DYSTOCIA DUE TO RARE FOETAL MONSTER IN A BUFFALO

Dystocia due to rare foetal monster in a buffalo

Case history:

Dystocia due to rare foetal monster in a BUFFALO, A buffalo in its 3rd lactation was presented with a history of prolonged labour stage with forceful abdominal contraction.

Observation:

Upon examination we see there is a presence of abnormal foetus in anterior presentation.Both forelimbs flexed at knee joint resulting in blockage of birth canal.

Introduction:

  • Monstrosity is a disturbance of development that involves various organs and systems which cause great distortion of an individual.
  • These are developmental abnormalities of ovum, embryo and foetus.
  • Occur in all species of domestic animals

causes:

  • Congenital
  • Due to abnormal duplication or disruption of inner cell mass in a embryo with partial duplication of various structures.
  • Mostly duplication is of cranial portion.
  • Less common in caudal portion.
  • Viral infections
  • Intra uterine exposure to poisons ingested by dam
  • Vitamin deficiency (Vitamin A and folic acid)
  • Hyperthermia
  • Gene mutation

Diagnosis:

On Per vaginal examination Foetus present in anterior presentationBoth forelimbs flexed at knee joint resulting in blockage of birth canal.Abnormal monster head also felt similar to dicephalic. on Ultrasonography ( single heart beat felt). Hence, we diagnosed it as a dicephalic foetus (two head, two neck, one trunk region). Types of dicephalic monster

  • Atlodymus (two complete and separate skull and one neck)
  • iniodymus (two skulls with fusion at the occipital level),
  • derodymus (two complete and separate skulls with two separate necks.

Differential diagnosis:

  • Twins
  • Diprospus ( in Diprospus two faces and two clefts and single head is present)
  • Dipygus ( Duplication of trunk or limbs )
  • Siamese twins( attachment of fetus at the level of sternum )
  • Pygodidymus ( Two calves joined at the level of rump in opposite direction )

Incidence:

  • Incidence of these is about 33.2 % including Diprosopus , Dicephalus , Dipygus , Siamese Twins , Pygodidymus.
  • Incidence among all calves seems to range from 0.2 to 3.0 percent with 40 to 50 percent born dead and only a small fraction of reported defects not being externally visible.

treatment:

  • Give epidural anaesthesia (2% lignocaine hydrochloride)
  • Lubrication of hand with liquid paraffin.
  • Then enter it into birth canal.
  • Gentelly repel the foetus towards uterus.
  • Flexed limbs were extended carefully using cup shaped hand.
  • Foetus delivered with judicious traction.
  • Foetus died after two days.
  • Supportive therapy of dam for 5 days.
  • Antibiotic
  • Anti inflammatory drug.
  • Fluid therapy.
  • Uterine lavage with antiseptics.

Other possible treatments are fetotmy and C-section.

Delivered foetus:

  • One foetal head was developed with absence of one eye
  • Other head has no distinct differentiation of facial structures with absence of eyes, ears, nose and mouth parts.
  • Hence, foetus resembled dicephalic monster.

Source  Buffalo Bulletin (October-December 2016) Vol.35 No.4




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