Surgery of young sheep and cattle

Question 1

Removing horns where to anaesthesise

Answer 1

Admin local via Cornual nerve block
Mid way into grove between lateral canthus of eye and base of horn
30 degree angle, aim towards horn

Question 2

What gauge needle and size used to Admin local via Cornual nerve block

Answer 2

18g, 1-1.5” needle

Question 3

Indications LA works on removing horn

Answer 3

droopy eyelids, prick skin

Question 4

Removing Horns - Analgesia

Answer 4

Meloxicam

Question 5

Removing horns Up to size of thumb nail

Answer 5

Chemical (if < 1 week old)
Or heat disbud (ideally before 2 weeks old)

Question 6

Removing horns Anything bigger than thumbnail

Answer 6

De-horn

Question 7

Equipment needed for disbudding

Answer 7

Portable gas canister attached to iron/ Re-chargeable electric iron
Calf crush

Question 8

Outline process of dehorning

Answer 8

Restrain in crush with halter
Up to thumb size – De-horn cups or cut off tip then burn
Bigger than thumb – De-horn guillotine (AKA shears, loppers, choppers) or embryotomy wire
Remove as close to base as possible
Close cups/guillotine and twist
Normal to expose sinus
Haemostasis – hot iron or clamp (tease, twist and pull)

Question 9

Dehorning – post surgery

Answer 9

Wound spray or topical antibiotic – oxytet ‘blue’ spray
Check batch for haemorrhage before you leave
Clean, dust free environment

Question 10

Is disbud or dehorn preferred

Answer 10

Disbud, but less than 2 months

Question 11

Is anaesthetic required in chemical

Answer 11

No

Question 12

Is dehorning a routine procedure

Answer 12

No

Question 13

Why castration

Answer 13

Decreases aggression and mounting behaviour
Prevents unwanted pregnancy if males and females need to be housed together
Improves meat quality
Market demand

Question 14

Castration options

Answer 14

Bloodless (interrupts blood supply)
Rubber ring
Burdizzo- used to crush both spermatic cords, thus stopping blood flow to the testicles, which are then reabsorbed by the body.
Surgical

Question 15

Maximum age to use rubber ring for castration

Answer 15

Must be less than 1 week- No anaesthesia required

Question 16

Is anesthesia required for burdizzo

Answer 16

Anaesthesia (legally if > 2 months but should be used for all)
NSAID (ideally 20 mins before)

Question 17

Outline Castration – Burdizzo (bloodless)

Answer 17

Secure handles with knees
Thumb and finger to hold cord lateral to one side in neck of scrotum
Crush using fast closure and leave for 5 – 10 secs
Move jaws up/down 1cm, repeat on same side
Do not overlap crush sites
Repeat on other side x 2 sites
Crushes blood vessels without cutting the skin
Testicle should atrophy
Worth checking it has worked 4 -6 week later

Question 18

Is anesthesia required for Castration – Surgical

Answer 18

MUST use anaesthesia
MUST be performed by a Vet

Question 19

Outline Castration – Surgical

Answer 19

Wash and disinfect the skin
Hold onto scrotal neck and push testicles down so skin is tense
Vertical skin incision on lateral/ventral aspect of scrotum (or one right along the bottom of scrotum)
Squeeze testicle out and incise vaginal tunic (may have cut with skin incision)
Pop testicle out
‘Make a window’ using fingers, between tunic and testicle
Break attachment of vaginal tunic at ventral aspect of testicle
Release attachment of tunic as far up cord as you can
Twist and pull

Question 20

Castration – post surgery

Answer 20

+/- antibiotics (topical or systemic)
Monitor for bleeding, clean pen

Question 21

How long after castration (surgery) for complete infertility

Answer 21

3 weeks

Question 22

Castration – complications

Answer 22

Infection of surgical site
Prolapse of vaginal tunic
Clostridial dz e.g. tetanus, so vaccination
Haemorrhage
Incomplete castration (burdizzo, rubber ring only)
Necrosis of scrotum (Burdizzo)

Question 23

Who is allowed to rubber ring and bloodless castrate using Burdizzo

Answer 23

Competent stock keeper

Question 24

Purpose to tail dock lambs

Answer 24

Fly strike, reduces shearing time

Question 25

How to tail dock

Answer 25

rubber ring
surgical (must be performed by a vet)

Question 26

Umbilical Surgery - Prep

Answer 26

Starvation to reduce abo/rumen volume
Deep sedation or general anaesthesia e.g. xylazine/Ketamine
High dose epidural (10ml/100kg) or lumbosacral epidural
NSAID and antibiotics
Dorsal recumbency and tie legs
Clip and surgical prep

Question 27

Surgery name to treat chronic bloat

Answer 27

Ruminal trocar

Question 28

Outline surgery for rectal prolapse

Answer 28

Epidural
Asses viability of tissue
Replace rectum with lube
Buhner suture with tape
Leave enough space for F+
Can resect if tissue non-viable

Question 29

Atresia Ani is

Answer 29

Absence of anus

Question 30

Outline surgery for Atresia Ani

Answer 30

Epidural +/- sedation
Bring back and front legs together
Look for bulge of faeces 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 using stay sutures
Open rectum about 1cm
Suture rectal margin to skin with simple interrupted (vicryl, 4 metric)
Prognosis guarded

Question 31

Name of surgery to fix congenital defect of lower eye lid

Answer 31

Entropion

Question 32

Surgery for Urolithiasis

Answer 32

Urethostomy

Question 33

Outline Urethostomy

Answer 33

Standing (epidural and sedation)
Low* or high sites
Incise over sigmoid flexure, blunt dissect out penis
ID calcui if poss, cut over (2 – 6cm) and remove
Catheter to check for more
Stitch up (stricture)

Question 34

Urolithiasis Prevention

Answer 34

Feed less conc/more fibre
Encourage water intake
Acidify urine with ammonium chloride