[Pregnancy toxemia of small ruminants with special reference to pathomorphology]

Abstract

Pregnancy toxemia (PT) is a metabolic disease which causes significant economic losses in small ruminants, especially sheep. Animals are usually affected in the last few weeks of pregnancy, the uterus contains mostly two or more well developed fetuses. A qualitatively insufficient feeding program together with the significant glucose consumption of the rapidly growing fetuses induces progredient hypoglycemia and ketosis. Other factors like stress and decreased ruminal volume may help trigger the metabolic breakdown. The most prominent macroscopic lesion is the extensive fatty infiltration of the liver. Adrenal cortex and proximal tubular epithelium of the kidney are similarly affected. Focal degenerative changes in contractile and conductory myocardial cells may also occur. The frequency of the disease in the necropsy material from our institute is reviewed over a period of 8 years and pathology and pathogenesis of PT are discussed.