Prune Belly Syndrome in the Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Abstract

Prune belly syndrome (PBS) is a rare multisystemic disease characterized by a deficiency of abdominal wall musculature, urinary tract anomalies and bilateral intra-abdominal testes. PBS in females is called pseudo prune belly syndrome (PPBS) and is characterized by abdominal wall laxity and urinary tract defects. We report three male and one female stillborn piglets with abdominal distension, hypoplastic abdominal wall musculature and urinary tract anomalies. Bilateral cryptorchidism was observed in the males. In addition, two males showed anomalous liver lobulation, one of them had an anomalous spleen and the other an atrial septal defect. As far as we know, neither PBS nor PPBS have been reported in veterinary literature until now.