Magda M. Ali

A pilot study on surgical trimming impact on severely overgrown claws in sheep: Behavioral, physiological, and ruminal function aspects

ABSTRACT Overgrown claws make walking painful, increase difficulty in finding food, and increase susceptibility to foot problems. This study highlights the effect of surgical claw trimming on the behavior, physiological indices, and ruminal activity of sheep. Twenty sheep that had severe claw overgrowth were divided into 2 groups: the trimmed group (T), subjected to the process of claw trimming, and the overgrown claw group, the control group (C). Claw morphometric measurements (toe length, claw height, sole length, sole width, heel height, dorsal hoof angle, fetlock angle, and dew claws length), gait analysis, behavioral patterns (feeding, rumination, drinking, standing, walking, and resting), hematological and blood biochemical indices (complete blood count, plasma cortisol, glucose, lactate, copper, and tumor necrosis factor–&agr; levels), and ruminal function tests (ruminal PH, and count and activity of ruminal fauna) were evaluated in both groups. The overgrown claw trimming improved sheep behavior, gait scoring, physiological indicators, and ruminal activity.

The Effect of Lidocaine with/without Epinephrine on Healing of Cutaneous Incised Wounds in Donkeys: An Experimental Study

Objective: To study the effect of lidocaine with / without epinephrine on the wound healing. Study Design: An experimental study. Animals: 18 clinically healthy donkeys of both sexes. Methods: Animals were divided into 3 equal main groups, lidocaine group in which plain lidocaine 2% was used for local infiltration, epinephrine group in which lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 0.00227% was used and the control group, in which wounds were induced under effect of intravenous (IV) thiopental aesthesia 10% (6 mg/kg) without any local infiltration. Wound samples were taken for histopathological examination on the 7th and the 14th days post wound induction. Results: There was no distinct difference in bleeding after wound inductions between the experimental groups. Grossly, lidocaine group had delayed healing process on the 7th day post wound induction, manifested by dehiscence between wound edges especially in the mid-way of the wounds. Lidocaine with epinephrine group had good healing process with complete closure between wound edges within the same period. Rate of infection was of high incidence in lidocaine group. In histopathological examination, skin sections of lidocaine group showed extensive hemorrhage on the 7th day post wound induction and there was incomplete epithelization in the epidermis by the 14th day post wound induction. Lidocaine with epinephrine group showed partial epithelization of the epidermis on the 7th day while on the 14th day post wound induction; skin section had completed epithelization in the epidermis with presence of mature collagen bundles at the dermis. Conclusions: The present study showed that addition of epinephrine to lidocaine enhances and accelerates the healing process more bitter than plain lidocaine.

Comparative studies on biochemical and cytological constituents of synovial fluids in some farm animals

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the difference in the synovial fluid constituents in cattle, buffaloes, camels, and donkeys. A total number of 20 clinically healthy adult male animals (cattle (N = 5), buffaloes (N = 5), camels (N = 5), and donkeys (N = 5) were subjected to study. Synovial fluid samples were collected from the metacarpophalangeal joint under complete aseptic conditions. The samples were examined physically, cytologically, and biochemically. Synovial fluid analysis revealed significant variations in specific gravity, total leukocyte counts, total proteins, albumin, globulins, glucose levels, and alkaline phosphatase activity among investigated animal species.

Ocular Field Surgery in Ruminants

Ocular disease and injury remain a common occurrence in ruminants. In many instances, medical management is sufficient for the resolution and amelioration of clinical signs. In selected cases, surgical intervention is required (Irby, 2004). Although animals with many ophthalmic diseases may continue to eat and produce milk reasonably well, but they usually tend to lose weight (Rubin, 1984; Rahman et al., 2012). As a result, they are condemned to slaughter especially in case of cancer eye which is by some estimates responsible for 12% of all carcass condemnation and are refused by auction markets (Ruggles et al., 1992; Samad, 2001). The presence of such many eye lesions in clear view on a dairy farm may lead the general public to question the humane treatment of animals on that farm and in the dairy industry in general (Hirsbrunner et al., 1998; Rahman et al., 2012). Fortunately, field surgery remains a Abstract