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Monday 27 April 2015

A retrospective study on clinical findings in barren female dromedaries: 7300 clinical cases (2007-2014)

Available online 10 April 2015

A retrospective study on clinical findings in barren female dromedaries: 7300 clinical cases (2007-2014)


Highlights

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Clinical endometritis, ovarian hydro-bursitis and vaginal adhesions were the main clinical findings in barren female camels examined for different complaints.
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Parity influenced the incidence of these clinical findings.
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Trueperella pyogenes, Staphylococcus aures, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, and β-hemolytic Streptococcus were isolated from females presented for repeat breeding syndrome.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical findings in barren female dromedaries examined for different complaints. Female camels were examined for repeat breeding with regular heat interval (RB-R, n = 5444), refused mating (RM, n = 1299), repeat breeding with long heat interval (RB-L, n = 489), difficulties or bleeding during mating (DM, n = 53) and for manifestation of male-like behaviour (MB, n = 15). The genital tracts of all females were evaluated using transrectal palpation, ultrasonography and exploration of the vagina. Cervical swabs were obtained for bacteriological examination. Clinical endometritis, ovarian hydro-bursitis and vaginal adhesions were the main clinical findings in the female camels examined for RB-R, RM and RB-L, respectively. Parity affected the frequency of occurrence of these findings. The incidences of clinical endometritis, ovarian hydro-bursitis and vaginal adhesions in nullipara and multipara were 28% vs 32.3% (P=0.004), 37.1% vs 23.7% (P=0.001) and 5.7% vs 18.3% (P=0.001), respectively. Vaginal adhesions, persistent hymen, pelvic abscess and vulvar atresia were the clinical findings in the female camels presented due to bleeding at mating or with a history of an incomplete intromission of the penis. The male-like behaviour was associated with an enlargement of the clitoris and narrowing of the vulva and vagina. Trueperella pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, and β-hemolytic Streptococcus were isolated from females presented for repeat breeding syndrome. In conclusion, clinical endometritis, ovarian hydro-bursitis and vaginal adhesions were the main clinical findings in barren female dromedaries. Parity affected the frequency of the clinical findings.

Keywords

  • female camel;
  • infertility;
  • endometritis;
  • ovarian hydro-bursitis;
  • vaginal adhesions
Place of work: Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.

Corresponding author. Ahmed Ali, Saudi Arabia, Qassim University, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Qassim, Burayda, Mulaydaa, postal code 51452, pox office 6502. Tel: +966 16 3801480; fax: +966 16 3801360.