PREVALENCE AND PATHOLOGY OF FOREIGN-BODIES (PLASTICS) IN AWASSI SHEEPIN JORDAN

The prevalence and associated pathology of foreign bodies in 1453 shee p presented to the Veterinary Clinic during a 27 month period and in t he rumen and reticulum from 300 sheep from Amman and Irbid slaughterho uses were studied in Jordan. Of the 1453 sheep, 130 had rumen impactio n by plastic and were treated by rumenotomy, The type and location of foreign bodies were examined in 54 out of the 130 sheep. Plastics were the most common (74%), rope and leather were the least common (7%), a nd all were found in the rumen. Pins and nails were encountered (18.5% ) in both rumen and reticulum. Plastic bags were also the most common (78%) foreign bodies found in the rumen of sheep examined in Amman and Irbid from slaughterhouses. In 20 sheep (6.6%), metal masses were fou nd in the rumen. Only in 3 sheep (1%) were pins and nails present in t he reticulum, Gross examination of the rumens with plastic revealed ar eas of sloughing, hemorrhages, congestion and stunting of the papillae , Histopathological examinations revealed areas of coagulative necrosi s, hyperemia, inflammatory processes and focal hyperplasia. Several mi totic figures and cells with more than one nucleolus were also present . The results suggest that the plastics in the rumen may play an impor tant role in the pathogenesis of rumenitis. The results, also, suggest that the most common types of foreign bodies in Jordan are plastics a nd a clean up of the environment would substantially reduce the preval ence of foreign body-pica syndrome in sheep.