Surgical Management of Atresia Ani in a cow calf

Introduction povidone iodine and ointment acrilin was applied daily till recovery and injection gentamycin 3ml was given Intestinal atresia has been reported as a intramuscular daily for 5 days. An antibiotic therapy was congenital defect in all species of domestic animals followed for 5 days. The sutures were removed on the (Van Der Gass and Tibboel, 1980). The congenital 10th post-operative day. abnormalities of the anus and rectum are fairly common in young ones. (Nixon, 1972., Dreyfuss and Results and Discussion Tulleners., 1989 and Ansari, 2005). Various surgical The calf showed marked improvement in techniques have been used to correct atresia ani in defecation and general behavior within 3rd day of domestic animals (Singh, 1989 and Jubb et al., 1993). surgery and uneventful recovery within 10th postThis report communicates a case of atresia ani in a operative day. The present case of atresia ani with its male calf, which was treated successfully by surgical simple form of agenesis (without involving other parts) intervention. uneventful recovery after surgical intervention and similar findings in calves were reported by Steenhaunt History and clinical observations et al., (1976) and Nagaraja et al., (2003). Most affected A three-day-old male cow calf of non-descript calves initially will stand and suckle normally after birth. breed was presented at Teaching Veterinary Clinical The time for onset of clinical signs of this condition may Complex, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural vary from 1 to 3 days. On collection of history the owner University, Sardarkrushinagar with the complain of did not see the calf passing muconium or feces was the non-passage of faeces since birth. On clinical main observation. The principal clinical signs of observation, it was found that the calf was not having condition was straining, tenesmus, colic, depression anal opening (Fig.1). There was soft subcutaneous and anorexia with abdominal distention. The diagnosis swelling below the ischial arch with distension of of atresia ani is often presumptive based on the age, abdomen. The signs of tenesmus and abdominal pain history, and physical examinations. Atresia ani can be diagnosed by visual inspection of the perineal region or were observed. The case was diagnosed as atresia ani condition and planned for surgery. by limited digital palpation if a vestigial anal opening is present. Surgical intervention is the only technique of Treatment choice for the treatment in such acute abdominal The calf was controlled in dorso-ventral position discomfort and it was attempted successfully in this with its hindquarter raised high on a table and present case. restrained. The perineal region below the base of the tail was prepared for aseptic surgery. Local infiltration Acknowledgement anaesthesia was performed using injection 2% Authors are thankful to Dean and Principal, lignocaine hydrochloride (Zylocaine, Laborate College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Ahmedabad, India) solution at S.D. A.U Sardarkrushinagar for proving facilities to the proposed site of incision. A circular incision was carry out this work. made upon the bulge of the anus and the circular piece of incised skin was removed. Muconium came out References immediately. The patency of opening was maintained 1. Dreyfuss, D.J. and Tulleners, E.P. (1989). Intestinal by application of interrupted sutures by black braided atresia in calves: 22 cases (1978-1988). J. Am. Vet. silk # 2 between rectal mucosa and skin to make a Med. Assoc. 171: 433-434. permanent anal orifice. Post-operatively, the surgical 2. Jubb, K.V. F. ; Kennedy, P.C. and Palmer, N. (1993):Pathology of domestic animals. Academic wound was cleaned and dressed regularly with liquid