The Syndrome of Pica or Depraved Appetite in Small Ruminants: A Mini-Review

Abstract

This mini-review is written to shed light on the syndrome of pica or depraved appetite in small ruminants, sheep, and goats. Contributing factors, clinical, laboratory, and postmortem findings, and control measures are discussed in detail. The condition is a special condition, whereby the diseased animal usually eats abnormal things such as bone, wood, hair, wool, sand, mud, cloth, plastics, robes, and many other objects. Sometimes, the animal may eat its feces. The condition is associated in many cases with a wide variety of dietary deficiencies. As a result of the abnormal appetite, the affected animal starts to lose body weight progressively depending on the acuteness and course of the syndrome. Other complications are watched by different field veterinarians such as toxicity lead poisoning botulism and obstruction of the esophagus and intestines that may be partial or complete. Several predisposing causes are implicated in the etiopathogenesis of this syndrome. Of these contributing etiologies is the shortage in protein, fibers, and some minerals such as cobalt, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, zinc, cobalt, iron, and copper. Chronic parasitism and ketosis are also important predisposing causes.