Varicosity and pregnancy induced blood flow changes in the cranial tibial vein in buffaloes: B-mode and doppler ultrasound study

Abstract

The study was aimed to assess the effect of varicosity and pregnancy on the blood flow parameters in 22 cranial tibial veins of 17 buffaloes using B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography. Out of these, five buffaloes were suffering from unilateral hind limb varicosity and 12 were clinically healthy non-pregnant (n=6) or in advanced stages of pregnancy (n=6). The study highlights a significant increase in the Doppler blood flow parameters of varicosity affected veins in comparison to clinically healthy cranial tibial veins, with highest percentage change in volume flow/minute. A significant lower vessel diameter and end diastole velocity of the cranial tibial vein was also recorded in healthy advanced pregnant compared to that of healthy non-pregnant buffaloes.