Large Animal Surgery Flashcards
7 cards from real DVM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Large Animal Surgery flashcards as text
Which anesthetic drug combination is most commonly used for total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) in standing equine procedures?
Answer: Detomidine-butorphanol-ketamine (triple drip)
The triple drip (guaifenesin, ketamine, xylazine or detomidine) or detomidine-butorphanol-ketamine combinations are standard TIVA protocols providing adequate sedation and analgesia for field anesthesia in horses.
A cow develops milk fever (hypocalcemia) 12 hours post-cesarean section. Which of the following best explains this complication?
Answer: Perioperative stress reducing parathyroid hormone secretion
Periparturient hypocalcemia results from an acute demand for calcium that exceeds the cow's ability to mobilize it, often exacerbated by the stress response of surgery impairing normal parathyroid hormone-mediated calcium regulation.
What is the purpose of the Caslick's operation in mares?
Answer: To correct pneumovagina by suturing the dorsal vulvar lips
Caslick's operation involves suturing the dorsal portion of the vulvar lips to close the pneumovagina, preventing aspiration of fecal material and air into the reproductive tract that leads to endometritis.
In horses, which condition is characterized by accumulation of gas in the cecum unresponsive to medical treatment?
Answer: Cecal tympany
Cecal tympany involves gas distension of the cecum; when medical decompression fails, surgical cecostomy or typhlotomy may be required to relieve the pressure.
Which ligament must be transected during a standing bovine caesarean section via the left paralumbar flank?
Answer: Broad ligament of the uterus
The broad ligament may need to be partially incised to exteriorize the gravid uterine horn through the flank incision during caesarean section in cattle.
What is the most significant complication of perineal urethrostomy in goats and sheep?
Answer: Urethral stricture formation
Urethral stricture at the stoma site due to scar formation is the most common long-term complication of perineal urethrostomy in small ruminants, often leading to recurrent obstruction.
When performing a herniorraphy for umbilical hernia in a foal, which layer is most critical to close to prevent recurrence?
Answer: External fascia and linea alba
Secure closure of the fibrous hernia ring, including the external fascia and linea alba, is essential to eliminate the defect and prevent herniation from recurring.