ANSWERS

1. Define obstetrics.
   The branch of medicine relating to pregnancy, parturition (labour) and the puerperium (return of the dam's reproductive system to its non-pregnant state).
2. What is the average gestation period of a bitch?
   63 days.
3. What is the average gestation period of a queen?
   64 days.
4. List 6 techniques for pregnancy diagnosis and the most suitable time for their performance.
   • Abdominal palpation - 28 days after mating.
   • Auscultation of foetal heart beats - late pregnancy.
   • Radiography - from day 30.
   • Hormone tests (Relaxin) - from day 25 (but no commercial assay available in the UK).
   • Acute phase protein test - from day 30.
   • Ultrasound - from day 16, but prudent to wait until day 28.
5. When does mammary development become obvious in the pregnant bitch?
   From day 40.
6. When should the food intake of a pregnant bitch be increased?
   Day 35.
7. By what percentage should the amount of the food fed to the dam have been increased by the time she is due to whelp?
   15-25%.
8. Why might it be sensible to feed the dam smaller more frequent meals during the last 10 days of pregnancy?
   In order to compensate for the reduced space in the abdominal cavity.
9. What is a suitable diet for a pregnant bitch and why?
   Proprietary growth formula with increased protein of a high biological value and decreased fibre.
10. Bitches and queens are polytocious; what does this mean?
    They produce numerous offspring in each litter.
11. What types of wormers are safe to use during pregnancy?
    Benzinimadozoles; but always refer to the manufacturer's data sheet prior to use.
12. List 4 clinical signs of pregnancy.
    • Increase in body weight.
    • Abdominal enlargement.
    • Mammary gland enlargement and redness.
    • Serous fluid from the mammary glands from day 40 (and milk from day 50).
13. Give 2 physiological signs of pregnancy.
    • Normochromic, normocytic anaemia.
    • Reduction of packed cell volume (PCV).
14. What is hypocalcaemia?
    Low blood calcium levels.
15. What drug is used to treat hypocalcaemia?
    Calcium borogluconate.
16. Give 2 other names by which hypocalcaemia may be known.
    • Puerperal tetany.
    • Eclampsia.
17. At parturition, the marginal haematoma results in a vulval discharge; what colour is this in bitches and in queens?
    • Bitches - green.
    • Queens - brown.
18. What is the ideal temperature for a whelping box?
    30°C.
19. What is prepartum hypothermia and when may this be detected?
    A decrease of approximately 2°C in the bitch's body temperature as a result of a sudden reduction in plasma progesterone. It precedes the onset of parturition by 24-36 hours.
20. List the signs of first stage parturition.
    • Cervix dilates.
    • Milky discharge produced from the mammary glands.
    • Allantoic fluid discharge from the vulva (from the ruptured placenta).
    • Nesting.
    • Panting.
    • Vomiting.
    • Anorexia.
    • Onset of uterine contractions.
      Please refer to Key Notes: Parturition.
      
      
21. When would intervention be necessary by a veterinary surgeon during second stage parturition?
    If unproductive straining is observed in the bitch for longer than 1 hour.
22. How would you stimulate straining during parturition?
    Apply gentle pressure with a finger to the roof of the vagina.
23. How would you assist delivery during parturition if the foetus were in the breech position?
    Only apply traction if the foetus is presented normally. In this case you would alert the veterinary surgeon. Never apply traction to the feet, as these are easily damaged.
24. What is meant by dystocia?
    A difficult birth.
    Please refer to Module Six for Key Notes: Dystocia.