Bovine dystocia caused by carpal and shoulder flexion: A case report

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.