Surgical Conditions of the Ruminant (incl. Castration and Vasectomy)

Question 1

Dehorning – why is disbudding strongly preferred?

Answer 1

• Less stressful.
• Improved LA.
• Fewer complications.
• Reduced risk of horn regrowth.

Question 2

Dehorning legislation.

Answer 2

Dehorning procedure = act of VS (Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966).
Only vet carry out procedure in cattle >2mths old.
Only vet can dehorn or disbud a sheep or goat – except trimming of insensitive tip of ingrowing horn.
LA must be used (The Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954).

Question 3

1. Which nerve is blocked for disbudding?
2. Time for LA to take effect.
3. Other recommendation.

Answer 3

1. Cornual nerve +/- accessory nerve.
2. Minimum 10mins.
3. NSAIDs.

Question 4

1. Dehorning instrument types.
2. Disbudding instrument.
   – Advantages.

Answer 4

1. Bains dehorner.
   Guillotine.
   Embryotomy wire.
2. Disbudding iron.
   – Haemostasis.
   – Destroys horn producing tissue.

Question 5

Dehorning complications.

Answer 5

Inadequate anaesthesia.
Haemorrhage.
Infection: sinusitis.
Fly strike.
Regrowth (common).

Question 6

1. Legislation regarding LA for castration of ruminants.
2. Technique of castration in ruminants <7 days old.
3. Technique for castration of ruminants at <2mths old.
4. Technique for castration of ruminants at >2mths (calves) / >3mths (lambs).

Answer 6

1. Not legally required at <7 days old.
   Not legally required but recommended at <2mths (calves) / <3mths (lambs).
   Legally required at >2mths (calves) / >3mths (lambs).
2. Elastrator ring.
3. Burdizzo / surgical castration.
4. Burdizzo / surgical castration.

Question 7

1. Who can castrate ruminants at <7 days old?
2. Who can castrate ruminants at <2mths old (calves) / <3mths old (lambs)?
3. Who can castrate ruminants at >2mths (calves) / >3mths (lambs)?

Answer 7

1. Trained stock person or vet.
2. Burdizzo = trained stock person or vet.
   Surgical castration = vet only.
3. Vet only regardless of technique.

Question 8

Local infiltration of anaesthesia technique for ruminant castration.

Answer 8

LA.
Local infiltration (common).
Vol = 5-10ml dept. on size and site.
In spermatic cord or testes +/- scrotal skin.
Onset of action = 5-10mins.

Question 9

1. LA infiltration into testes method.
2. LA infiltration into spermatic cord method.

Answer 9

1. Inject 5-10ml of 5% Procaine directly into stroma of testicles using 19G 2-5cm. Painful due to inelastic vaginal tunic.
2. Inject 5-10ml of 5% Procaine into each spermatic cord at neck of scrotum using 19G 2-5cm needle. Less painful and faster acting.

Question 10

1. Epidural for castration.
2. Sedation for castration.
3. GA for castration.

Answer 10

1. V rarely used.
   Lumbosacral region – L6-S1.
   Useful for scrotal surgeries.
2. E.g. xylazine.
   Mature bulls.
   Aggressive or difficult to handle animals.
   Safe handling.
3. Recommended for adult boars or pot bellied breeds.
   Restraint.
   Allow closure of inguinal ring to prevent herniation.

Question 11

Analgesia for ruminant castration.

Answer 11

NSAIDs.
No legal requirement at present in UK.
- recommended.
- Reduces growth check and less abnormal behaviour seen post procedure.

Question 12

Castration techniques in the ruminant.

Answer 12

Bloodless.
- Elastrator rings.
- Burdizzo.
Surgical.
- Traction and torsion (twist and pull).
- Emasculators.

Question 13

1. Elastrator ring technique.
2. Complications.

Answer 13

1. Place ring at neck of scrotum.
   Make sure both testicles are included.
2. Unilateral or failed castration due to retraction.
   Failure of the elastrator ring.
   Dehiscence and infection.

Question 14

1. Indications for burdizzo over surgical castration.
2. Burdizzo technique.

Answer 14

1. Poor environmental hygiene.
   Farms w/ hx of complications w/ open castration.
2. Requires dexterity for success.
   Apply proximal to testes.
   Hold for at least 10 seconds.
   2nd application made proximal to first.
   Each cord should be crushed separately w/ crush lines staggered to prevent interruption of blood supply to scrotal skin.
   Ensure checked 4-6wks later for testicular atrophy.

Question 15

Burdizzo complications.

Answer 15

Incomplete castration due to failure to occlude vas deferens.
Accidental crushing of urethra (fatal).
Sloughing of scrotal skin.

Question 16

What factors play a key role in choice of method of haemostasis?

Answer 16

Testicular size, operator experience, age of animal, ruminant spp.
– Cattle <6m = torsion and traction.
– Cattle 6-12m = torsion and traction / emasculators.
– Cattle >12m = emasculators +/- ligation.
– Sheep and goats <2m = torsion and traction / emasculators.
– Sheep and goats >2m = ligation and emasculators.

Question 17

Considerations for surgical castration.

Answer 17

• Only perform on healthy animals.
• Be aware of environment.
• Be aware of fly season and avoid if necessary.
• Discuss method and risks w/ farmer prior to procedure.

Question 18

1. Analgesia for surgical castration.
2. Antibiotic for surgical castration.

Answer 18

1. NSAIDs.
2. Broad spectrum first generation antibiotic – use with care.

Question 19

1. Surgical preparation of the animal for ruminant castration.
2. Initial surgical approach for all methods of ruminant castration.

Answer 19

1. Wash scrotum w/ antibacterial solution if dirty.
2. • Grip scrotum firmly to push testes down.
     - Start with testis furthest away.
     - Make a bold J incision through the scrotal skin.
     - Carefully cut the vaginal tunic.
     - Digitally break down ligament attaching vaginal tunic to the testis distally leaving only the vascular attachments.

Question 20

Continuing surgical approach for torsion and traction castration.

Answer 20

• Twist the testicle ensuring the twists move up the vascular cord.
• Care not to entrap hair or vaginal tunic into the cord.
• Pull firmly on the cord until it breaks.

Question 21

Continuing w. emasculators method of surgical castration method.

Answer 21

• Apply emsculator to spermatic cord either:
  – open vaginal tunic.
  – closed vaginal tunic.
• Apply “nut to nut” for minimum 2 mins.
• Mature bulls:
  – crush the vasculature separately from the vas-deferens.
  – +/- proximal ligament.

Question 22

Completion of all surgical approaches for ruminant castration.

Answer 22

• Scrotum left open.
• Ensure no tissue protruding below scrotal incision.
• Apply topical antibiotic spray.

Question 23

Surgical castration complications.

Answer 23

• Haemorrhage.
• Infection and abscessation.
• Fly strike
• Tetanus.
• Eventration.
• Adhesions.

Question 24

Cryptorchidism in the ruminant.

Answer 24

May be a result of incomplete bloodless castration.
Monorchids are rare.
- testicle likely to be retained in the abdomen.
Partial undescended testes more common.
- can be removed as normal but w/ animal sedated or under GA.
- always remove abnormal testicle first.
- if <2m may still descend.

Question 25

Ram castration.

Answer 25

Rubber ring at birth on commercial farms.
Surgical generally only on pet rams.
V large blood supply compared to calves.
Preferred method of ram castration = closed surgical castration w/ emasculators w/ a proximal ligature.

Question 26

1. Why are animals vasectomised?
2. What does vasectomy entail?
3. Positioning and restraint for vasectomy.
4. Sedation?
5. LA for vasectomy.

Answer 26

1. To produce teaser males.
2. Removal of segment of the ductus deferens.
3. • Rams held sitting.
     - Bulls in lateral recumbency.
4. Recommended.
5. Lumbosacral epidural.
   - preferred as provides good analgesia and relaxation.
   Local infiltration - Line block along neck of scrotum.

Question 27

Vasectomy method.

Answer 27

• 3cm skin incision made cranial scrotum over spermatic cord.
• Spermatic cord bluntly dissected and exteriorised.
• Place closed artery forceps to isolate spermatic cord.
• Identify ductus deferens.
  – medial aspect of the spermatic cord.
  – white and glistening.
• Clamp and dissect ductus deferens.
• 3-4cm resected and removed.
• Routine skin sutures w/ absorbable skin sutures.
• Repeat for other side.

Question 28

1. What is done w/ sections of ductus deferens after vasectomy?
2. Warning for farmer post vasectomy.

Answer 28

1. • Preserve sections on formalin.
     - Label containers well.
     - Advisable to get histopathology.
2. Not 100% successful and re-canalisation occasionally occurs.
   So allow minimum 2wks to relapse before bull/ram introduced to any fertile females.

Question 29

Other surgeries of the male ruminant.

Answer 29

Urolithiasis.
- Amputation of the urethral process.
- Urethrostomy.
- Tube cystotomy.
Penile surgeries.