Pathological, clinical and biochemical investigation of naturally occuring pregnancy toxemia of sheep

Abstract

A sick ewe in late pregnancy presented with clinical incoordination, lipping, amaurosis, head tilt gait and nervous symptoms such as circling movements. A smell of ketones on the breath was detected. The sick animal died during clinical examination and, together with three more dead animals belonging to the same flock, was submitted to the laboratory for necropsy. The uteri of all pregnant animals contained late-term twin fetuses. The most prominent lesion was extensive fatty infiltration of the liver. Massive lipidosis and lipid vacuoles were seen in sections of the livers. In three brains, there was prominent vacuolation in the white matter. Urine analysis revealed ketonuria in most of the suspected sheep from the same flock. Serum glucose, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood urea nitrogen concentrations were lower (p≤0.05) and serum triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities were higher (p≤0.05) in these sheep than in the controls. After a change of diet and treatment, with glucose and dexamethasone serum glucose levels significantly increased (p≤0.001) and urine ketone bodies decreased but the other biocemical differences remained.