Large Animal - Surgery Flashcards
What are the advantages of castration?
Prevents indiscriminate mating
Reduces aggression - easier management of animals, safety of staff and public
Reduces taint
Improves carcass quality
What are the disadvantages of castration?
Reduced growth rate
Pain
Consumers don’t like fat
Loss of potential breeding animals
When is anaesthesia required for castration?
Bull/goat - older than two months
Ram - older thanthree months
What animals can an elastrator ring be used on?
Animals less than a week old
What are the advantages and disadvantages to eslastrator/rubber ring?
Advantages - simplicity, low failure rate
Disadvantages - only within 1 week of age, pain, tissue necrosis
Describe elastrator/rubber ringing
Lambs and calves Causes necrosis of scrotum and testis Within 1 week of birth by law Ensure both testis are within the scrotum and distal tothe ring Mind the penis
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Burdizzo or bloodless castrators?
Advantages - no wound
Disadvantages - pain, high failure rate, scrotal ischaemia, crushing sigmoid flexure
Describe the technique to use a Burdizzo castrator
Draw right testis into bottom of scrotal sac
Hold spermatic cord firmly against lateral edge of neck of scrotum
Clamp cord about 4cm above testis
Second clamp about 2cm distal to first
Repeat for left testis, leave gap between left and right crush marks
What should we warn the owner when using a Burdizzo castrator?
Check scrotum - should contain 2 hard nuts 8 weeks later
What complications are there when using a Burdizzo castrator?
Failure to crush cord adequately
Scrotal necrosis
Accidental clamping of sigmoid flexure of penis
What three things need to be considered when doing an open castration?
Clean calf
Clean environment
Clean surgeon
What two major things must be done when doing an open castration?
Incision must involve bottom of scrotum
Only touch tissues that will be removed
Describe the process of doing an open castration
Put a scalpel and a pair of large forceps in a tray with disinfectant
Get someone else to catch and restrain the calf
Infiltrate local anaesthetic
Swab the scrotum with disinfectant
Tense the testis into the bottom of the scrotum
Pick up the scalpel
Make a J-shaped incision through the skin, dartos and vaginal tunic down to the testis
Avoid slashing wrist or fingers
Put scalpel down
Remove testis (pull and twist)
Repeat on second testis
Describe anaesthesia for an open castration
3-5ml Procaine each side Infiltrate around cord Infiltrate under skin Intratesticular NSAIDs post op
What difference is there between castrating lambs and rams?
Lambs - cut off bottom of scrotum, local anaesthetic
Rams - require greater care, epidural block
What anesthesia does a boar require for open castration?
Sedation
Epidural block
General anaesthesia
What are some complications involved with open castration?
Haemorrhage
Post-operative - oedema, infection
Gut tie
Inguinal herniation
What in a history would influence the decision to perform a caesarean?
Dam - heifer or cow, more than five days beyond expected calving date, long period of unproductive straining
Calf - valubale calf
What on an external examination would influence the decision to perform a caesarean?
Body condition - fat, very thin if beef dam
Age/maturity - normal calving unlikely below 18 months of age
Confirmation - any gross abnormalities
Health - any concurrent disaease
What are the indications for performing a caesarean?
Foeto-maternal disproportion Incomplete dilatation of the cervix Irreducible uterine torsion Foetal deformity Faulty foetal disposition
What is the most frequent overall indication for a caesarean in cattle?
Foeto-maternal disproportion
When is a caesarean indicated with foeto-maternal disproportion?
Head and both elbows can not be pulled into the pelvic canal by traction by one person with a calving aid
What does a successful prognosis with a caesarean depend upon?
Duration of dystocia Concurrent disease Skill and speed of the surgeon Availability of skilled assistance Surgical environment Presence of a live calf
Where should you perform a caesarean?
Clean box with fresh straw Automatic yolks or "crush" Restraint Light Clean and non-slip floor
Describe standing caesarean surgery
Halter cow in a corner with right flank against a wall Bulldogs in nose Rope on right hind leg Tail tied to right hind leg Clenbuterol Epidural Xylazine
Describe caesarean in arecumbent animal
Cast or use xylazine Clenbuterol Tie tail Hobble legs Semi-lateral recumbency with balebehind shoulder
What are the anaesthesia options for a caesarean?
Paravertebral - T13, L1, L2 and L3
Local block - line, inverted L
Epidural if straining
Try not to sedate
Describe preparation of the animal for a caesarean section
Clip or shave a large area of the left flank
Prep the flank
Drape with: - cloth, plastic or clingfilm
Describe preparation of the surgeon when performing a caesarean section
Kit in a safe place Scrub suit Scrub up Thread large curved round bodied needle Use 5 to 8 metric catgut for uterus Sterile calving ropes Revival equipment Prepare your assistant
Describe the a caesarean surgery
Test anaesthesia
Incise abdomen - left flank, identify layers, rush of air, avoid the rumen
Incise uterus
Remove calf
Check for a second calf
Tidy foetal membranes up
Check for uterine haemorrhage - ligate large vessels
Suture uterus - 5 to 8M catgut. continuous inverting pattern, interlocking/water-tight, double layer
Clean uterus and reposition
Remove blood clots from abdomen
Abdominal antibiosis
Suture each of the 3 muscle layers separately
Describe post-operative management of a caesarean surgery
Clean surgical area Dip calf navel Feed calf colostrum Topical spray Oxytocin Untie tail Antibiotics for 3 days NSAIDs
What are some complications with caesarean section surgery?
Intra op - straining, incised rumen, uterine tear, haemorrhage, recumbency, contamination
Post op - wound infection, endo/metritis, peritonitis, sepsis, adhesions, infetility
