Postpartum retention
As retained placenta ( retained placenta ) is known in the veterinary medicine the lack of disposal of the placenta after birth , so the now superfluous remainder of the placenta ( placenta ). Postpartum retention occurs mainly in cows and mares; other animal species are very rarely affected. Postpartum retention is not an independent disease, but a symptom of various functional disorders.
Occurrence
Postpartum retention occurs primarily in cows and mares. In domestic cattle, the condition is defined when the afterbirth is not rejected within 12 hours of birth. In the case of mares, one speaks of delayed delivery if the postpartum has not been completely delivered within three hours of birth, and of postpartum retention if more than 6 hours pass.
causes
The etiology of postpartum retention is not yet clear. It seems to be a multifactorial event. All processes that lead to imbalance and asynchrony of the birth process can trigger postpartum behavior.
In horses, it occurs mostly in difficult and twin births, hypodermic dropsy and in very old mares. A reduced force of contraction of the uterus , a disturbed reaction of the myometrium by oxytocin or disturbances in the dissolution of the contact zone between mother and fruit are pathogenetically involved.
In cows, numerous factors have been described as triggers or at least favorable causes. Infectious causes such as brucellosis , uterine skin inflammation or udder inflammation as well as non- infectious factors can be the basis. The latter include a shortened or extended gestation period , hormonal disorders and metabolic disorders. Also, induction of labor with prostaglandin F 2a leads in most cases to a placenta.
Postpartum retention is very rare in sheep and goats, especially in the case of nutritional deficiencies, multiple pregnancy and after a chlamydial abortion . Postpartum retention is very rarely observed in pigs. It occurs in these mainly in the case of weak contractions or obstruction of the birth canal.
consequences
Postbirth behavior represents a major health risk for the mother animal and also causes considerable economic losses in livestock husbandry.
They mostly lead to endometritis , which can turn into septicemia and thus into a life-threatening condition. Very often they lead to a decline in milk yield and impaired fertility (prolongation of the intermediate gestation period ), possibly also to infertility .
See also
literature
- E. Grunert and K. Arbeiter (ed.): Animal birth aid . Paul Parey, 4th ed. 1993.
