Abstract: A still born atlodymus dicephalus female buffalo calf was delivered after performing a caesarian section in a buffalo cow suffering from dystocia and hydrops amnii. The right head had a cleft palate. The pharynx, larynx and spinal cord of each head join its surpassing of the other head into a single trachea, esophagus and spinal cord, respectively. Hydrops amnii in this case was attributed to defective deglutition due to cleft palate.

INTRODUCTION

Congenital duplication can be defined as imperfectly separated monozygotic twins with subsequent malformations ranging from partial duplication of one part of the body up to almost total formation of 2 fused feti (Easton, 1985; McGirr et al., 1987; Sinowatz, 2010). Dicephalus (synonyms; double headed, two headed or cranial duplication) is a state of embryonic duplications which involve the head with or without involvement of the neck (Majeed et al., 1971; Eichler and Krogh, 1985; Wakuri et al., 1990; Madarame et al., 1993, 1994; Otonari et al., 1993; Bahr and Distl, 2004; Buck et al., 2009). This report describes and discusses a case of dicephalus in a buffalo calf.

CASE REPORT

A 5 year old primiparous buffalo-cow was presented to the clinic (Veterinary Educational Hospital, Faculty Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt) with a case history of dystocia and ruptured first water bag. Inspection of the animal revealed normal birth pain and a pear shaped abdomen from the rear view. Vaginal examination revealed a fully dilated cervix and an intact amniotic sac. Manual rupture of the amniotic sac was carried out with subsequent expulsion of a large amount of amniotic fluid. Further examination revealed a calf with a cranial duplication which could not be delivered per vagina and thus a caesarian section was carried out. A still born dicephalic calf was delivered.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The pear shaped abdomen and expulsion of a large amount of amniotic fluid are clear evidences about presence of hydrops amnii (hymdramnios) in this case. External inspection and necropsy of the fetus revealed a full term female buffalo calf with normal structures in the trunk, tail and limbs. Moreover, the internal organs were normal. The calf presented two complete and separate heads on a single neck. Both heads were nearly of the same size. Each head showed 2 eyes, 2 ears, mandible and maxilla (Fig. 1). Examination of the oral cavity showed that the right head had a cleft palate. Moreover, the two larynx and two pharynx fuse caudally with each other into a single trachea and esophagus, respectively (Fig. 2).

Each skull had its own 2 occipital condoyles. Two fused atlas were adapted to receive the occipital condoyles from each skull. The spinal cord from each skull merged with its surpassing after leaving atlas to form a single spinal cord (Fig. 3).

Any factor responsible for incomplete separation of the primitive streak after day 13 of fertilization is considered an etiological factor for congenital duplication. These factors may be genetic or environmental (Gilmore and Fechheimer, 1969; Easton, 1985; McGirr et al., 1987).

Congenital anomalies result in economical losses as they result in dystocia with subsequent risks on the dam. Also, the lost calf is another financial lost (Roberts, 1986). Double headed calf represent a case of absolute fetal oversize with subsequent provoke of dystocia in animals. Such condition could be resolved through fetotomy or caesarian section (Long, 2009). In this case, caesarian section was carried out to enable further investigations.

Fig. 1:	Dicephalic female buffalo calf had 4 eyes, 4 ears, 2 mandibles and 2 maxilla (a, b)

Fig. 2:	The two larynx and two pharynx merge caudally with each other into a single trachea and esophagus, respectively (a, b). Cleft palate in the right head (a, c). RH; Right Head, LH; Left Head, CP; Cleft Palate, L; Larynx, T; Trachea, E; Esophagus

Fig. 3:	Two fused atlas were adapted to receive the occipital condoyles of both skulls (a, b). The spinal cord from each head merge with its surpassing after leaving the atlas to form a single spinal cord (b, c). OC; Occipital Condoyle, C1; 1st cervical vertebrae (atlas), SC; Spinal Cord

Dicephalic fetus could be found as one of the following forms; Atlodymus (two complete and separate skulls and one neck), Iniodymus (two skulls with fusion at the occipital level) and Derodymus (two complete and separate skulls with 2 separate necks) as stated by Camon et al. (1992). According to the previously mentioned terms, this fetus was atlodymus dicephalus buffalo calf. Cleft palate (palatoschisis) usually result from partial or complete failure of apposition and fusion of the palatine processes resulting in an opening between oral and nasal cavities (Sinowatz, 2010). Live calf with cleft palate will suffer from difficulty in suckling, dysphagia and dripping of milk from nostrils during suckling (Sinowatz, 2010).

Hymdramnios is defined as excessive accumulation of amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac. It could be the result of fetal anomalies such as impaired deglutition or renal dysgenesis or agenesis (Drost, 2007). The hymdramnios reported in this case may be due to cleft palate and/or connection between the pharynx of both heads with subsequent impaired or defective deglutition with further accumulation of amniotic fluid.