Feline tail amputation

Re: Feline tail amputation

nikki — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:25:36 GMT

[quote user="sophia guymer"]

[quote user="Emily Nightingale"]

Having said that I always take the bare minimum off incase of dehiscens (and I ALWAYS warn O's this can happen esp to waggy tailed dogs) and the requirement for further surgery.

[/quote] That is exactly the reason why we take off nearly the whole tail even if only the tip is the problem, as they nearly always need more surgery if you don't (that is, when we are talking 'waggy tailed dogs' , wouldn't necessarily do so in 'calm tailed dogs'

)

[/quote]

same here - in waggy breeds, always take off the tail to nearly a normal docked length as found otherwise need repeat surgeries due to repetead trauma.

Re: Feline tail amputation

sophia guymer — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 22:37:05 GMT

[quote user="Emily Nightingale"]

Having said that I always take the bare minimum off incase of dehiscens (and I ALWAYS warn O's this can happen esp to waggy tailed dogs) and the requirement for further surgery.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Emily Nightingale — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:59:48 GMT

Disarticulate for the following reasons:

1) needs less equipment

2) less force

3) no periosteal pain

4) no likelihood of leaving bone fragments behind which will delay wound healing

5) smooth edge of cartilage is under skin closure is better for healing than a roughened edge of cut bone.

6) overall think it is quicker.

I make a "fish mouth" shaped incision where the lateral "commissures" meet half way along the vertebral body you are intending to leave attached to the patient. That way you end up with a nice cushioned flap which you can suture neatly over the stump.

Having said that I always take the bare minimum off incase of dehiscens (and I ALWAYS warn O's this can happen esp to waggy tailed dogs) and the requirement for further surgery.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Vikki Halliday LLB — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:20:52 GMT

I do the triangle thing too, and it is the same whichever way you look at it!

I always disarticulate, I find they are in too much pain afterwards if you cut through the periosteum,

Re: Feline tail amputation

sophia guymer — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:23:36 GMT

[quote user="Jillian Hall"]Never thought about it the other way round.[/quote]

May be I am having a very dull moment, but are we not talking about the same thing?

Lat triang towards cat = dorso ventr triang towards tail? I do the same thing, just depends on what you call it??

Re: Feline tail amputation

Jillian Hall — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:26:22 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]I do two triangular cuts at the lateral aspects of the tail (point towards cat) - makes a neater stich up.[/quote]

I do 2 triangular cuts on the dorsal and ventral aspects, but pointing towards the tail tip! Never thought about it the other way round.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Richard Carter — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:46:03 GMT

have never gone through vert body - ?periosteal pain? always through joint, don't do anything about the cartilage either, never had a problem to date..

Re: Feline tail amputation

Bob Russell — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:09:05 GMT

Never had a problem with either.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Rob Davis — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:25:30 GMT

I too have always cut through vertebral body to avoid leaving any synovial tissue behind, but I've seen colleagues disarticulate without problems.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Robert Wilson — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:05:34 GMT

I always cut through a vertebral body if I can.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:37:46 GMT

Always disarticulate, then scrape away cartilage. Careful dissection and you can get to ventral vessil and tie it before cutting through. I do two triangular cuts at the lateral aspects of the tail (point towards cat) - makes a neater stich up.

Re: Feline tail amputation

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:02:30 GMT

Depends at what level you're amputating, distal half probably doesn't matter, proximal third to half still use a bone rongeur but go through vertebral joint, slowly crush the tissue to achieve acceptable haemostasis at the same time.

Awaits brickbats from orthopods