Bovine dystocia caused by carpal and shoulder flexion: A case report
Aleksandar Apostolov, Aleksandar Stoimenov

, Kalin Hristov

Abstract: The term dystocia comes from the Greek (dys – difficult, tocos – birth). The condition represents the inability of the fetus to pass through the birth canal. Dystocia is a major cause of increased mortality during labor. This clinical case describes a difficult parturition in a four-year-old Holstein Friesian cow. The animal was seen early in the morning with signs of non-progressive labor. Obstetric examination revealed a dead fetus in anterior longitudinal presentation, dorsal position, flexed left thoracic limb at the carpal joint and flexed right thoracic limb at the shouder. The diagnosis was dystocia due to fetal disposition. The malposition was corrected by manual manipulation followed by fetal extraction.
Keywords: bovine; carpal; dystocia; flexion; shoulder
Citation: Apostolov, A., Stoimenov, A. & Hristov, K. (2025). Bovine dystocia caused by carpal and shoulder flexion: A case report. Bulgarian Journal of Animal Husbandry, 62(3), 54-58.
References: (click to open/close) | Abera, D. (2017). Management of dystocia cases in the cattle: A review. Journal of Reproduction and Infertility, 8(1), 1-9. Al-Amin, M. D. (2018). Management of Fetal Dystocia Caused by Carpal Flexion in A Cow: A Case Report. A clinical report presented in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of DVM (Doctor) of Veterinary Medicine. Presented: by Roll No 12/34, Reg. No 762, Internship ID 52, Session 2011-2012. Ansari-Lari, M. (2007). Study of perinatal mortality and dystocia in dairy cows in Fars Province, Southern Iran. International Journal of Dairy Science, 2(1), 85-89. Beagley, J. C., Whitman, K. J., Baptiste, K. E. & Scherzer, J. (2010). Physiology and treatment of retained fetal membranes in cattle. Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 24(2), 261-268. Bleul, U. (2011). Risk factors and rates of perinatal and postnatal mortality in cattle in Switzerland. Livestock Science, 135(2-3), 257-264. Dimitrov, M., Prandzhev, I., Elezov, G. & Tsolov, S.(2003) Veterinarno akusherstvo i ginekologia. St. Zagora, PIK, 199-202. ISBN: 954-736-095-7 (Bg). Eiler, H. & Hopkins, F.M. (1992). Bovine retained placenta: Effects of collagenase and hyaluronidase on detachment of placenta. Biol Reprod, 46, 580–585. Holland, M. D., Speer, N. C., LeFever, D. G., Taylor, R. E., Field, T. G. & Odde, K. G. (1993). Factors contributing to dystocia due to fetal malpresentation in beef cattle. Theriogenology, 39(4), 899-908. Jackson, P. G. (2004). Handbook of veterinary obstetrics. Book, Second Edition, WB Saunders, 52-55. ISBN 978-0-7020-2740-6. Jemal, J. Y. (2016). A review on retention of placenta in dairy cattles. International Journal of Veterinary Science, 5(4), 200-207. Kaitu’u, T. U. J., Shen, J., Zhang, J., Morison, N. B. & Salamonsen, L. A. (2005). Matrix metalloproteinases in endometrial breakdown and repair: functional significance in a mouse model. Biology of reproduction, 73(4), 672-680. Khudhair, N. Y., Mohammed, S. N. & Mahmood, M. Y. (2020). Some types of dystocia and their impacts on the viability of fetus in iraqi heifer cows. Biochemical & Cellular Archives, 20(2). Mahnani, A., Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi, A., Ansari-Mahyari, S., Ghorbani, G. R. & Keshavarzi, H. (2021). Farm and cow factors and their interactions on the incidence of retained placenta in Holstein dairy cows. Theriogenology, 159, 87-97. Noakes, D. E., Parkinson, T. & England, G. C. W. (2009). Arthur’s veterinary reproduction and obstetrics (Ninth Edi.), 262-264. Saunders Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7020-3990-4. Noakes, D. E., Parkinson, T. J. & England, G. C.W. (2019). Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetric., Book, Tenth Edition, Part 3: Obstetrics and Surgery of the Reproductive System, 230-231. ISBN 978-0-7020-7233-8. Roberts, S. J. (2004). Veterinary obstetrics and genital diseases. CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Limited. ISBN 978-8-1239-0922-6. Vasilev, N., Georgiev, P., Iotov, S., Antonov, A., Atanasov, A., Fasulkov, I. & Karadaev M. (2021) Praktichesko rakovodstvo po veterinarno akusherstvo, reproduktsia i bolesti na mlechnata zhleza. Stara Zagora, 59-62. ISBN 978-954-338-173-9 (Bg). Vasilev, N., Iotov, S., Atanasov, A., Georgiev, P., Antonov, A. & Fasulkov, I. (2015). Praktichesko rakovodstvo po veterinarno akusherstvo, reproduktsia i bolesti na mlechnata zhleza. Stara Zagora, 55-57. ISBN: 978-954-338-117-3 (Bg) Youngquist, R. S. & Threlfall, W. R. (2006). Current therapy in large animal theriogenology. Elsevier Health Sciences, ISBN 978-0-7216-9323-1. |
|
| Date published: 2025-06-25
Download full text