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Effects of xylazine administration prior to laparoscopic abomasopexy as described by Janowitz on cortisol, substance P, and behavior in cattle
Tschoner-Utza, T.,, Zablotski, Y...
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Objectives
Left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) is a disease diagnosed in cattle all over the world, causing huge economic losses. Fixation of the abomasum by laparoscopic abomasopexy (LA) has first been described in 1998 by Janowitz. Usually, cattle are not sedated due to the risk of them going down. Studies showed that concentrations of cortisol, and indicator for stress, fear, and pain in cattle, are reduced in animals treated with xylazine prior to being put into lateral recumbency with a tilt table, compared with untreated animals. The objective of this study was to evaluate cortisol and substance P concentrations in cattle undergoing LA after administration of xylazine, compared with a control group, and to describe behavioral observations and feeding and rumination time.
Material and Methods
LA was performed in 28 cows (aged 6.0 ± 2.0 years) with LDA, according to a standardized surgical protocol. Cows were randomly assigned to either CON (control group, n = 14) or XYL (xylazine treated group, n = 14). All cows were treated with 10 liters of 0.9% saline and 1 or 2 liters of 40% glucose on the day before surgery, benzyl penicillin procaine (20.000 IU/kg bodyweight intramuscularly) from the day before surgery for 4.89 ± 1.26 days, and ketoprofen (3 mg/kg bodyweight intravenously) on the day of the surgery and the following day. Cows of XYL received xylazine (2 mg/kg bodyweight intravenously) at the start of the surgery. Animals of CON received a placebo (0.9% sodium chloride solution intravenously). Blood samples for determination of plasma cortisol (PCC) and plasma substance P concentrations (PSPC) and blood gas samples were taken 3 hours before surgery (baseline, +00:00 hours), at 11:00 am (start of the surgery, +03:00) and at +03:15, +03:30, +03:45 (dorsal recumbency), +04:00 (cow standing again, end of surgery), +04:40, +05:00, +06:00, and +27:00. Behavior of the animals was assessed on the day of the surgery and the following day at 08:00 am, 01:00 pm, and 05:00 pm, and during the surgery. Feeding and rumination time was recorded for 24 hours following surgery. Parameters were studied using a multiple linear mixed effects model.
Results
LA could be performed without any animal going down due to the sedation. Mean PCC were lower in XYL than in CON at all times. In CON, PCC increased after the start of the surgery, with highest concentrations at +04:00. In XYL, PCC decreased after the administration of xylazine, until +03:45, when animals were put into dorsal recumbency. In XYL, PCC were significantly lower compared with CON at +03:30 (p = 0.03). Compared with +03:00, PCC were significantly higher at +03:45 (p ≤ 0.01), +04:00 (p ≤ 0.01), and +04:30 (p ≤ 0.01) in CON, and significantly lower at +03:15 (p = 0.02) and +03:30 (p ≤0.01), and significantly higher at +04:00 (p ≤ 0.01) and +04:30 p ≤ 0.01 in XYL. PSPC did not differ significantly between or within groups. Glucose levels were significantly lower in CON compared with XYL at +03:45 (p = 0.03) and +04:30 (p = 0.03). Mean pCO2 was significantly higher in XYL compared with CON at +03:30 (p = 0.05). In XYL, mean pCO2 was significantly higher at +03:15 (p ≤ 0.01), +03:30 (p ≤ 0.01), +03:45 (p ≤ 0.01), and +04:30 (p = 0.01) compared with +03:00. Compared with +03:00, pO2 was significantly lower at +03:45 (p < 0.01) and +04:00 (p < 0.01) in CON, and at +03:45 (p< 0.01) and +04:30 (p = 0.04) in XYL. Behavior did not differ significantly between groups during and after the surgery. In XYL, animals had significantly higher number of chews per bolus (p = 0.02) over a period of 24 hours after surgery.
Conclusions
The results of this study show that PCC increase during LA, and that administration of xylazine results in significantly lower PCC during the course of the surgery, representing less stress for the animals. Thus, in the opinion of the authors, xylazine should be given in a low dose prior to LA to decrease the stress level. The application of xylazine before LA improves the welfare of cattle during and after a surgery even if it is thought to be a minor invasive surgery like the LA.
Keywords: Dairy cow, left abomasal displacement, pain, surgery, stress
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