Neutering

Question 1

The ovarian ligament is within which ligament?

Answer 1

Suspensory

Question 2

What blood vessel runs lateral to the uterus?

Answer 2

Uterine arteries

Question 3

What is an ovarioectomy and ovariohysterectomy? What remains in the body?

Answer 3

Ovarioectomy - remove ovaries
Ovariohysterectomy - remove ovaries, uterine horns and body
Cervix

Question 4

When using curved clamps, what direction should they face in when clamping?

Answer 4

Away from the body

To prevent damaging any structures

Question 5

What are the 2 mechanisms for cat spay and what are the advantages/disadvantages?

Answer 5

Lateral flank - shorter convalescence, but problems require midline incisions
Ventral midline - longer convalesence, full access and view to abdomen so can deal with complications

Question 6

How do you tell if a ligature is tight enough?

Answer 6

Cold blanching - get a waist where blood is moving away from the ligature

Question 7

Describe the first stage in a midline spay. Where is the uterus located?

Answer 7

Make incision
Dispace bladder caudally and SI cranially
Uterus on top of colon

Question 8

After locating the uterus you find the first uterine horn with dressing forceps. Why do you use dressing forceps?

Answer 8

Tissue forceps have rat teeth

Could puncture/damage abdominal organ

Question 9

What do you do after grabbing the first uterine horn?

Answer 9

Exteriorise the ovary

Ligate the suspensory ligament with the 3 clamp technique

Question 10

What is within the suspensory ligament?

Answer 10

Ovarian ligament, artery and vein

Question 11

What is the 3 clamp technique?

Answer 11

Use 2 or 3 clamps
Place bottom first, then top, then middle
Tie circumferential ligature into groove left by bottom clamp
cut between middle and top

Question 12

What gap needs to be between the middle and bottom clamp? Why?

Answer 12

3mm

Provide sufficient stump to prevent ligature slipping off

Question 13

After doing the 3 clamp technique on the suspensor ligament, what do you do?

Answer 13

Check for bleeding by gripping ovarian pedicle with tissue forceps
If slips retie
Do not lose grip before checking for bleeding?

Question 14

Why is the 3 clamp technique used for ligating the uterine body?

Answer 14

Tissue is too friable

Question 15

After locating, exteriorising and removing both suspensory ligaments, what should you do?

Answer 15

Pull uterine horns caudally to expose cervix
Double clamp uterine body (above cervix) and ligate below clamps with transfixion ligature
Cut between 2 clamps
Check cervical stump for bleeding

Question 16

When doing a transfixion ligature on the uterus body, what structures should you avoid?

Answer 16

Uterine blood vessels

Question 17

What is different about the flank approach in terms of method?

Answer 17

Same process but can’t see anatomy
If in R lat recumbency, L horn should be below incision
If lose grasp of ovarian pedicle or cervical stump before checking for haemorrhage you need to enter via ventral midline

Question 18

What is the difference between the suspensory ligament in cats and dogs?

Answer 18

Cat - suspensory ligament long and loose, easily exteriorised
Dog - suspensory ligament short and tight, must be broken to exteriorise

Question 19

What is the difference between the cervix in a queen and bitch?

Answer 19

Queen - smooth and soft, not distinguishable from uterine body. May require transection
Bitch - muscular, distinguishable from uterine body