The Use of a Rabbit Model to Evaluate the Influence of Age on Excision Wound Healing

Background: The wound healing involves a highly co-ordinated cascade of cellular and immunological response over a period of time including coagulation, inflammation, granulation tissue formation, epithelialization, collagen synthesis and tissue remodeling. Wounds in aged heal more slowly than those in younger, mainly because of co morbidities that occurs as one ages. Present study is about the influence of age on wound healing. 1x1cm2 (100mm) wounds were created on the back of the animal. The animals were divided into two groups; one group had animals in the age group of 3-9 months while another group had animals in the age group of 15-21 months. Materials and Methods: 24 clinically healthy rabbits in the age group of 3-21 months were used as experimental animals and divided in two groups viz A and B. All experimental parameters i.e Excision wound model, Measurement of wound area, Protein extraction and estimation, Protein extraction and estimation and DNA extraction and estimation were done by standard methods. Results: The parameters studied were wound contraction, hydroxyproline, glucosamine, protein and DNA. Significant increase (p<0.005) in the hydroxyproline, glucosamine, protein and DNA and significant decrease in wound area (p<0.005) was observed in the age group of 3-9 months when compared to animals of age group of 15-21 months. Wound contraction together with hydroxyproline, glucosamine, protein and DNA estimations suggest that advance age results in retarded wound healing. Conclusion: The decrease wound contraction and accumulation of hydroxyproline, glucosamine, protein and DNA in group B animals may be associated with the reduction or delay in growth factors because of the advancing age

Comparative efficacy of lignocaine alone and in combination with Ketamine as epidural anaesthesia in cow calves

The present study was conducted to evaluate the clinico-physiological effects of epidural anaesthesia using lignocaine alone and in combination with ketamine in cow calves. Eight clinically healthy non-descript, stall- fed male cow calves aged 7 to 8 months and weighing 55 to 65 kg were used in the study. Animals were divided in two groups of four animals each. In (group A) lignocaine @ 0.5mg/kg body wt. and in (group B) lignocaine @ 0.5mg/kg body wt with ketamine @ 2 mg/kg body wt. was administered at first inter coccygeal epidural space. Clinical observations such as, onset, depth of analgesia, area of desensitization, motor incoordination, salivation, heart-rate, respiration rate and rectal temperature (OF) were recorded before and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150,180 and 240 minutes after injection of drug(s). Ruminal movements were recorded at every 30 minutes after the injection of drug(s) upto complete recovery and 24 hours after the injection. The onset of analgesia in group B was significantly shorter as compared to group A. Group B animals induced deeper analgesia as compared to group A. In group A animals decrease in heart rate was recorded whereas in group B animals heart rate was increased. In group A, decrease in RR was observed. [Vet. World 2011; 4(8.000): 364-367

A Retrospective Study on the Surgical Affections of Young Calves

Surgical affections of 29 young calves were retrospectively reviewed. The affections were broadly classified into congenital malformation and acquired ones. Congenital malformations recorded atresia ani (6), atresia ani et recti (4), meningocele (1), pervious urachus (3), congenital preputial orifice stenosis (1), growth at umbilicus (2), knuckling (4), papilloma of tail (1), Imperforate urinary meatus (3), Ocular dermoid (1). Acquired abnormalities included mandibular fracture (3). Surgical treatment for such conditions was carried out after the differential diagnosis. The development of these congenital malformations, their effect on the animal life and the different surgical interventions were discussed