Traumatic pericarditis in a dairy doe

A two-year-old pregnant Toggenberg doe presented for recumbency, anorexia and hypothermia. The owner noted that the doe had been experiencing anorexia for approximately 1month's duration. Initial diagnostics revealed a leucocytosis with a left shift, ketonaemia, as well as decreased serum potassium and bicarbonate concentrations. Thoracic ultrasound identified moderate pericardial perfusion. The doe expired during an emergency caesarean section. Necropsy revealed a 2.5-cm-long hypodermic needle fragment that had migrated from the reticulum to the pericardial cavity and ultimately to the omental fat. While not commonly described in small ruminants, practitioners should be aware of the potential for traumatic pericarditis in goats and, as such, should consider hardware disease a differential for goats with pericardial effusion.