Ferret Vasectomy

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

lordof1 — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:31:47 GMT

Um, formalin, even. Not sure how you would preserve something in histo.

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

lordof1 — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:31:11 GMT

Went very well, fun op if a little fiddly. Main problem - two very very similar looking white tubes, hard to distinguish between (presumably?) vein and vas deferens. I took a section out and looked under a slide to see spree, so it must been the right piece. Rest was preserved in histo for the future!

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:12:22 GMT

Again cut off preserve and tie-actually I've always used chromic catgut (dinosaur!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Quite easy-but if of advanced age (like myself) you need your specs.

Wynne

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

lordof1 — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 09:03:02 GMT

I have one to do rather unexpectedly today - thanks for the posts here! The surgical textbook makes it sound very easy - but don't they always? I'm reassured it's gone well for you.

I'll let you know how I get on!

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

katie mountford — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:15:49 GMT

If owners don't want hiso then you can usually look under the practice microscope and visualise sperm if a bit of cord is squished onto a slide. particularly if its done immediately after the op and put onto a warm slide they are usually very obvious

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Rob Davis — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:05:08 GMT

Glad it went well - I remember it not being nearly as difficult as I was expecting it to be.

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

eddapb — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:10:51 GMT

Hurrah! I found everything where it was supposed to be and took my time with the fiddly bits with the nurse holding a bright light ... thanks for all the advice!

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Richard Carter — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:02:51 GMT

When I had a few to do, a collegue kindly produced the 'In Practice' article - if you go 3cm cranial, you are off the ferret - cut down your paramedian incision over a point just off mid thigh almost over the femoral artery, go down to the muscle layer, lift the fat up and tunic sheath should be on muscle surface. Once opened sharp / sharp scissors, all the ones I did had easily identifiable spermatic cord which split off the blood vessels quite well, ligate ant and caudal (I used vicryl 5/0) and snip out segment. Recovered quite well.

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Laurence Webb — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:59:09 GMT

£82.97 is still good value when you consider how fiddly they are. Mind you I think I charged about the same last time I did one too.

As to technique - as above. remove 1cm and tie both end off as well

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Vikki Halliday LLB — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:26:16 GMT

[quote user="Alan Tevendale"]

Me too Vikki. £25? Would that really cover the drug, material, and staff costs? Nobody could make a profit on that and it's not even as if ferret vasectomies could be considered appropriate for a loss leader.

[/quote]Yup, we charge £82.97, and we explain why........including that we use gold standard anaesthesia where we can including Sevo.

But that doesn't stop them trying it on......

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Alan Tevendale — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:36:50 GMT

[quote user="Vikki Halliday"]

And I still get annoyed when people ask me to do it for £25, "cos it's only a ferret".

[/quote]

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Vikki Halliday LLB — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:31:39 GMT

I do them similarly to the way described, two paramedian incisions cranial to the scrotum, identify and isolate the vas deferens, (it feels like a thin rubber tube compared to the vessels), and ligate proximally and distally with a transfixing 4/0 or 5/0 vicryl ligature. I remove at least 1cm if possible, and the most proximal ligature I also suture into the tissue cranially, so it reflects cranially when you tighten the ligature, thus reducing risk of regrowth.

They are not technically challenging, but having loupes or some other magnification can help as they are just fiddly.

I also keep the vas in a pot of formalin, clearly labelled with the client, animal and date.

And I still get annoyed when people ask me to do it for £25, "cos it's only a ferret".

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Alan Tevendale — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:49:49 GMT

I've always removed a section of vas deferens and kept for histo if required. The technique described above is pretty much how I've always done these although I haven't ever needed to use a magnifying glass. As far as material is concerned I've always used 3/0 vicryl.

A vet I knew said he kept a store of formalin preserved tissue on his office shelf so that if a client ever asked for proof of successful procedure he would be able to produce one of these. Very very dodgy in my opinion.

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Rob Davis — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 10:31:25 GMT

From In Practice article Feb 2002:

"Vasectomy is best performed when the hob is in season. Two incisions are made in the skin either side of the midline, 3cm cranial to the testes. The spermatic cords are then located by blunt dissection, and the vasa deferentia separated using a magnifying lens, if required. The vasa deferentia should be double ligated using fine suture material, and a portion of tissue removed beween the ligatures. Alternatively, the animal may be vaserctomised through a caudal midline laparotomy. The vasa deferentia may be identified and ligated as they loop over from the inguinal canal to enter the urethra at the bladder neck.

"The removed tissue can be sent for histology to confirm that the vasectomy has been successful. Hobs cannot be assumed to be sterile until seven weeks after sugery."

I can't remember which suture material I used, but I suspect fairly fine vicryl.

I have only done one and used this procedure with no problems. I did not submit the removed tissue for histology as the owner didn't want to pay for it, but kept it in formalin just in case (I suspect if I looked hard enough it's probably still gathering dust at the back of a cupboard!)

Re: Ferret Vasectomy

Mark Hedberg — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 10:14:28 GMT

I haven't done one, but my old professor at uni always recommended tying and cutting out a small segment of duct, to make it impossible for any sperm to pass.