Unit 7 - Large Animal Female Reproductive Organs

What are the three parts of the broad ligament?

- Mesometrium

- Mesovarium

- Mesosalpinx

What is the suspensory ligament of the ovary

- Thickened cranial border of mesovarium

Where is the round ligament of the uterus?

- Along the free edge of the perpendicular border of the mesometrium

In which species are the ovaries located more ventrally in the pelvic inlet?

- Ruminants

What structure creates the ovarian bursa?

- Mesosalpinx

How does the location of the fimbriae differ in the horse and cow?

- Going to surround a larger structure in the cow because they can ovulate from any part of the ovary. However, in horses it will cover a smaller area over the ovulation fossa (cortex and medulla reversed in horses)

What are the parts of the uterine tube?

- Ampulla

- Isthmus

- Infundibulum with fimbria

In the mare, the ovaries are located more ________________.

- Dorsocranially

What animals have a duplex uterus?

- Rabbit

- Rat

- Mouse

What animals have a bicornuate uterus, small body?

- Cow

- Sow

What animals have a bicornuate uterus, large body?

- Mare

What animals have a simple uterus?

- Primates

What is unique to the ruminant uterus?

- Intercornual ligament: Coursing between the two uterine horns (two in cows, one in small ruminants)

What is the easiest structure to palpate in the ruminant? The horse?

- Cervix

- Ovaries

In what situation is an ovariectomy done in the mare?

- Performed if tumor present or patient is a "difficult mare?

How can an ovariectomy be done in the mare?

- Standing and sedated via flank incision, laparoscopically, or vaginal incision

- Under full anesthesia via the flank or ventral midline

What are the two parts of the placentome?

- Caruncle (maternal component)

- Cotyledon (fetal component)

Can caruncles be found in the mare?

- No

What is the portio vaginalis? What does this create which can be problematic during artificial insemination?

- Part of the cervix which protrudes into the vagina

- Creates a fornix

Why do we go through the cervix during artificial insemination when penises don't do this naturally?

- So we can use a lower dose of semen to achieve higher rates of pregnancy

The cervix of the cow has ___________.

- Rings

Do mares have a portio vaginalis?

- Yes

Does the equine cervix have rings?

- No

In diestrus, what does the external uterine ostium look like?

- Closed off

In estrus, what happens?

- Cervix swells, external uterine ostium is more open

What can be found in the vaginal vestibule of the cow?

- Suburethral diverticulum

- External urethral orifice

- Clitoris

The vestibule is located more __________ in the cow than in the mare. Which one has a larger vestibule?

- Dorsally

- Mare

Do mares have a suburethral diverticulum?

- No

What are the parts of the clitoris in the mare?

- Glands clitoris

- Fossa clitoridis

- Clitoral sinuses

Why is the clitoris of imported horses swabbed?

- Swab of clitoral fossa and clitoral sinuses to test for contagious equine metritis

In normal anatomy, should the vulva be "open"?

- No, the ventral and dorsal commissures should be closed.

What can happen to the labia of horses as they get older? How is this significant clinically in pregnant mares?

- The opening can increase ventrally as the horses get older they lose fat in this region and get more tipping of the dorsal commissure, leading to more pooling of urine and infections of the female reproductive tract.

- After the mare is bred, they will suture this are closed to protect the baby.

The uterus is located between what two organs? What happens during pregnancy?

- Located between the rectum and bladder

- The uterus sinks to the ventral abdominal floor

What are indications of impending parturition in the cow?

- Softening of the sacrosciatic ligament (easier to see in the dairy cow)

- Swelling of the vulva

What are changes in the equine uterus at the beginning and end of pregnancy?

- The uterus sinks to the ventral abdominal floor (moreso around 5 month mark)

What can rupture in the abdomen of the horse as pregnancy continues?

- Rupture of the prepubic tendon

Explain blood supply to the ovaries (and also the uterus) in the cow.

- Uterine branch of the ovarian artery - Arterial convolutions are in close contact with ovarian vein for prostaglandin transfer

What is the primary supply of blood to the uterus?

- Uterine artery from umbilical artery from internal iliac artery

What does the vaginal artery supply?

- Vagina, cervix, caudal part of the uterus, bladder and urethra

What do the distal branches of the internal pudendal artery supply in the cow?

- Caudal part of vagina

- Vestibule

What veins drain the reproductive tract in the cow?

- Ovarian vein

- Accessory vaginal vein

- Vaginal vein

Explain blood supply to the ovaries (and also the uterus) in the horse.

- Uterine branch of ovarian artery

What is the primary blood supply to the uterus in the horse? What does it anastomose with?

- Uterine artery from external iliac artery

- Anastomoses with branches of ovarian and vaginal arteries

Where does the vaginal artery come from in the horse? What does it supply?

- Internal pudendal artery

- Vagina, cervix, caudal part of uterus, bladder, urethra

What do the distal branches of the internal pudendal artery supply in the horse?

- Caudal part of vagina, vestibule

How does the cervix vary in the ewe and doe? Why is this significant clinically?

- Instead of having four palpable rings, they can have rings, offset rings, or tortuous rings

- This can make passing an AI pipette very difficult with a low success rate and a high dose of semen used

What type of AI is most common in sheep and why?

- Laparoscopic AI

- They are small (don't appreciate being palpated) and have difficult cervixes to pass an AI pipette through

In the sow, what are the ovaries suspended by?

- Long mesovarium

Describe the uterine horns of the sow.

- Longer and can double in length when pregnant

What can be palpated in the uterine artery of sows when pregnant, similar to in cows?

- Fremitus

Describe the cervix of the sow.

- Long cervix with mucosal ridges (corkscrew shaped)

Do sows have a suburethral diverticulum?

- yes

What type of uterus do camelids have?

- Bicornuate uterus with small uterine body

Most pregnancies occur where in camelids?

- Most pregnancies occur in the left uterine horn

Do camelids have a suburethral diverticulum?

- Yes