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Impact of a Topical Anaesthesia Wound Management Formulation on Pain, Inflammation and Reduction of Secondary Infections after Tail Docking in Lambs

Authors :
Luis Miguel Ferrer
Delia Lacasta
Aurora Ortín
Juan José Ramos
María Teresa Tejedor
Marta Borobia
María Pérez
Enrique Castells
Marta Ruiz de Arcaute
Héctor Ruiz
Peter Andrew Windsor
Source :
Animals, Vol 10, Iss 8, p 1255 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2020.

Abstract

We examined several procedures for surgical tail docking; with and without general anaesthesia (GA), including the use of a topical wound gel formulation to provide pain relief (PR) and improve healing after surgery, containing local anaesthetics lignocaine and bupivacaine, with cetrimide and adrenalin. Forty-four lambs were recruited into four equal cohorts: Groups A and C, the tail was excised with a scalpel without anaesthesia or stitches; Groups B and D, the tail was surgically excised and stitched under GA; Groups C and D wounds were immediately sprayed with PR. Behavioural observations identified that Groups A and C displayed significantly less pain-related behaviours than Groups B and D shortly after the procedure, especially if treated with PR. Similarly, the mean of days when animals showed no signs of wound infection was longer in the groups not undergoing stitching. Finally, treatment with PR appeared to reduce the cortisol response and avoided the elevation of serum amyloid A in lambs where the tail was excised without general anaesthesia. In conclusion, surgical tail-docking without GA but where wounds are immediately sprayed with PR, appears as an affordable and more welfare-appropriate method for conducting tail docking in lambs.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20762615
Volume :
10
Issue :
8
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Animals
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.878377e81c69428d8fe534308e043dfb
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10081255