Madras Veterinary College, Chennai - 600 007. Received ... of Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital,. Chennai with the history of full term pregnancy,.
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Indian Journal of Animal Reproduction 32 (1) : June 2011
DYSTOCIA DUE TO MULTIPLE FETAL SKELETAL MALFORMATION IN A CROSS BRED COW S.RAJA1a, K.THIRUMURUGAN2, S.BALASUBRAMANIAN, T.SATHIAMOORTHY, R.GANESH3, C.S.ARUNAMAN4 AND S.A.ASOKAN Department of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics Madras Veterinary College, Chennai - 600 007. Received : 07.12.2010
Accepted : 08.05.2011
ABSTRACT A rare case of multiple fetal skeletal malformations in a Holstein-Friesian caff resulting in dystocia and its successful per vaginal delivery is reported. Keywords: Dystocia, Skeletal Malformation, Fetal.
INTRODUCTION Complex Vertebral Malformation (CVM), a familial syndrome of Holstein-Friesian calves has been reported in aborted fetuses and in prematurely born, stillborn, and neonatal calves. Moreover the affected calves have anomalies in the vertebral column, including hemi vertebrae, fused and abnormal vertebrae and ribs, scoliosis, and vertebral syncostosis. In addition to that, concurrent low body weight, symmetrical anthrogryposis, and cardiac anomalies have been documented in affected calves (Duncan et al., 2001). The present paper describes a rare case of multiple fetal skeletal malformations in a Holstein-Friesian calf resulting in dystocia and its successful per vaginal delivery. CASE HISTORY AND OBSERVATION A three year old Holstein-Friesian crossbred cow was presented to the Emergency and Critical Care Unit of Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital, Chennai with the history of full term pregnancy, intermittent straining and ruptured water bag two hours back. General clinical examination revealed that the animal was exhausted with suspended rumen motility, a. Corresponding author, 1. and 2. Post graduate Scholars, 3. Professor Dept. of Clinics, 4. Assistant Professor Dept. of Clinical Medicine ethics and jurisprudence Paper presented in "International symposium on advancements and global opportunities in Veterinary Medicine and 2nd farm animal clinical case management competition " MVC, Chennai-07.
congested conjunctival mucus membrane and rectal temperature of 102°F. Relaxation of sacrosciatic ligaments was appreciable, vulval lips were edematous and congested, hind limbs were completely protruding through the vulva with mild deviation of phalanges. TREATMENT AND DISCUSSION The cow was administered with intravenous fluids (2.5 litres of 5% dextrose normal saline) and subjected to low caudal epidural anaesthesia with 5 ml of 2% lignocaine hydrochloride. Per vaginal examination revealed moist vaginal passage with complete cervical dilatation. The fetus was in posterior longitudinal presentation (P1), dorso-sacral position (P2), with extended and rigid hind limbs (P3). On further careful exploration, laterally deviation of head to the right with slight rigidity was observed. After thorough lubrication of the birth passage, nylon snares were fixed to the fetlock joints and careful well co-ordinated traction was applied with three men force. Simultaneously, pressure was exerted over the slightly rigid deviated portion of the head to cause stretching, enabling successful per vaginal delivery of the dead male fetus. The dam was treated on the initial day with injections of Oxytocin (50 ID), Streptopenicillin (2.5 gm) and Meloxicam (15 ml) intramuscularly and 20% of Calcium borogluconate (300 ml) as a slow intravenous infusion. Antibiotic and antiinflammatory injections were continued for the next four days. The dam had apparently normal feeding habits and milk yield within a week. The dead fetus weighed 9.7 kgs with gross multiple skeletal malformations. Careful examination revealed skeletal abnormalities such as bilateral symmetrical flexion of carpal joints and abnormally shaped thoracic
Indian Journal of Animal Reproduction 32 (1) : June 2011
Dystocia due to multiple fetal skeletal malformation in a HF cross bred cow vertebra with ankylosis of fore limbs, scoliosis, with abnormal backward curve to cranial cervical column (kyphosis). There was a slight rotation and posterior deviation of phalanges in the hind limbs (Fig). Radiological examination confirmed cervical and cranial thoracic anomalies including scoliosis and abnormal deviation in carpal joints. Similar abnormalities such as flexion of carpal joints, deviation of phalanges in the hind limbs and misshaped thoracic vertebrae have been reported (Agerholm et al., 2004). Varalakshmi et al. (2004) have also observed ankylosis of fore limbs and scoliosis in a Holstein-Frtesian calf. Complex vertebral malformation is the designation for a bovine congenital syndrome caused by a mutation in the gene SLC35A3 coding an uridinediphosphate-Nacetylglucosamine transporter (Agerholm et al., 2004) and which may be due to inbreeding and the common practice of using semen from a limited number of elite bulls and their progeny (Nagahata et al., 2002).
Duncan, R.B. Jr, Carrig, C.B., Agerholm, J.S and Bendixen, C. (2001). Complex vertebral malformation in a Holstein calf: Report of a case in the USA. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest., 13: 333-336 Nagahata, H., Oota, H., Nitanai, A., Oikawa, S., Higuchi, H., Nakade, T., Kurosawa, T., Morita, M. And Ogawa, H. (2002). Complex vertebral malformation in a stillborn Holstein calf in Japan. J. Vet. Med. Sci., 64(12): 11071112. Noakes, G.H, Parkinson, TJ and England, G.C.W (2001). Arthur's Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics, 8tfl Edn.. Bailliaere Tindall, London, pp. 344. Varalakshmi, S., Vidhya, M., Venkatesh. G., Balasubramanian, S., Jayaprakash, R and Devanathan, T.G. (2004). Delivery of Holstein Friesian calf with multiple skeletal abnormalities. Vet. Rec. 154:28.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors thank Professor and Head, Department of ARGO, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-7 and Director of Clinics, TANUVAS for the facilities provided. REFERENCES Agerholm, J.S., Bendixen, C., Arnbjerg, C. and Anderson, O. (2001). Morphological variation of Complex vertebral malformation in Holstein calves. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest., 16: 548-553.
Fig. Multiple skeletal malformed fetus
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The Editor, Associate Editors and Members of the editorial board of IJAR, wish all the Life members of ISSAR and subscribes of IJAR a healthy and prosperous New Year - 2012 Indian Journal of Animal Reproduction 32 (1) : June 2011
