RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF NON-INFECTIOUS LESIONS OF THE PREPUCE AND PENIS IN THE RAM

Ram breeding soundness evaluation is an integral part of management programs of sheep flocks. Main factors affecting the reproductive ability of rams could be, indeed, detected by andrological clinical evaluation. The incidence of penis lesions has been poorly investigated, in rams, and literature mainly report about infectious disease lesions [1]. The objective of this retrospective study was, therefore, to evaluate the incidence of different pathological conditions of the penis and prepuce in Sarda rams. Thirty-seven rams (out of 1262 animals from 126 commercial flocks, examined from 2010 to 2017, before the breeding season) were admitted to the Teaching Veterinary Hospital of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari (Italy) and selected for the present study because of prepuce or penile lesions. Animals were reared, by traditional management systems, in the North and centre of Sardinia region (Italy). All animals underwent clinical examination followed by a further examination of the reproductive tract. The scrotum, testes, epididymis and spermatic cords were palpated; the prepuce was closely evaluated for injuries, ulcerations, abnormal discharge or bleeding as well the skin and mucosa of its orifice. The penis was exteriorized and the glans observed for possible presence of wounds, ulceration, inflammation, and lack or necrosis of the vermiform appendix. For each animal, the type and extension of any prepuce and penile abnormality was recorded. The incidence of penile and prepuce pathological conditions was 2.93%. The most frequently observed condition (19/37 animals 51.35%) was the penile necrosis consequent to urethral calculi, the latter probably caused by the high concentrates levels in the animals’ diet. Other less frequent disorders were: penile necrosis (5/37) and absence of urethral process (3/37), hypospadia (2/37), injuries of the glans penis (2/37), absence of glans penis (1/37), preputial alterations (abscesses 1/37; papilloma 1/37; skin injuries 1/37), retroversion of urethral process (1/37) and balanoposthitis (1/37). In this retrospective study, we noticed that the main non-infectious pathological conditions of the penis and prepuce in Sarda rams are a consequence of urethral calculi or of traumatic origin. Obstruction of the urethra by calculi, in addition to penile necrosis, might cause inability to urinate and uremia, rupture of the bladder and uroperitoneum with fatal end in most severe cases [2]. Traumatic conditions are generally not life threatening for animals but could temporarily, or sometimes permanently, impair fertility.