Tri-State Blog
Urinary Blockage in Sheep and Goats
It is our favorite time of year again! Everything is in bloom, the weather is warm enough to ensure no more snow, and the kids and lambs are starting to be weaned. However, with most things in raising livestock, the change of season brings new challenges. One ailment the vets at Tri-State will commonly see this time of year is urolithiasis and urinary blockage in male neutered small ruminants. Urolithiasis is the medical term for stone formation in the urinary tract. This can be anywhere urine is formed or stored (kidney, ureter, bladder, urethra), most commonly in the bladder. These stones can become large enough that they become stuck in the urethra when the goat or sheep urinate. Urinary stones lodged in the urethra cause a blockage that can result in rupture of the bladder or urethra if not treated in time. This is considered a veterinary emergency and must be corrected as soon as possible.
