Gynaecology and Obstetrics Section

DOWNWARD DEVIATION OF HEAD

Wry –Neck

• Is seen in equine but rarely in bovine fetuses.
• It usually occurs in transverse bicornual pregnancy in the mare in which movement of the fetal head and neck is restricted during most of the gestation period.
• The cervical vertebrae are curved and the articulations and atrophied muscles produce a sharply bent “muscle contracture” condition of the neck that cannot be straightened
• Correction is impossible and decapitation is required.

Downward deviation of head

• Downward deviation of the head between the fore limbs is occasionally seen in all species except swine.
• In mild case, only the nose of the fetus is caught on the brim of the pelvis with the fore head entering the pelvic in let – vertex presentation.
• In severe flexing of head and necks, the ears and the poll of the head are presented – poll posture.
• In more severe cases the neck extends between the fore limbs and the head is against the fetal sternum or abdomen-Nape posture.
• In this type of nape posture the fore limbs do not came together and that in the mare the mane of the fetus may be felt between the legs.

Correction

• Repelling the fetus and grasping the muzzle of the foetus and raising it into the pelvic cavity usually corrects vertex posture and poll presentation.
• Neglected cases may require epidural anesthesia and fetal fluid supplement.
• During the correction of nape after the fetus is repelled and a forelimb may be flexed along side the body.
• This gives room for the head to be rotated laterally and then brought upward and forward over the pelvic brim.
• The leg is then extended and the fetus removed by traction.
• In very difficult case it may be advantageous to replace both forelimbs into the uterus.
• Casting the cow and placing her in dorsal recumbencey greatly facilitate extension of fetal head.
• When manipulative delivery fails foetotomy may be done.