Dehorning & Debudding Flashcards
Are all cases of debudding blocked?
NO —> toxic dose of 10 mg/kg can easily be reached on goats on 2% Lidocaine
- commonly needs to dilute from 2% to 0.5%
Can a 3-lb kid that is being debudded be blocked with 2% Lidocaine?
Lidocaine = 2g/100mL = 2000mg/100mL = 20 mg/mL
3lbs/2.2 = 1.5 kg
TOXIC DOSE = 10 mg/kg
- 10 mg/kg x 1.5 kg = 15 mg
1 ml of Lidocaine = 20mg —> toxic dose in this kid is 15 mg —> convulsions!
What are some options for sedation in kids and older goats? What are some other options?
KIDS = xylazine (0.025 mg/mL) IM
OLDER = xylazine (0.1-0.3 mg/kg) IM then Ketamine (5 mg/mL) 10 mins later
- Xylazine (0.02-0.1) IV + Tolazine reversal (1.5 mg/kg) IV
- Acepromazine (0.03-0.05 mg/kg) IV or (0.05-0.1 mg/kg) IM
- Diazepam (0.2-0.5 mg/kg) IV or (0.5-1.0 mg/kg) IM
When are kids dehorned? How? What indicates a proper debudding?
< 3 weeks —> prefer < 10 days
hot iron
- cherry red iron - ensures the iron is hot enough to immediately burn skin without affecting underlying tissue
- copper peri-bud
What are scurs?
incompletely developed horn growth not connected to the skull as a result of leftover horn tissue from improper debudding
Debudding:
L = proper healing
R = improper technique, scud
What can be done if the circumference of the hot iron will not cover the entire horn?
- use a Barns dehorner for entire procedure
- use a Barns to trim the horn to a place that can be debudded with the iron
Why are goats dehorned?
- commonly get horns stuck in fences
- decrease damage from butting
How is an elastrator used to dehorn goats?
- clip hair around the base of the horn
- apply band as low as it can go
- tape the band so it doesn’t slip
- within a few months the goat should be dehorned
What equipment is most commonly used to dehorn goats? How is this done?
cosmetic/OB wire or saw
- clip
- sedate
- block
- cut skin
- saw as low down as possible
+/- burn smaller part of horn if it fits within iron
Where is the cornual nerve block applied?
midway between lateral canthus of the eye and the base of the horn along the zygomatic process on the upper third of the temporal ridge, about 2.5 cm below the base of the horn
Dehorning, goat:
- reflect skin close to horn
- place OB wire as close to the skull as possible and saw
- take pieces of horn out without letting them fall into the sinus
- Ford interlocking pattern to appose tissue
Dehorning, undermining skin:
Calf dehorning:
- not entering the sinus
- no bone present in horn yet
- preferred to do within first week of life
What equipment is preferred for cutting ingrown horns?
OB wire
What is a button dehorner? How can bleeders be handled?
dehorning equipment used in young calves, where the cutting edge is twisted in and then the horn can be scooped out without entering the sinus
- cannot fit over or reach down to the skin in larger/older cattle
hot iron cautery
When can caustic paste be used for debudding calves? When is use contraindicated?
horn buds —> preferably < 3 days old (only use a dime-sized amount)
if it’s raining - will wash down and damage face, skin, and eyes (sloughing common)
What is this piece of equipment?
Barns dehorner
What is this piece of equipment?
curved Barns dehorner —> goot for use in chute without obstruction
Cattle dehorning:
Debudding vs. dehorning:
dehorning = bone and sinus involved`
What piece of equipment is this?
scoop/button dehorner
What piece of equipment is this?
Keystone dehorner - guillotine
What piece of equipment is this?
Barnes dehorner
What piece of equipment is this?
hot iron dehorners
What piece of equipment is this?
gas hot iron dehorner - no need for plug in
How does partial dehorning compare to total dehorning?
increased bleeding —> managed with gauze and Vetwrap
What equipment should be used in this case?
- hot iron
- small Barnes dehorner
What equipment should be used in this case?
- large Barnes dehorner
- OB wire/Keystone - larger, thicker bone within makes using normal dehorners difficult
Cosmetic dehorning:
- clip, prepare, and undermine skin
- slip in OB wire to saw off horn while keeping it as close to the skull as possible
What 3 things are done to prevent infection with cosmetic dehorning?
- use hot iron to control bleeding
- use stockinette to cover the sinus
- inject PPG into sinus (should run out the nose)
What piece of equipment is this?
electric dehorning saw
What piece of equipment is this?
gas Portasol debudder
What piece of equipment is this?
Keystone guillotine dehorner
What piece of equipment is this?
keystone guillotine dehorner
What equipment should be used in this case?
large Barnes
+/- OB wire
What equipment should be used in this case?
small Barnes
What equipment should be used in this case?
small Barnes
What is incorrect about the technique in this picture?
dehorner should be flat against the head, not just the horn
When would dehorning be contraindicated?
large-horned breeds, like mature longhorns
