Prolonged dystocia, uterine necrosis, and ovariohysterectomy in a Chios ewe

摘要

A 4-year-old Chios ewe was submitted to the Clinic of Farm Animals (School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki). The animal had delivered 2 healthy lambs, 2 days earlier, and was inappetent, depressed, and reluctant to move, while it had tachycardia and tachypnea. The cervix was opened at a dilation of 1 finger in diameter and fetid fetal membranes expelled from the vagina. Serum biochemistry revealed renal and liver disease, while ultrasonography revealed uterine dilatation.Laparotomy revealed a partly autolysed embryo in the uterus and gangrenous metritis. Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli were isolated in bacterial cultures from the necrotic uterus. As the condition was critical, an ovariohysterectomy was conducted in order for the ewe to survive. Unfortunately, the animal died the following day and a necropsy revealed liver and kidney degeneration.