Foreign body syndrome (FBS) is a fairly common disease of cattle and buffaloes, especially in the developing countries. This disease is caused by ingestion of indigestible metallic and non-metallic blunt or sharp foreign objects. It is associated with high economic losses and therefore an urgent science-based policy is required to control and manage this syndrome. Indiscriminate feeding habits, feed scarcity, industrialization and mechanization of agriculture are predisposing factors for FBS in bovine and bubaline. The condition is difficult to diagnose solely on the basis of clinical signs and physical examination. However, laboratory diagnosis and imaging techniques like radiography and ultrasonography can be of high diagnostic value in detecting the condition. Anemia, increased packed cell volume, neutrophilia with a left shift, increased total protein, globulin, total bilirubin, Alanine Aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Phosphorus and decreased albumin/globulin ratio and Calcium are the common abnormal laboratory findings. Recently, ultrasonography has replaced radiography for diagnosis of FBS in bovine and bubaline due to its availability and accuracy in evaluation of features of the reticulum, detection of penetrating metallic objects, diagnosis and assessment of various sequelae of FBS including; local and diffuse traumatic reticuloperitonitis, reticular, splenic, hepatic, abdominal and thoracic abscesses, diaphragmatic hernia, traumatic pericarditis and pleuropneumonia. Although, FBS is ideally treated with rumenotomy, it can be prevented to a large extent by proper management practices, increasing the awareness among the livestock keepers, oral administration of rumen magnets at the age of one year and reapplication of a new magnet every 4 years in animals at high risk.

Key words: Buffaloes, Cattle, Foreign body syndrome, Hardware disease, Traumatic reticuloperitonitis, Ultrasonography