Severe azotemia in a young breeding ram following to acute urethral obstruction by throughout  intra-luminal blood clots

Abstract

Urethral obstruction is a very important problem in small ruminants` flocks, as it affects breeding rams and so invaluable genetic reserves of the population. A three-years-old breeding ram referred to the teaching hospital with the owner`s compliant of lack of urination in previous two days. The ram was the only one in the flock which it had unlimited access to fat-tailed ewes. The other signs consisted of anorexia, reluctance to walking and final lateral recumbency. Severe depression, anuria, dribbling of blood drops from the glans and firmness of the enlarged penis in palpation were detected in the clinical examination. But noticeably there was no local subcutaneous edema and even swelling outside of the penis as it could be usually observed in urolithiasis. It was noticeable that the animal had remarkable bleeding tendency. An obvious splashing sound was heard using stethoscope auscultation on the right flank along. Abdominal paracentesis demonstrated a blood-tinged peritoneal fluid. Ultrasonography showed a completely distended urinary bladder. The animal died because of severe obstructive azotemia. The distended urinary bladder was opened and large amounts of blood-tinged urine flashed out. The urethra was incised but no urinary stones were detected in the lumen. Otherwise, an intra-luminal blood clotting at full length was detected following to the proximal internal hemorrhage. Obviously, this complex case may be confused with urolithiasis and should be exactly differentiated. There is no available reported data concerning the entity in literature. This case report is discussing the matter.