Surgery of Young Sheep & Cattle Flashcards
what local block is used for removing horns
cornual block
how is a cornual block done
Grove between lateral canthus of eye and base of horn
If large horns, some local around horn base too
18g, 1-1.5” needle with fan action
2-10ml/side then wait 10 mins
how do you check if cornual block worked
droopy eyelids
prick skin
what analgesia can be used for removing horns
meloxicam is licenced for de-horning
which method of dehorning should you use
- thumb nail (not attched to frontal bone)
- whoe thumb (dehorn)
Method used depends on age/size of horn
Need to be able to find bud (variable age)
what age is chemical disbudding done
Only if <1 week old
how does chemical disbudding work
Burns horn
how is chemical disbudding done
Hold in corner of pen or calf crush
Clip around bud and apply paste to horn bud
Wear gloves
Remove calf from cow 1 hour
is a local block required for disbudding
no legal requirement
but should there be?
how is disbudding done using a hot iron
Restrain in calf crush (or hold if small)
Give plenty time for iron to get hot
Aim for horn, pressure, circular motion, then gouge horn out
Heat will cauterize blood vessels
how is dehorning done when horns are up to thumb size
de horn cups
how is dehorning done when horns are up to bigger than thumb size
dehorn guillotine or wire
how is dehorning done
Get as close to base as possible
Close cups/guillotine and twist
Normal to expose sinuse
Hemostasis — hot iron or clamp (tease, twist and pull)
Note: cocktail stick and cobwebs
what should be done post dehorning surgery
Topical antibiotic
Oxytet ‘blue’ spray
Clean, dust free environment
what can go wrong during de horning
Hemorrhage (check before leave farm)
Re-growth (especially chemical)
Infection (flies in summer)
Sinusitis
Stress —> pneumonia
skull
what is the preferred method of <2 months
disbudding
what is the preferred method of >2 months
should not be routine procedure
when should anesthetic be used in dehorning
>1 week always
how are goats different to dehorn than cattle
- Wide terminal centre, prone to re-growth
* Younger the better and use wide, hot iron - Two separate cornual branches
- A = standard block
- B = between medial canthus of eye and base of horn on medial side
- Don’t cope with stress
* GA (deep sedation) watch oxygen and fire! - Thin frontal bone and no frontal sinus
* Hot iron 3-4 secs at a time max
what are the options for castration
- rubber ring
- surgical
- bloodless
how is rubber ring castration done
calf standing or lying in lateral
what is the main issue with castration using a rubber ring
main issue = freshly calved cow!
is their a requirement for local for rubber ring castration
no if <1 week old
when is anesthesia required for surgical and bloodless castration
required if >2 months
how is anesthesia administered for surgical and bloodless castration
local infitration into spermatic cord 10ml each side
+/- intra testicular
+/- epidural
how is castration done using a burdizzo
bloodless
thumb and finger to hold cord lateral to one side
2 crushes each side
do not overlap
repeat
what are the ages burdizzo can be used
<2 months
is there a legal requirement for anesthesia for burdizzo
no legal requirement for anesthesia
how is surgical castration done
Skin incision ventrally (one or two)
Incise vaginal tunic (may have cut with skin incision)
Make a window
Break attachment of vaginal tunic at ventral aspect
Release attachment of tunic
Twist and pull
what are options for castration of bulls >2 months
- emasculator
- crushing and ligation (like dog)
how is castration done with an emasculator
similar to surgical initially
nut to nut
what is done post castration surgery
+/- antibiotics (topical or systemic)
Monitor for bleeding, clean pen
3 weeks before completely infertile
what can go wrong in surgical castration
Infection of surgical site
Clostridial disease (tetanus — vaccination)
Hemorrhage
Incomplete castration (burdizzo, rubber ring only)
Necrosis of scrotum (burdizzo)
what are the 3 methods of castration and the rules
- Rubber ring or other device which can only be used in the first seven days of life, by a trained and competent stock-keeper to restrict the flow of blood to the scrotum
- Bloodless castration by a trained and competent stock keeper by crushing the spermatic cords of calves less than 2 months of age, with a burdizzo
- Surgical castration by a veterinary surgeon using an anesthetic
what are the indications for umbilical surgery
- umbilical hernia
- omphalitis
- omphalophlebitis
- omphaloarteritis
- abscess
how do you prep for umbilical surgery
Deep sedation or general anesthesia
- Xylazine/ketamine
High dose epidural (10ml/100kg) or lumbosacral epidural
NSAID and antibiotics
Clip and surgical prep
+/- local infiltration around surgical site
Initial elliptical incision around the umbilicus (avoid prepuce in males)
how do you perform umbilical hernia surgery with an infection
Enter peritoneum cranial to umbilical stalk at hernial ring edge
Digital exploration of internal structures
Any adhesions?
- Break them down
Any remnants?
- Extend incision to include entire hernial sac
- Tie off above any infection
Removal of hernial sack (contains umbilicus) and internal structures
how is hernia surgery done with no infection
May not need to enter the peritoneum
Dissect sac away (above level of peritoneum)
Invert the sac into the abdomen
Debride the muscle layers
But no visualization of internal structures
Perceived reduced risk of peritonitis
Only suitable for small hernias with no infection
how do you close for umbilical hernia with or without an infection
Muscle
- Long lasting absorbable suture (PDS or vicryl)
- OR
- Non-absorbable (nylon)
- Tension relieving, interrupted sutures (horizontal mattress, simple continuous)
- Pre-place sutures
- Prosthetic material rarely required
Appose sub-cut tissue and skin separately to finish
how is a urethostomy done
Standing (epidural and sedation)
Low or high sites
Incise over sigmoid flexure, blunt dissect out penis
ID calculi, cut over and remove
Catheter to check for more
Stitch up (stricture)
what are alternative surgeries to urethostomy to treat urolithiasis
can transect penis and stich to skin
tube cystotomy (temp)
how is a urolithiasis performed in tups
Exteriorize penis
Cut off urethral appendage
Only successful if obstruction at this level
Can attempt urethrostomy, but often blockage more proximal
Alternative = tube cystotomy
how do you prevent urolithiasis
Long term survival rates poor
Feed less concentrate/more fibre
Encourage water intake
Acidify urine with ammonium chloride
when does spastic paresis present usually
present 1d - 3 years
what does spastic paresis look like
Spastic contraction
Gastrocnemius muscle (others)
Limb caudal, hock and stifle hyperextend, toe touching
Unilateral/bilateral
what is spastic paresis surgery
Partial tibial neurectomy — most success if gastrocnemius muscle only (epidural)
Tenotomy/tenectomy
how is entropion
lower lid (bilateral)
congenital and hereditary in sheep
leads to ulceration
how is entropion treated
Manual eversion, penicillin injection eyelid, clips
Could consider surgery
what is atresia ani
Absence of anus
No meconium and/or swollen abdomen
how is atresia ani treated
Epidural
Bring back and front legs together
Look for bulge of feces where anus should be
Incise over bulge if present
If no bulge look for anal scar, incise and explore abdomen for blind ending rectum
Suture rectum to incision, open rectum then secure
Prognosis guarded
what are the causes of rectal prolapse
Cocci, chronic diarrhea, urinary straining
how are rectal prolapses treated
Epidural
Assess viability of tissue
Replace rectum with lube
Buhner suture
Leave enough space for feces
Liquid paraffin
Can resect if tissue non-viable
how is a ruminal trocar performed
Chronic bloat
ID landmarks
Local (2-3ml)
Skin incision
Stab trocar through muscle (remove cap)
Twist trocar into rumen
Secure
Remove inner stylet slowly
Manage wound and diet
? Block up to see if bloat returns
when is a rumenotomy performed
chronic bloat
when is a tracheotomy performed
chronic laryngeal chondritis
