Journal of Veterinary Science| Lupine Publishers
Abstract
Background
Small ruminants are known to play a very important role in food security in developing countries such as Iran.
Objective
The objective of the study was to identify types and estimate the prevalence of foreign bodies in the rumen and
reticulum of involved sheep in the area, and also to evaluate the surgical approach prognosis.
Results
Epidemic occurred in northwestern of Iran. After referring two cases with ruminal impaction to Tehran Veterinary
Hospital, a precise clinical examination, epidemiology study, and a herd survey were done. Ultimately, surgery was selected to correct
the problem. The incidence and mortality of the disorder were recorded 6/25% and 3.3% respectively. The prognosis of surgical
approach was estimated 90%. On clinical examination of the ram revealed dullness, dehydration, scanty faeces and slight distension
of the abdomen at paralumbar fossa. The number of respiration increased, and breathing was accompanied by groan and difficulty
in breathing. The foreign bodies were about 2 kilogram in weight and was comprised of rope and plastic in mixed with feces.
Conclusion: It was concluded that large economic losses occur due to ingestion of foreign bodies in sheep. It’s conducted that
ruminal impaction can result of grazing sheep in polluted pastures with plastics or ropes or other indigestible material or in poor
pastures that result in ingestion even the rare foreign bodies. In addition, it was concluded that surgical approach can be helpful in
these cases with acceptable prognosis.
Keywords
Sheep Rumen Impaction; Surgical Approach; Foreign Body; Iran
Introduction
Small ruminants (sheep and goats) are known to play a very
important role in food security in developing countries such as
Iran. This is associated with their small litter size as it favours low
investment, small risk of loss and their reproductive efficiency
Omoike [1] Bwala [2]. Of world’s 1.6 billion sheep and 475 million
goats, 65% and 75% respectively are located in developing
countries Tesfaye [3]. The presence of foreign materials in the
rumen and reticulum hampers the absorption of volatile fatty
acids and consequently, reduces the rate of animal fattening
Igbokwe [4], Roman and Hiwot, [5], Tesfaye [3]. The prevalence of
foreign bodies in sheep in different studies were as 9, 29, and 30
in abattoir investigations Tesfaye [3]; Teshome [6], Nigussu Fasil
[7]. The most foreign bodies identified were plastic bags, then
rope and cloth Abebe & Nuru [8], Roman & Hiwot [5]; Sheferaw
[9]; Tesfaye [3]. Surgical operation as experimental studies or in
case studies (in both small and large ruminant), was successfully
done in ruminal impaction Ghurashi [10], Also, 2017; Suthar [11].
In Iran, small ruminants are left to roam and seek their own feed
as the raising system is mainly extensive type. The areas available
for grazing, particularly in the case for animals reared in the
urban and sub-urban areas are polluted with plastics, ropes, hair,
wool and metals. In this condition, sheep and goats are very likely
to be exposed to various infectious diseases and the ingestion of
indigestible materials of various sources. The aim of this report was
to investigate the incidence and mortality of this outbreak and was
to evaluate the prognosis of surgical operation.
Materials and Methods
Area Description
Disease occurred in northwestern of Iran. The area is semi-arid
with Semi-tropical climate, leads to a shortage of food and poor
vegetation in the warm seasons.
History of Cases
Two pregnant ewes, were referred to the Tehran university
hospital with signs of Bruxism and inappetence.
The accurate examination was done and the history was taken
from the farmer. The flock consisted of 300 sheep. Apart from
these two cases, some other cases were involved in the flock, and a
number of livestocks were also dead.
Laboratory Tests
Complete blood count (CBC) and radiograph from abdominal
were taken.
Results
Clinical signs
Ewes showed dullness, dehydration, scanty faeces and slight
distension of the abdomen at paralumbar fossa. 48 cases were
involved with the clinical disease (6/25%). Of these, 10 have
been slaughtered; in autopsy, the presence of foreign bodies was
confirmed. The mortality rate was 3.3% and case fatality was
20.8%. Both ewes had a rectal temperature of about 39.4. The
heart rate was recorded at 150 and 102 beats per minute. The
respiratory rate was 35 and 40 breaths per minute. The number of
respiration increased, and breathing was accompanied by groaning
and difficulty in breathing. Within 2 minutes, no sound was heard in
the paralumbar fossa. The rumen was touched out of the rigid and
massive body. Mouth was frothy. The mucus was pale in both sheep,
and in sheep number 2, the lymphatic nodes slightly enlarged.
Complete Blood Count (CBC) Results
Sheep numb 2 showed leukocytosis with neutrophilia,
high fibrinogen and Plasma protein rate that indicate the
inflammation and probably bacterial infection and or Peritoneum
infection (Table 1). Sheep numb 1 showed regenerative anemia
with thrombocytopenia, seemingly normal leucon (Table 1).
Radiology Result
Radiograph was taken from abdominal cavity in lateral position.
In radiograph, a radio-opaque density was revealed at the ruminal
topographic area (Figure1).
Surgical Therapy:
After confirmation of diagnosis in radiology, surgical operation
was done in both cases. Paralumbar fossa was chosen as an
approach, using paravertebral nerve block was (Figure 2). In rumen
the huge foreign body was detected and extracted. It was about 2
kilograms in weight and was comprised of foreign bodies like rope
and plastic in mixed with feces (Figure 3). The rumen contents
were extracted totally, and then the rumen, abdominal muscles and
skin were sutured. 8 more severe cases were referred to the Tehran
university hospital for surgical operation. Totally ten severe cases
were surgically treated. Nine cases were recovered after a week
and started to increase food intake and appetite increased. One case
involved with secondary infection and died after three days. So the
prognosis of surgical approach was estimated 90 % (Table 1).
Table 1: CBC result in two pregnant
Discussion
In the semiarid region of central Iran, the dry season is from
May to August. Pasture and supplementary concentrate feed for
intensive livestock management are limited and expensive. As a
result, most livestock farmers adopt a free-range management
system in the urban and semi-urban communities where their
animals, mostly sheep and goats, scavenge for food, often going into
dumps, which are around the towns.
However, the ingestion of indigestible materials may occur
during the period of food scarcity Igbokwe[4], Roman and Hiwot
[5] Reports from cattle and sheep reared within urban and suburban environments indicated that impaction of the rumen resulted
from the accumulation of foreign bodies, such as plastic bags which
cause interference with flow of ingesta leading to the distension of
rumen and absence of defection Roman and Hiwot [5]
The fact that rumen impaction by these foreign bodies is mostly
asymptomatic in nature and only diagnosed in live animals if the
material is accumulated in large amount and thus, in contrary with
this study, most studies were done in abattoirs. This was indicated
that in this outbreak, both food scarcity and environmental
pollution were happen simultaneously, and due to clinical disease.
In Hashemiasl study [12] the radiographic approach was used to
diagnose the abomasal phytobezoariasis in sheep. Results of this
investigation showed that radiography of the abdominal area, 92
% can diagnose the disorder Hashemiasl [12]. Further more in our
study, radiology was used to confirmation diagnosis. In Tesfaye and
et al study, from each 288 sheep and goats examined, 28(9.7%)
and 25(8.7%) were positive for various types of foreign bodies,
respectively Tesfaye [3]. In the same survey, A total of 384 sheep
and goats were selected using systematic random sampling method
and 118 of them (30.73%) were found positive for foreign bodies
in their rumen and/or reticulum Nigussu Fasil [7]. In Teshome
and et al investigation the prevalence of foreign bodies in Abattoir,
was significantly higher in sheep (29.6%) and goat (16.7%) than
cattle (14%) Teshome [6]. In this study, the outbreak of disease
was happened and 6.25 % had the clinical signs, but obviously
the present of foreign bodies, with no clinical symptom, was
significantly more.
In Ghurashi et al experimental study, it is concluded that,
surgical removal of the foreign body did improve the health of the
animals under investigation Ghurashi [10], also weight gaining
was increased during the following weeks. This is consistent with
the results of this paper. In our study, gradually after a week, food
intake and weight gaining were increased and the prognosis of
surgical approach was determined 90%. Also in Asrat case study in
2017, the cattle with ruminal impaction due to indigestible foreign
bodies, around 10kg of foreign materials were removed and the
animal regained normalcy successfully (Also, 2017). In suthar et al
study in 2011, 8 cattle with ruminal impaction were operated and
impacted masses were taken out from the rumen, 5 cases out of 8
were recovered (62%) and others died after few days Suthar [11].
In this study, a large part of the foreign body was in the rumen
and small pieces of the reticulum were removed. This finding
was in general agreement with the findings of Abebe and Nuru
[8], Roman and Hiwot [5] and Tesfaye [3] and may be attributed
to the larger rumen volume, the cumulative size/s and material
composition of the foreign bodies, and the types of materials,
with metals and sharp objects tending to localize preferentially in
reticulum Radostits [13], Negash [14]. In Abdullahi and et al study,
the haematological parameters of sheep with rumen impaction
were within the normal range Abdullahi [15]. In this paper also no
pathognomonic changes were found. Pica as one reason of ruminal
impaction, may sometimes not be associated with phosphorus
deficiency, but rather related to poor nutrition, anemia, iron and
cobalt deficiencies and other unknown causes Fraser and Broom
[16]; Igbokwe [4]. We also recorded anemia in one case with
unknown reason, but because of the outbreak of disease, it can be
concluded that the main reason of ruminal impaction in this study is poor and contaminated pasture.
Conclusion
It was concluded that a large economic loss can occur due to
ingestion of foreign bodies in sheep. Author believe that the success
of surgical operation, depends on both the surgeon’s skill and the
general condition of the patient. And also it was concluded that
surgical approach can be helpful in these cases with acceptable
prognosis. This condition can be controlled with additional feeding
with High quality foods, and Avoidance of grazing on poor and
contaminated pastures.
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