Fetal ascites & anasarca (hydrops fetalis)
Keywords: bovine, anasarca, ascites, dystocia, heritable, neoplasia, hypoplasia, IVF, clone, cloning
Ascites: < Greek askos; "a bag of wine"
Anasarca: < ana : "throughout" & sarca: "new flesh"
Hydrops fetalis: Abnormal accumulation of fluid in two or more fetal compartments, including ascites, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and skin edema.
Ascites: < Greek askos; "a bag of wine"
Anasarca: < ana : "throughout" & sarca: "new flesh"
Hydrops fetalis: Abnormal accumulation of fluid in two or more fetal compartments, including ascites, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and skin edema.
A complex subject with varying appearances and many different etiologies. Hydrops fetalis (HF) may be due to any factor/s that cause passive venous congestion i.e. intra-peritoneal or intra-thoracic neoplasia (leiomyomas, teratomas hepatoblastomas), liver cirrhosis or other liver anomalies, cardiac anomalies, pulmonic valve stenosis or dysplasia of the lungs themselves. Some of these anomalies are heritable in several breeds of cattle. As is so often the situation with abnormal calves, the calf shown below (photographed 41 years ago!) was discarded without a thorough post mortem examination. Therefore the cause of ascites in this case was unknown.
Because of its enlarged abdomen and resulting dystocia, the calf (weighing 71 kg) was delivered by cesarean. A calf with ascites can often be delivered per vagina after incising its abdomen using a finger knife and allowing the fluid to drain into the cow's uterus. The yellow staining of the hair coat here was due to meconium discharge from the anus; a common situation during fetal distress precipitated by hypoxia.
Because of its enlarged abdomen and resulting dystocia, the calf (weighing 71 kg) was delivered by cesarean. A calf with ascites can often be delivered per vagina after incising its abdomen using a finger knife and allowing the fluid to drain into the cow's uterus. The yellow staining of the hair coat here was due to meconium discharge from the anus; a common situation during fetal distress precipitated by hypoxia.
Image size: 1330 x 891 px.
In the fetus below (delivered by cesarean and also discarded without a thorough postmortem examination) there was ascites as well as marked anasarca. The calf showed a multitude of musculo-skeletal deformities too.
Image size: 1500 x 818 px
In fetuses produced by assisted reproductive technology (ART) i.e. cloning through nuclear transfer (NT) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), pregnancy failure is common and many abnormalities have been described in calves, lambs and human babies produced through ART. The most striking of these is the so called "Large offspring syndrome" where newborn babies, calves and lambs can be several times their normal weight at birth. Cardiac, kidney, hepatic and pulmonary abnormalities have been described in these cases. In addition, angiogenesis itself can be abnormal, leading to increased permeability of blood vessels in the fetus and fetal membranes.
In the case shown below, the calf was a product of IVF and abortion occurred at 7 months of gestation. There was severe ascites and anasarca (HF) as well as hydrops amnion and allantois. The case is discussed in more detail in another LORI entry, featuring a video. In that video, the author suggests that genetic alterations may occur in these cases as a result of culture conditions. However, current information shows that the abnormalities manifested in cases of IVF and NT are largely epigenetic in nature.
The calf weight 56Kg; well in excess of the 8 to 18Kg range for a fetus of this gestational age. Meconium staining of the hair coat is obvious in this case as well.
Image size: 1333 x 1076 px
Pitting edema (below) was present over the entire surface of the calf and its fetal membranes.
Image size: 1591 x 988 px
Subcutaneous edema is visible here, in the upper left inset. At lower right, a stream of ascitic fluid is being released from the abdomen. Readers are encouraged to view the teaching video mentioned above to appreciate the nuances of this case.
In conclusion, ascites, anasarca, placental edema, hydrops allantois and hydrops amnion are common manifestations of various conditions that may or may nor be related to one another.
Selected references:
Alberto, M.L.V. et al. 2012. Development of bovine embryos derived from reproductive techniques, Reproduction, Fertility and Development. 25: 907-917
Baraya, Y.S. et al. 2015. Dystocia associated with foetal anasarca (hydrops fetalis) in a Nigerian breed of sheep; Case report. Proceedings: Sixth Pan Commonwealth Vet.Conf.of the CVA and 27th Vet. Assn. Malasia Conf. 519-522
Buchanan, J.W. 2001. Pathogenesis of single right coronary artery and pulmonic stenosis in English Bulldogs. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 15: 101-104
Chen, Z et al. 2013. Large offspring syndrome. A bovine model for the human loss-of-imprinting overgrowth syndrome Beckwith-Wiedemann. Epigenetics 8:591–601
De Vries, C. et al 2012. Congenital ascites due to hepatoblastoma with extensive peritoneal implantation metastases in a premature equine fetus. J. Comp. Path. 2012, 148: 69-69
Drost, M. 2007. Complications during gestation in the cow. Theriogenology. 68: 487-491
Edwards, J.L. et al. 2003. Cloning adult farm animals: A review of the possibilities and problems associated with somatic cell nuclear transfer. A. J. Reprod. Immunology. 50: 113-123
Golladay, E.S. and Mollit, D.L. 1984. Surgically correctable fetal hydrops. J.Pediatric Surgery.19: 59-62
Pinborg, A. et al. 2014. Large baby syndrome in singletons born after frozen embryo transfer (FET): is it due to maternal factors or the cryotechnique? Hum. Reprod. 9: 618-27
Pushp, M.K. et al. 2016. Dystocia in a non-descript cow due to ascetic fetus- a case report. J. Livestock Sci 7: 62-64
Rheuban, K.S. et al. 1991. Intrapericardial teratoma causing nonimmune hydrops fetalis and pericardial tamponade: A case report. Pediatric Cardiology. 12: 54–56
Roberts, S.J. 1986. Veterinary obstetrics and genital diseases. Diagnosis and treatment of various types of dystocia. pp 333-335. Published by the author, S.J. Roberts.
Sasaki S. et al. 2016. A missense mutation in solute carrier family 12, member 1 (SLC12A1) causes hydrallantois in Japanese Black cattle BMC Genomics 17:724 739
Svara, T. et al. 2016. Pulmonary hypoplasia and anasarca syndrome in Cika cattle. Acta Vet. Scand. 58: 36-40
Testoni, S.et al. 2009. Congenital facial deformities, ascites and hepatic fibrosis in Romagnola calves. Vet.Rec. 164: 693-694
Walker, S.K. et al. 1996. The production of unusually large offspring following embryo manipulation; concepts and challenges. Theriogenology 45: 11l-120
Whitlock, B.K. et al. 2008. Heritable bovine fetal abnormalities. Theriogenology. 70: 535-549
Windsor, P.A. et al. 2006. Hydrops fetalis associated with pulmonary hypoplasia in Dexter calves.
Australian Vet. J. 84: 278-281
Young, L.E. et al. 1998. Large offspring syndrome in cattle and sheep. Reviews of reproduction. 3: 155-163
