Ultrasound Diagnosis in Small Ruminants: Occurrence and Description of Genital Pathologies

Abstract

This study reports the occurrence and appearance of various reproductive tract pathologies of small ruminants diagnosed using ultrasound. An eight-year retrospective study of collected ultrasound data was carried out in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil from September 2012 to July 2020. A total of 3463 animals from 16 sheep flocks and 10 dairy goat flocks, raised under extensive and intensive management systems, respectively, were used in the study. All animals were submitted to an ultrasound examination of their reproductive tract. Data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test (p < 0.05), to compare disorder frequencies within and between species. Ewes (4.14%) had fewer reproductive disorders than does (8.98%), while rams (43.63%) and bucks (56.25%) presented no significant differences. Hydrometra was the most frequent finding in does, represented by 50.98% of cases; while, in ewes, recent fetal loss (22.85%) and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (20.00%) were the most frequent. In bucks, the findings showed no clear differences; while, for rams, the most frequent finding was testicular microlithiasis (75.00%). Ultrasonography offers clinically useful information about the reproductive tract via the images it provides; knowledge of which makes it possible to improve the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of genital pathologies.

Keywords: goat; reproductive disorders; sheep; ultrasonographic diagnosis.

Figure 1

Ultrasonographic description of uterine pathologies in ewes and does.

Figure 2

Ultrasonographic description of ovarian pathologies in ewes and does.

Figure 3

Ultrasonographic description of cervical and tubaric pathologies in ewes and does.

Figure 4

Ultrasonographic description of the pathologies of the pregnant uterus in ewes and does.

Figure 5

Ultrasonographic description of testicular pathologies in rams and bucks.

Figure 6

(A) Occurrence of female reproductive tract disorders in ewes and does. (B) Occurrence of male reproductive tract disorders in rams and bucks. ^{a, b, c, d, e, f} Different letters among disorders in the same species indicate differences (Fisher’s exact test; p < 0.05); * Means difference between species (Fisher’s Exact Test; p < 0.05).