Surgical Contraception in Males Flashcards
Methods of Surgical neutering in males
Orchidectomy
Vasectomy
Crushing of spermatic cord
Inducing ischaemic necrosis of scrotum
Injection of irritant to testis - some feral dogs
Orchidectomy
Removal of testicles
* Castration
Used in small animals
Vasectomy
Removing a portion of vas deferens
* Mainly used in teaser rams
Crushing of spermatic cord
Used in calves - emasculator
Induction of ischaemic necrosis of scrotum
Tinging of male lambs/calves
Indications for surgical neutering
- Elimination or reduction of male-like behaviour
- Prevention of breeding
- Treatment of conditions affecting the testes and scrotum
- Treatment of conditions stimulated by male hormones
E.g. prostate disease / anal adenoma in dogs
Castration techniques
Open Castration
Closed castration
Modified castration
Open Castration
Cut through parietal vaginal tunic
Directly expose testes
Close castration
Don’t cut thought parietal vaginal tunic
Modified castration
Cut through parietal tunic but then subsequently close
Castration in the horse - Anaesthesia
○ May be conducted standing with sedation, twitch and local anaesthesia
Usually open castration
○ May be conducted under GS in the field
Usually closed castration
○ May be conducted under GS in theatre
Usually modified technique
§ Need sterile conditions
Castration in the horse - Pre-op exam
○ Physical exam
○ Palpation of scrotum and inguinal canal
○ Suitability for anaesthesia
○ Tetanus prophylaxis
○ Pre-op antimicrobial preparations and analgesia
Open Castration in horse
- Testis is tensed
- A 8-10 cm skin incision in scrotum is made 2-3 cm from median raphe
- Incision carried through skin and muscle
- The vaginal tunic is cut open and testes pushed out
Direct visualisation - Fascia is stripped away using a dry gauze
- The cord is emasculated either as one portion or two (vascular and vas)
- An absorbable ligature may or may not be applied
- The remnant tunic is also emasculated
- The tunic, sub-cutaneous tissue and skin are left OPEN
Often also leave skin open
Closed castration in horses
- As for ‘open’ technique but the vaginal tunic is not opened
- The subcutaneous tissue is pushed back with a dry swab
- Transfixing sutures are normally placed through the tunic anchoring the vascular portion, and then applied circumferentially around the whole cord compressing the vas
- The cord is emasculated as a whole
- The skin is normally left open
Emasculate through tunic
Modified open castration in horses
- The procedure is performed as for an ‘open’ castration
- Rather then removing the tunic, it is twisted along its long axis, transfixed and then emasculated
- The sub-cutaneous tissue may or may not be sutured closed
- Skin may or may not be closed
Advantages of open castration
- Quick
- Visualisation of vasculature
- Good drainage
- Useful when likely to be contaminated
Disadvantages of open castration
Risk of herniation
Advantages of closed castration
- Quick
- If there is any herniation into inguinal canal, material can’t reach outside
- Can get effective haemostasis if controlled surgical field
- Reduced risk of peritoneal contamination
Disadvantages of closed castration
- Can’t visualise vasculature
Advantages of modified castration
- Good haemostasis if surgical conditions are clean
- Herniation risk reduced
- Can visualise vasculature
(benefits of both)
Advantages of modified castration
- Good haemostasis if surgical conditions are clean
- Herniation risk reduced
- Can visualise vasculature
(benefits of both)
Disadvantages of modified castration
- More time consuming
Castration in the dog
- Surgical technique under general anaesthesia
○ Usually a single midline incision - surgeon preference - Commonly performed as:
○ Modified
Open then subsequently closed
○ Closed
More often in smaller dogs
○ Open - less common
But skin is closed unlike with horses
Don’t clip scrotal hair - will cause rash/irritation
Disadvantages of castration in dogs
○ Increased incidence of some neoplasia (osteosarcoma, haemoagiosarcoma)
In some breeds there is a clear relation the longer that ovaries or testes are present the lower this risk
○ Changes in coat texture?
○ Tendency to gain weight?
○ Changes in behaviour?
Advantages of pre-pubertal neutering
○ Surgical procedure easier therefore more rapid (often ovariectomy performed)
○ Reduced anaesthetic time, rapid recovery etc.
Disadvantages of pre-pubertal neutering
○ Smaller animal with fewer fat reserves (greater potential for anaesthetic overdose)
○ Delayed closure of growth plates (increased risk of physeal fractures)
○ Subsequent underdevelopment of the sexual organs
○ ? Persistence of puppy coat
○ ? Underdeveloped behavioural characteristics
○ ? Tendency for worse obesity
Castration in Toms
- Surgery technique:
○ Open following twisting and traction
○ Open following ligation
○ Open following auto-ligation
Tied around each other
○ Skin left open - Effect of age of castration is poorly studied but likely to be similar to dog
Bloodless castration in calves
○ Elastration in first 7 days
Induces ischaemic necrosis
○ Crushing (Burdizzo)
i. Pull testes down
ii. Push cord to side
iii. Apply to one cord to level of raphe
iv. Then other cord at different level
Surgical castration in calves
○ Calves over two months of age must be castrated only by a veterinary surgeon using an anaesthetic
○ Local anaesthesia essential, sedation helpful
○ Nearly always by Open Technique
○ Consider
Age and size
Time of year
Clean environment
Antibiotics
Exercise
Open technique in calves
Lateral incisions into each scrotum
□ Scalpel (watch the saphenous vein! and watch your wrist)
□ Newberry knife - reduces risk of trauma
Removal of the distal scrotum
□ Good drainage
○ Emasculators used often without ligation
Castration in the lamb
Surgical castration rarely used
‘bloodless techniques’ used
○ Elastration in first 7 days
○ Crushing (Burdizzo) in first 7 days
Castration of the pig
- Surgical castration
○ Open technique with sharp dissection or torsion and traction
○ Usually no ligature or emasculation
