Selected studies on foreign body impaction in goats with special reference to ultrasonography

Materials and Methods Foreign body impaction has been recorded in bovine [1, 2] and ovine [3] specifically in developing countries due to lack of recycling industries wastes. Additionally, malnutrition and unbalanced dietary habits lead to a variety of nutritional deficiencies which result in pica and ingestion of materials other than normal food including wastes [4]. Most of these wastes are indigestible and their accumulation in the rumen of grazing animals may lead to adverse effect on health [5]. Ingestion of indigestible materials hinders the process of fermentation and mixing of contents leading to indigestion. They also obstruct the orifice between reticulum and omasum and if not removed through surgery, may become fatal. These foreign bodies cannot be digested or passed as such through feces by an animal. In most cases with foreign body impaction there were no or less abnormalities on hematological and biochemical examination [6]. Although, the diagnosis of foreign body impaction in small ruminant based on palpation of abdomen [7], it was difficult to distinguish pregnancy from foreign body impaction. Therefore a further aid is required to reach a definitive diagnosis. Radiography is currently the reference standard method in diagnosis [8], but it has a disadvantage in that both the patient and staff are exposed to radiation and difficulty of its application under field condition. Ultrasonographic examination was considered also important for differential diagnosis between pregnancy and rumino-reticular foreign materials without risk of radiation. To our knowledge there are very scarce reports in the context of using ultrasonography to attain the definite diagnosis of foreign body impaction in ovine. The results of this paper describe the ultrasonographic feature of foreign body as well as the feature of rumen and reticulum in healthy and diseased goats. Additionally, haemato-biochemical, ruminal juice and necropsy findings were reported.