Get access to all handy features included in the IVIS website
- Get unlimited access to books, proceedings and journals.
- Get access to a global catalogue of meetings, on-site and online courses, webinars and educational videos.
- Bookmark your favorite articles in My Library for future reading.
- Save future meetings and courses in My Calendar and My e-Learning.
- Ask authors questions and read what others have to say.
Transrectal Cranio-Cervical Dislocation of a Twin Fetus in a Mare
E. Putt, B.W. Christensen and A...
Get access to all handy features included in the IVIS website
- Get unlimited access to books, proceedings and journals.
- Get access to a global catalogue of meetings, on-site and online courses, webinars and educational videos.
- Bookmark your favorite articles in My Library for future reading.
- Save future meetings and courses in My Calendar and My e-Learning.
- Ask authors questions and read what others have to say.
Read
A 7-year-old Thoroughbred mare was diagnosed at 40 days gestation with twin fetuses adjacent to each other in the right uterine horn. At 66 days gestation, the mare was given flunixin meglumine (1 mg/kg IV), buscopan (0.4 mg/kg IV), altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg PO SID), and sedated with detomodine (0.006 mg/kg IV) and xylazine (0.3 mg/kg IV). Guided by transrectal ultrasound (7 mHz), the fetal head of the distal twin was stabilized transrectally between the thumb and forefinger. Dislocation was achieved by positioning the thumb at the base of the cranium and applying pressure side to side until a distinctive pop was felt and the thumb and forefinger could be placed between the head and the neck.1 Evaluations were performed one and two days later showed active heartbeats in both fetuses. One fetus appeared normal but the damaged fetus had hyperechoic debris in the fetal fluid and the head was visualized detached from the body. No evidence of the reduced fetus was apparent on ultrasound at 151 days. At 333 days gestation, the surviving foal was born without incident. The fetal membranes showed no abnormalities and no sign of the reduced twin was noted. The foal showed obvious congenital angular limb deformities with the right metatarsus caudally displaced to the tarsus, valgus deformities of both front legs and left hind, and abnormal ossification, particularly of the tarsal bones. After corrective measures, the foal showed moderate improvement, but prognosis for a future as a show horse is guarded.
The mare was rebred and confirmed to have a singleton pregnancy at 14 days gestation. Twin pregnancy is a major cause of pregnancy loss in horses. While early ultrasound diagnosis and transrectal manual reduction of the twin vesicle is very successful, reduction after Day 16 still provides a challenge to equine practitioners.2-5
Get access to all handy features included in the IVIS website
- Get unlimited access to books, proceedings and journals.
- Get access to a global catalogue of meetings, on-site and online courses, webinars and educational videos.
- Bookmark your favorite articles in My Library for future reading.
- Save future meetings and courses in My Calendar and My e-Learning.
- Ask authors questions and read what others have to say.
About
Affiliation of the authors at the time of publication
Equine Reproduction, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
Comments (0)
Ask the author
0 comments