10 - Failure of Pregnancy

EED

What condition (abbreviated) refers to loss of pregnancy between conception and day 42? It is often unnoticed.

Abortion

What condition refers to loss of pregnancy between day 42 and day 260?

Stillbirth

What term refers to loss of pregnancy between day 260 and term?

No

Is there a high rate of diagnosis for loss of pregnancy in cows?

Stress

Meconium staining on a stillborn fetus is an indication of fetal what?

Fetus, Placenta

What two tissues, in their entirety, are the best samples to take when diagnosing a loss of pregnancy? They should be chilled, not frozen, and fixed in formalin.

T. fetus

What species is also known as trich, and is a flagellated protozoan spread by natural service and AI, and causing endometritis, leading to EED and abortion? It is kept in the preputial crypts of the bull, while cows often clear the infection and gain immunity. Signs include irregular cycles and repeat breeders in cows, while bulls will show no signs. It is diagnosed by doing a preputial scraping 3 times, each 1 week apart, while applying negative pressure with a syringe. Bulls with this infection should be culled.

C. fetus venerealis

What species is a gram negative, short rod/spiral? It is related to C. fetus fetus, which is not a venereal disease. It causes endometritis and is spread by breeding, causing EED and abortion. Cows will pass the infection naturally and retain immunity for 4-5 years, while bulls will pass the infection if they are young, but otherwise will be lifelong carriers. Bulls show no signs while cows will have irregular cycles and repeat pregnancies, and may have mucus during estrus. A preputial scraping and IFAT are done for diagnosis, and cows should be postponed from breeding for 60-90 days. Bulls should be given 2 vaccine doses before exposure, or topical antibiotics in valuable infected bulls.

Granular

What type of vulvovaginitis is caused by Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species, and may or may not show clinical signs? Heifers may hold their tails up and have painful urination, as well as abortion, infertility, and lesions on the penis and vagina. It is transmitted by breeding/AI.

B. abortus

What bacteria is a gram negative coccobacillus which causes contagious abortions, also called Bang’s disease or enzootic abortion, and is zoonotic? It is ingested in aborted fetus or lochial discharge, replicates in the LNs, and is shed in milk or abortion products. It normally causes late term abortion storms, and 80% of infected animals do not abort again. Placentitis of the intercotyledonary area is most common with a moroccan leather appearance and exudates covering the placetomes. It is notifiable and uses the RB51 vaccine.

L. interrogans

What bacteria is a small aerobic spirochete that is zoonotic, and has host-specific and incidental variations? The host-specific type is spread through direct contact, venereally, or in milk and is persistent, with species like L. hardjo in cattle and L. pomona in pigs. The incidental type causes acute, short renal signs and is spread through indirect transmission. It passes through the mucous membranes, causing bacteremia in the kidneys and genitalia, and is spread venereally. Abortions typically occur from 4 months to term, causing an icteric fetus and tubular necrosis in the kidney. Fluorescent antibody tests are the best for diagnosis, and antibiotics are good to stop shedding, though vaccines also exist.

Salmonellosis

What infective cause of abortion is caused by species like S. dublin and S. typhimurium, and is a zoonotic disease passed in contaminated feces? It causes bacteremia, placentitis, pyrexia, localization in the placetomes, diarrhea, and abortion storms. Antibiotics can be used to treat secondary conditions and it can be vaccinated against.

Listeriosis

What bacterial cause of abortion is caused by the species L. monocytogenes, found in soil and spoiled silage, which can be zoonotic and cause abortion and weight loss, plus RFM, cotyledon necrosis, and foci in the liver and spleen? Diagnosis is with isolation and culture.

1

Which number bovine herpesvirus is the causeative agent of URT, IBR, and genital pustular disease in males and females, and contributes to abortions? It is spread in respiratory and genital secretions. It causes conjunctivitis, viremia, and abortions usually at 4-8 months gestation. Liver and lung foci and intranuclear inclusion bodies can be seen, although diagnosis is difficult.

Respiratory

Do the respiratory or genital signs of BHV-1 cause abortion?

No

Can modified live vaccines be used in pregnant cattle?

BVDV

Which viral cause of abortion (abbreviated) can be either cytopathic or non-cytopathic, and affects the fetus differently based on the stage of gestation?

Abortion

What will be the result of a BVDV infection in a fetus under 100 days of gestation?

Carrier

What will be the result of a BVDV infection in a fetus between 90 and 140 days of gestation, other than abortion and birth defects? The antigen test will be positive and antibody test negative.

Normal

What will be the result of a BVDV infection in a fetus over 150 days of gestation? It will be antigen negative and antibody positive.

Mucosal

What disease will result if a BVDV carrier calf is infected with a cytopathic strain of BVDV?

Yes

Is a biopsy of ear tag samples the best way to test/monitor for BVDV infections in cattle?

N. caninum

What cause of abortions in cattle cause up to 20% of abortions, and form microscopic lesions? The dog is the definitive host, and cysts are ingested and encysted in the intermediate (cattle) host body. Trophozoites are then passed through the placenta. The best treatment is to interrupt the life cycle and cull infected animals.

Foothill

Enzootic bovine abortion is also known as what abortion, and may be caused by P. abortibovis? It is carried by Pajaroello ticks and infects only heifers and adult cows new to California and the surrounding states. It has no clinical signs and causes late term abortion storms, though only producing one abortion, followed by normal pregnancy. The fetus will have ascites and lymphadenopathy.

Mycotic

What agents of abortion, such as A. fumigatus, occur mostly in the soil and cause sporadic late term abortions? There are no signs in the cows other than placentitis and intercotyledonary thickenings, but skin lesions with a ringworm appearance will occur in the fetus. Increasing ventilation and avoiding moldy feed are the best methods of prevention.

Crooked Calf

What syndrome can occur due to toxic plants like poison hemlock, lupines, N. glauca, locoweeds, and others, causing teratogenic conditions in the calf?

Pine Needles

What plant structures can cause RFM and metritis due to constriction of placental blood flow?

Fescue

Toxicity with what plant/feed occurs when it is infected with fungi, involving ergot alkaloid toxicity? It causes peripheral vasoconstriction, leading to open-mouth breathing, fescue foot, and summer slump signs. It can also cause delayed puberty and has no real treatment.

Nitrate

Abortions can occur due to what feed components, which are high in feeds like pigweed, oats, wheat, and corn, and cause increased conversion of hemoglobin to methemoglobin? This leads to hypoxemic stress and late term abortions, and is treated by giving prostaglandins.