Outbreak of primary pregnancy toxemia in fat tailed ewes due to ultrasonographic misdiagnosis of pregnancy

Four fat-tailed ewes from an indoor flock (n=40) were examined for recumbency and depressive nervous
signs. They were from a seemingly nonpregnant group of the flock that had been diagnosed by
transabdominal ultrasonography. The ration consisted of mainly wheat straw since their separation from the
pregnant group. Detection of pregnancy on abdominal palpation along with depressive nervous signs and
laboratory findings of hypoglycemia, ketonuria with severe fatty liver at necropsy followed by relevant
histopathological findings confirmed an outbreak of primary pregnancy toxemia. While ultrasonographic
pregnancy diagnosis is known as an accurate method, its accuracy could be strongly influenced by technical
inexperience and improper implementation of the method. Indecent execution of the technique was
considered the key predisposing factor for current outbreak.