Descriptive Study of Surgical Management of Urinary Bladder Rupture in Ruminants in Gombe State

Urinary bladder rupture in ruminants is a life-threatening surgical emergency most frequently associated with urolithiasis-induced urethral obstruction. This descriptive study documents the etiology, clinical features, diagnostic findings, and surgical management outcomes of urinary bladder rupture in cattle, sheep, and goats in Gombe State, North East Nigeria, between January 2021 and December 2023. Forty-three confirmed cases were enrolled at veterinary clinics and mobile outreach posts. Diagnosis was established by clinical signs of uroperitoneum, abdominocentesis, and laboratory evaluation of abdominal fluid creatinine and urea nitrogen levels. Surgical management involved exploratory laparotomy with bladder repair or partial cystectomy following urethral flushing or perineal urethrostomy. Struvite uroliths were the most commonly identified cause of urethral obstruction leading to bladder rupture in male sheep and goats. Cattle cases were predominantly associated with cystitis-related bladder wall weakening. Postoperative uroperitoneum resolution was monitored clinically and biochemically. Survival rate was 72% overall, with the highest mortality in sheep exceeding 48 hours post-rupture before veterinary intervention. Cases co-managed with IV fluid diuresis had notably better outcomes than those receiving surgical management alone. These findings underscore the need for improved community-level recognition of obstructive urolithiasis signs in small ruminants and the development of emergency surgical capacity at district veterinary facilities in North East Nigeria. Keywords: bladder rupture, uroperitoneum, urolithiasis, Gombe State, ruminant surgery.