DOI: 10.25338/b8d64s
title: Data from: Pilot testing an ethanol cornual nerve block as a long-term analgesic for calf disbudding

description: Disbudding prevents horn growth in calves through thermal or chemical
 cauterization and causes damage that is painful for weeks following the
 procedure. Current pain management strategies are only effective from 1 to
 2 h (local anesthetic) to 1–3 d (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). A
 potential practical solution for addressing longer-term pain may be to
 administer ethanol as a cornual nerve block. When administered at a high
 concentration, ethanol damages the functionality of peripheral nerves,
 promoting localized long-lasting analgesia. It is also thought to be
 painful, thus ethanol may be combined with lidocaine, as a mixed solution
 or administered beforehand. We tested the use of an ethanol cornual nerve
 block for anesthesia around the horn bud in 2 pilot studies. We used
 different concentrations and amounts of ethanol (100 and 70%) in
 combination with different ratios of lidocaine in our attempt to identify
 an effective block. In pilot 1, 14 non-disbudded calves were administered
 2–4 mL of 100% ethanol below the boney ridge on each side of the head to
 block the cornual nerve at 3–10 d of age (n = 28 horn buds) and observed
 for 5 wk. The duration of loss of sensation was evaluated using pinprick
 tests 10 min, 1, 3, and 7 d after the block, and then weekly thereafter
 until 35 d or full sensation had returned. Pinprick tests consisted of
 lightly pressing a needle in 10 evenly spaced locations around the base of
 the horn bud (0 responses = no sensation, 1–5 responses = partial
 sensation, 6–10 responses = full sensation). Pilot 2 looked at the 24 h
 after the injection and consisted of 9 non-disbudded calves (5 mL of 2:1,
 70% ethanol and 2% lidocaine/horn bud) and 6 disbudded individuals (5 mL
 of 100% ethanol, 70% ethanol, or 2% lidocaine per horn bud). All
 treatments were administered at the calf level. Anesthesia was checked 10
 min after the injection and 4 or 16 h later. In pilot 1, on the day of the
 ethanol injection (0-d), there was no sensation in 85% of horn buds.
 Sensation began to return as early as 1 d after blocking, with only 50,
 21, and 3% of horn buds having no sensation at 1, 7, and 35 d,
 respectively. Partial sensation was present in 25, 17, and 10% of horn
 buds at these time points. In pilot 2, 27.8% of horn buds in the
 non-disbudded group had no sensation while 33.3% had partial sensation 10
 min after the injection. In the disbudded calves 10 min after the
 injection, 100% of horn buds from the 100% ethanol group had partial
 sensation and 100% of horn buds administered 70% ethanol had full
 sensation. Four or 16 h later, 100% of horn buds had full sensation.
 Together, in these pilot studies, ethanol provided inconsistent anesthesia
 when used for a cornual nerve block.
description: The methods are described in the associated research
 publication. 
description: Please see the README associated with these data. 
description: --- output: pdf\_document: default html\_document: default
 ----------------------- # Data from: Pilot testing an ethanol cornual
 nerve block as a long-term analgesic for calf disbudding [Access this
 dataset on Dryad](https://doi.org/10.25338/B8D64S) These materials provide
 additional information and context, used in this experiment, and are
 referenced in the corresponding publication. We describe the efficacy of
 an ethanol block for providing long-lasting anesthesia around the horn bud
 in 2 pilot studies. The first spans 5 wk and the second looks at the 24 h
 around the injection. In the first pilot, 14 non-disbudded female calves
 (n=28 horn buds) were administered 2-4 ml of 100% ethanol on each side of
 the head to block the cornual nerve at 3-10 d of age. The duration of loss
 of sensation was evaluated using pinprick tests 10 min, 1, 3, and 7 d
 after the block, and then weekly thereafter until 35 d or full sensation
 had returned. One group (number 4), received lidocaine before their
 ethanol injection, these calves were excluded from the 10 min summary
 reported in the publication. The second pilot consisted of 9 non-disbudded
 female calves (5 mL 70% ethanol and 2% lidocaine/horn bud; n=18 horn buds)
 and 6 disbudded individuals (5 ml/horn bud of either 2% lidocaine, 70% or
 100% ethanol only; n=4 horn buds each). Calves in both pilots were
 provided 1 mg/kg of meloxicam before injections. Anesthesia was checked 10
 min after the injection and 4 or 16 h later. Pinprick tests consisted of
 lightly pressing a needle in 10 evenly spaced locations around the base of
 the horn bud (0 responses=no sensation, 1-5 responses=partial sensation,
 6-10 responses=full sensation). ## Description of the data and file
 structure * *Supplemental Figures.pdf*; This file presents 2 supplemental
 figures that depict an example of an adverse effect (swelling) observed in
 the study when injecting calves with an ethanol cornual nerve block and a
 comparison of no injection site swelling. *Supplemental Figure S1.*
 Examples of injection site swelling that occurred after administration of
 an ethanol cornual nerve block. *Supplemental Figure S2.* An example of a
 calf where no injection has been given and no swelling is present. *
 *Ethanol Block_Cleaned Data 231010.xlsx*; This file presents data from
 pilot study 1 and 2 evaluating the use of ethanol as a cornual nerve
 block. Calf, breed, and age at the time of injection are included. Date of
 the pin prick test and the total behavioral responses to show the level of
 anesthesia are presented. Units for each measure are included as headings
 in the Excel file. These behavioral responses were used to create the
 descriptive statistics presented in the paper. The symbol “.” is used to
 indicate when a pinprick is missing from pilot 1 or was not conducted in
 pilot 2, as lidocaine would no longer be in effect for that group. In
 pilot 1 only, full sensation (10 responses) was assumed once at least 1
 previous test had 10 responses, this is depicted by “Assumed” appearing in
 the approach column and the date column indicating “N/A”. In pilot 1, if
 data were excluded from the figure and descriptive results presented in
 the publication, it is marked with “Yes” in the “Excluded?” column.