for doe to accept as – Thermometer
her neonate, tie 3 of kid’s legs – Epinephrine
together; it will struggle and
bleat and act more like a – Disinfectant soap
newborn
REFERENCES DISCLAIMER
• www.sheepandgoat.com The information herein is supplied for educational or reference
purposes only, and with the understanding that no discrimination is intended.
• Goat Medicine, Smith & Sherman, 1994, ISBN 0812114787 Listing of commercial products implies no endorsement by WSU Extension.
• www.wisc.edu/ansci_repro/ Criticism of products or equipment not listed is neither implied or intended.
• www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/articlesMain.html Some medications mentioned herein are available only by prescription,
and other drugs are not labeled for use in goats. These drugs can only be
• www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/meatgoat/ahgoats
www cals ncsu edu/an sci/extension/animal/meatgoat/ahgoats used on the advice of a licensed veterinarian when a veterinarian-client-
_index.html patient relationship exists. Other use violates federal law. Consult your
• www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/livepoul/dirm2.pdf veterinarian about the extra-label use of medications.
• http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/ansci/g02015.htm This information is not intended to replace the advice of your
veterinarian. Consult your veterinarian whenever you have a question about
• http://kinne.net/articles.htm your animal’s health.
• http://beef.unl.edu/learning/estrous.shtml (great graphics!)
• www.fiascofarm.com (great photos) Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws
and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, gender, national origin,
religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation. Evidence of noncompliance may be
reported through your local Extension office.
Now let’s watch some “ewe tube” videos!
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