ABSTRACT
Key Clinical Message: Schistosomus reflexus (SR), an unusual congenital defect in calves, can be diagnosed grossly by exposed viscera and curved spine with hindquarters twisted up toward the head. SR is typically associated with dystocia and fetal deaths in cows. Hence, cattle breeding programs must be aware of these anomalies to avoid losses from abnormal, non-viable calves. Abstract: Schistosomus reflexus (SR) is a rare and fatal congenital malformation in bovines from autosomal recessive disorders. We report a typical case of SR in a non-viable calf after the cesarean section of a crossbred Friesian cow. It was characterized by the inversion of the spinal column and a pronounced ventral curvature causing the cranium to be positioned near the sacrum and tail, along with exposed thoracic and abdominal viscera, limb ankylosis, and tongue protrusion. The postoperative management of the cow, along with the outcome, is also described here.
ABSTRACT
Background: Spaying is considered a reliable surgical method for birth control and preventing potential feline reproductive diseases. Aim: This experiment was carried out to evaluate the suitability of the left lateral flank approach for routine spaying in cats. Methods: Twenty-seven queens of 7-24 months old and 1.5-3.5 kg body weight (BW) were spayed through flank laparotomy on the left lateral side of the abdomen. The cats were categorized into two groups: Group A (n = 12; cats did not yet give birth) and Group B (n = 15; cats gave birth before). The studied variables included age, BW, vaccination history, skin incision length, total surgical duration, the time needed for ligating ovarian pedicles and uterine body, suture materials, postoperative complications, and healing duration. Results: There were no significant differences (p < 0.05) in age, BW, and vaccination history of the cats between the two groups. The mean incision length and total duration of surgery were greater in the case of Group B than in Group A. The ease of entering into the peritoneal cavity, duration of ligating the ovarian pedicles, and transfixing the uterine body did not vary significantly (p < 0.05) between the groups although a longer time was taken for Group B than Group A. 62.96% spayed cats were found with no postoperative complication. The observed complications included wound site infection (7.41%), dehiscence of suture lines (11.11%), bleeding (3.70%), and oozing (14.82%) from wounds which were further treated successfully for complete recovery. Conclusion: Left lateral flank approach can be an effective method of spaying in queens without any life-threatening complications.
