Ovarian and oviductal pathologies in the buffalo: Occurrence, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

Abstract Ovarian pathologies observed in the buffalo include developmental anomalies, inflammatory conditions and neoplasm's, the usual incidence of which has been observed to be low (0.1%–19.0%) in abattoir studies. Ovarian functional disorders are the most frequently observed clinical entities in buffalo and include conditions such as sub estrus, (7.4%–55.8%), persistent corpus luteum (0.54%) and ovarian cysts (0.5%–1.4%). The diagnostic approaches for ovarian hypofunction and ovarian pathologies include transrectal palpation and transrectal ultrasonography the efficiency of which continues to be suboptimal especially for unilateral small sized pathological conditions. Techniques such as laparoscopy have been utilized for visualization of buffalo ovaries however; their clinical use appears to be uncommon. The therapy of most ovarian pathologies except the functional disorders appears to be difficult. The prospects of surgical removal of ovaries in neoplastic ovarian pathologies are limited owing to the costs and loss of reproductive function under bilateral conditions. Oviductal pathologies in buffalo have been mentioned largely from abattoir studies and include salpingitis (0.2%–14.2%), hydrosalpinx (0.7%–14.2%), pyosalpinx (0.6%–11.9%), adhesions (1.5%–1.7%), congenital defects (0.2%) and oviductal blockage (1.2%–37.8%). The diagnosis of most oviductal pathologies in buffalo appears to be difficult except under conditions of gross enlargement. Under situations of bilateral involvement the therapy of most oviductal pathologies currently seems impractical as the reattainment of fertility appears to be difficult.