BOVINE PREGNANCY DETECTION: BOVINE PREGNANCY DETECTION Bruce Olcott DVM,MS,MBA Winrock Nicaragua: 2006


Palpation: Technique: Palpation: Technique


Find the Uterus: Find the Uterus “Sweep” the pelvis Locate the cervix Locate broad ligaments.


Frontal view, cow reproductive tract: Frontal view, cow reproductive tract


Find the Cervix: Find the Cervix Sweep the pelvis Grasp the cervix


Pregnancy Palpation: Late pregnancy: Pregnancy Palpation: Late pregnancy


Pregnancy Palpation: Early pregnancy: Pregnancy Palpation: Early pregnancy


Positive Signs of Pregnancy: Positive Signs of Pregnancy


Vesicle and Fetus: Vesicle and Fetus


Membrane Slip: Membrane Slip Connective tissue band on the lesser curvature of the chorioallantoic membrane “blip”. “Like a thread in a cotton ball” Must palpate the entire diameter of the horn.


Fremitus: Fremitus


Placentomes: Placentomes Develop by 75-80 days and are present until term. Size varies with distance from fetus. They can be seen with ultrasound at 35-45 days.


Palpation Goal: Palpation Goal


Early Pregnancy Diagnosis: Early Pregnancy Diagnosis 35 day pregnancy Vesicle < 1 finger width 1 cm Membrane slip


Early Pregnancy Diagnosis: Early Pregnancy Diagnosis 45 day pregnancy 1.5 finger width Membrane slip Horn noticeably enlarged.


Early Pregnancy : Early Pregnancy 48 day pregnancy 2.0 finger widths 3.5 cm


Early Pregnancy: Early Pregnancy 52 day pregnancy 3 finger widths 5.5 cm


Early Pregnancy: Early Pregnancy 55 day pregnancy 3.5 finger widths 7.0 cm Vesicle is softening


Early Pregnancy: Early Pregnancy 58 day pregnancy 4 finger widths 7.5 cm


Placentomes: Placentomes


Fetal Size: Fetal Size


Pregnancy And Arterial Size : Pregnancy And Arterial Size


False Positive signs of Pregnancy: False Positive signs of Pregnancy


False Positive Pregnancies(Things that Will Mess You Up): False Positive Pregnancies (Things that Will Mess You Up)


Pregnant: Placentomes and fetus.: Pregnant: Placentomes and fetus. Uterine lymphosarcoma. There is no fluid in these but it sure can feel like a calf. Uterus with intramural abscesses can feel like placentomes.


Pregnant 90 days: fluid. : Pregnant 90 days: fluid. Pyometra This is a sequal to a Tritrichomonas infection. Four out of 90 cows were like this.


Pregnant 45 days: fetus palpated: Pregnant 45 days: fetus palpated Distended right horn with “bones” See next slide


Macerated Fetus: Macerated Fetus Macerated fetus. Calf remnants


Pregnant 7 months: can’t retract the uterus. : Pregnant 7 months: can’t retract the uterus. Uterine adhesions. Uterus over the brim of the pelvis and not retractable.


Pregnant 8 months: can’t retract the uterus, caruncles. : Pregnant 8 months: can’t retract the uterus, caruncles. Post partum uterus. Large horns Can’t retract Caruncles palpable Large cervix


Pregnant: left horn enlarged and membrane slip. : Pregnant: left horn enlarged and membrane slip. Inspissated pus left horn” Left horn filled with inspissated pus.


Pregnant 3 months: fetus palpated. : Pregnant 3 months: fetus palpated. Mummified fetus. Mummified fetus


Pregnant 5 months: uterus over the brim of the pelvis. : Pregnant 5 months: uterus over the brim of the pelvis. Freemartin. Couldn’t find tract. Assumed it was over the brim. Small tract with segments not present.


Pregnant: enlarged right horn. : Pregnant: enlarged right horn. No left horn present. This cow actually had several calves.


Ultrasound Diagnostics: Ultrasound Diagnostics


Bovine CL and Follicle: Bovine CL and Follicle


48 day pregnancy CR=3.5 cm: 48 day pregnancy CR=3.5 cm


69 days preg 2.0 cm head: 69 days preg 2.0 cm head