A mesenteric tear as a cause of dystocia
Keywords: dystocia. equine, mesentry, tearA Belgium draft mare was referred to our clinic several hours after the onset of second stage parturition. Attempts by the rDVM to deliver the foal had been unsuccessful.
During per rectal examination to ascertain the presence of possible uterine torsion, the foal was not palpable yet one could easily palpate the foal via per vagina examination. This led to some confusion and speculation on the part of the author. Amid this discussion, the owners elected to euthanize the mare.
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On postmortem examination, a large rent was discovered in the mesentery. The large bowel and mesenteric rent is shown above. The location of the body of the uterus and fetus was simulated by the author. The smooth margins of the rent have not been re-touched in this image; they were exactly as shown here.
Evidently, the mesenteric rent had occurred some time before the mare had become pregnant or during early pregnancy, allowing the uterus and part of the mesometrium to pass through this opening. The foal had developed to term, cranial to the opening. This explained why the foal could not be palpated per rectum yet was easily palpable per vagina. During per vagina examination, the author's arm had passed into the uterus, through the opening in the mesentery. During per rectal examination however, the large bowel lay between the rectum and uterus, disguising the presence of the fetus.
It was not possible for the foal to be born because it had been constrained by the hole in the mesentery. A unique case.
