A retrospective study on ruminant urethral obstruction in Debre Zeit area, Ethiopia

Urethral obstruction, partial or complete blockage of the urethral lumen, is a serious condition, which often results in rupture of the bladder or extra-pelvic urethra in ruminants. It occurs almost exclusively in the male in which the structure is obliged to follow an extremely tortuous course [5]. Rupture of the urethra and bladder, in turn, results in infiltration of urine into the connective tissue of the ventral abdominal wall and the flow of urine in to the peritoneal cavity, respectively [6]. The two most common causes of obstruction are trauma, as it occurs when the urethra is included in the jaws of burdizzo castrator during bloodless castration, and blockage by uroliths [5, 8]. Urethral obstruction is economically important in both cattle and sheep. It causes the condemnation of urineous carcass and death [5, 8]. According to HAY [6], the prevalence and the case fatality rate of the disease in intensively concentrate-fed sheep may reach up to 10 % and 100 %, respectively. Similarly, a 37 % death rate in flock of fattening lambs during winter housing was reported [10]. MALLY and BOMMAIAH [9], stated that a serious economic loss may be caused as a result of urine retention in male cattle due to uroliths in certain dry tracts of Mysore State.