Pregnancy toxemia in Rembi ewe: a case report.

Pregnancy toxemia is one of the most common metabolic disorders in ewes. Widely appearing during the late stage of gestation when there is an increase in energy demand due to rapid fetal udder development and colostrum production, this disease can have a high impact on economic losses such as fetal loss and maternal mortality. A 6-year-old ewe of the Rembi breed was brought for treatment at the Tiaret Institute of Veterinary Sciences. She was at the last 7 days of pregnancy, fed with barley and bran, and presented with anorexia, weakness, staggering gait, dyspnea, and a loss of reflex. Biochemical analyses showed an increase in the values of beta-hydroxybutyrate and cholesterol with a decrease in the values of glucose, total proteins, calcium, and phosphorus. On the other hand, hematological analyses recorded a decrease in red blood cell count and hematocrit value and an increase in the value of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Interestingly, and contrary to our expectations, we observed hemoglobin crystallization in the peripheral blood smear of the case under study, which can be due to the increase in ketone bodies. The end of gestation in small ruminants is the most critical period because, during this period, several metabolic diseases can take place, such as pregnancy toxemia and hypocalcemia. Therefore, this case is aimed at presenting the clinical signs, causes, diagnosis, and prognosis of this disease in the Rembi breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]