Bilateral varicocele in sheep: a case report

Abstract

One of Dorper sheep was seen at the Clinic of Ruminant Livestock Development Centre (CDP) – EMEVZ / UFBA, diagnosed with bilateral varicocele after performing physical examination and anatomo-histopathological. The animal came from the city of Entre Rios - BA. In the interview, the owner reported that the animal had increased scrotal volume and progressive weight loss. The animal died in the hospital after the day and at autopsy, the spermatic cords measured 9.4 cm  length, 6.2 cm width and 4.4 cm height, and multinodular having irregular surface. The testicles found themselves atrophied. Histological changes revealed that the spermatic cords had large thrombi, almost completely obliterating the spermatic veins in pampiniformes plexus. Moreover, there is mild to moderate interstitial fibrosis of the testicular parenchyma, and part of the seminiferous tubules were devoid of germ-epithelium (spermatogenesis) featuring testicular degeneration. It can be concluded that this disease, together with the internal spermatic vein thrombosis impaired thermoregulation leading to occurrence of testicular degeneration, as evidenced in this work.