Clinicopathological study of ruminal acidosis in small ruminants

A study was conducted during an outbreak of acidosis in sheep and goats in Vrindavan area of Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) in April, 2018. The animals were severely affected, recumbent, anorectic, showing staggering gait with distended and doughy abdomen. The incidence, mortality and case fatality rates were higher in sheep than in goats. On clinical examination, the affected animals showed subnormal rectal temperature, tachycardia and increased respiration rate with rapid and shallow breathing. The ruminal fluid of affected and dead animals was milky, acidic and had a sour odour. There was a marked increase in blood glucose level in severely acidotic sheep and goats with a rise in haemoglobin, packed cell volume and total erythrocyte count. Post-mortem changes exhibited the presence of grains in the rumen and reticulum. Rumen was filled with a good amount of milky fluid with a sour odour and the mucosa of rumen and reticulum was slightly sloughed off. The lungs were emphysematous with patchy areas of congestion and oozing of frothy fluid when cut. The heart showed epicardial and endocardial hemorrhages. Kidneys showed hemorrhages at corticomedullary junction and histopathological changes were supportive of the deviation in clinical traits and gross post-mortem changes. The affected animals were treated for neutralization of ruminal pH by oral and parenteral use of isotonic (1.3%) and hypertonic (5%) sodium bicarbonate and by rigorous fluid therapy to correct the acidosis and dehydration and to restore renal function.