HISTOLOGY OF THE ENDOMETRIUM, CLINICAL-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF THE UTERINE FLUID AND BLOOD-PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS OF PROGESTERONE, ESTRADIOL-17-BETA AND PROLACTIN DURING HYDROMETRA IN GOATS

Hydrometra is a comparatively common disease in dairy goats. In the pr esent study, 143 hydrometra cases were diagnosed in 2434 goats which h ad been subjected to pregnancy diagnosis using transrectal ultrasonogr aphy between 1993 and 1995. The uterus of the affected goats was fille d with a clear or slightly turbid fluid which in some cases contained small masses. The etiology and pathogenesis of this disease are not co mpletely understood. In order to investigate the origin and the charac ter of the fluid, laparotomies were performed in 28 randomly selected goats. The uterus was emptied and a biopsy was taken from the uterine wall for histological investigation. The ovaries were also assessed co nsidering size and function. Blood samples were taken daily from the j ugular vein and the concentrations of progesterone, estradiol-17 beta and prolactin plasma levels were determined before and during therapy. The following parameters of the uterine fluid were measured: amount, pH, osmolarity, glucose, urea, phosphate, sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, iron, total protein and albumin. The amount of uterine fluid varied from 0.25 to 8.21 (avg. 2.981). Bacteriological investigation revealed that the fluid was aseptic. The histological investigation sh owed a monolayered cuboidal or a pseudostratified endometrial epitheli um. The uterine glands were strongly tortus and had enlarged lumina wh ich were empty or contained only a small amount of uterine secretion. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.