Urolithiasis in boer bucks

This paper describes three cases of urolithiasis in adult Boer bucks. The affected bucks were among the 50 breeders kept under intensive system given cut and carry Napier grass at the rate of 2 kg/animal/day. In addition, the animals were also supplemented with commercial goat pellets at the rate of 300 g/animal/day, 200-300 g of palm kernel expeller (PKE) and mineral block. The affected animals showed clinical signs of stranguria, anorexia, prolonged urination, dribbling urine, tail flagging and abdominal pain. Prior to death, they appeared to be depressed, recumbent, and showed abdominal distension. Supportive treatments in the form of anti-inflammatory drugs and oral drench of ammonium chloride (1%) were attempted. All the animals in this study died within 2 weeks following the onset of depression. Post-mortem examinations revealed swollen testis and severe haemorrhages in the urethra with blackish sandy material deposited within the lumen. There were ascites and swollen kidneys, while cloudy and thick urine filled the bladder. Histological examinations revealed the presence of purplish sandy material, either within the lumen or closely associated with the wall of the urethra. The urethral areas where the calculi were in-contact with the wall showed extensive necrosis with destruction of the epithelial layer and haemorrhages. Urinary calculi have a complex aetiology, but management, nutritional, and anatomical considerations can be helpful. © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press