title: Foetal anasarca in Awassi sheep.
abstract: Two anasarcous foetuses of Awassi sheep are described. The foetuses were removed from the dams by caesarean section because of dystocia due to failure of cervical dilation. Uterine incision was made in situ because uteri were so distended they could not be brought out from the site of incision. Large quantities of uterine fluids and abnormal thick placentas were found. One foetus weighed about 7 kg and the other 13 kg. The foetal heads were deformed: the upper jaw was prognathic and the left ear of the small foetus was cystic. Necropsy revealed subcutaneous musculature was soft and flabby and abdominal and thoracic cavities contained serosanguinous fluid. Histopathological examination revealed that only the larger foetus had focal aggregates of basophilic nucleated red blood cells and scattered megakaryocytes in the liver. We conclude that anasarca can occur in Awassi sheep, with and without associated extramedullary haematopoiesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hailat
authors.forename: S Q
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Lafi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: al-Darraji
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: el-Maghraby
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: al-Ani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fathalla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004423:Ear / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology; D015160:Hydrops Fetalis / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013909:Thorax / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology