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Franz, S., M.Flock and M. H.Parisot (2009) Ultrasonography anatomy and its relationship with quarter and udder milk ow
of the bovine udder and teat. Vet. Clin. North. Am. Food. characteristics in dairy cows, J. Dairy Sci., 87:3280 -3289.
Anim. Pract., 25: 669-685.
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Trostle, S. S and R. T. О’Brien (1998) Ultrasonography of the A.P.Nambi (2016) Comparison of clinical and ultrasonograph-
bovine mammary gland. Compendium on Continuing Educa- ic diagnosis of milk ow disorders in hand milking dairy cows,
tion for the Practicing Veterinarian, 20:64–71. Indian Vet. J., 93 (08): 72 – 74
Weis, D., M. Weinfurther and R. M. Bruckmaier (2004) Teat

Indian Vet. J., April 2018, 95 (04) : 57 - 59

Femur Fracture Tie-In Fixation in a Dog - A Case Report

N.V.V.Hari Krishna1, S.Ayyappan and A.Arun Prasad

Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai – 600 007.
(Received : 05-09-2017 298/17 Accepted : 10-10-2017)

Abstarct Clinical examination revealed the presence

A two year old male Mongrel dog weighing 14 of swelling of the thigh along with crepitus in
Kg was presented with a history of non-weight the mid femoral region. A bite wound was seen
bearing lameness following dog bite. Clini- on the caudo-lateral aspect of the thigh which
cal and radiological examination revealed a did not communicate with the fracture (Fig. 1).
complete transverse fracture of left femur. Orthogonal radiographs of the femur revealed a
Successful surgical treatment of the fracture by complete transverse mid- shaft fracture of the
tie-in external xation was reported. left femur (Fig. 2) and it was decided to reduce
the fracture by tie-in xation. The wound was
Key words: Dog, femur, tie-in xation cleaned and dressed with povidone iodine and
Pelvic limb fractures were more common the fractured limb was stabilized with a modied
in dogs. Among pelvic limb fractures, femur Robert Jones bandage till the day of surgery.
fractures occupy 47.48% (Aithal et al., 1999 and Advised the pet owner for post bite antirabies
Simon et al., 2010) of which 60% were diaphyseal vaccination.
(Unger et al. 1990). Most of the femur fractures
were closed and require some sort of internal Treatment and Discussion
xation (Beale, 2004). But internal xation like Surgical site was prepared aseptically. The dog
intramedullary pinning alone cannot counteract was pre-medicated with Inj. Atropine @ 0.04 mg/
rotational and compressive forces as effective kg. i.m. followed by Inj. Xylazine @ 1mg/kg. i.m.
as it does to bending forces. The present paper 10 minutes later. Inj. tramadol @ 2.0 mg/kg and
reports about the surgical treatment of femur Inj. Cefotaxime @ 22 mg/Kg b.wt. i.v. were given
fracture in a dog using tie-in xation. 15 minutes before start of surgery. General
anaesthesia was induced by Inj. Ketamine and
Case History and Observations Inj. Diazepam mixture at the dose rates of 5.0
A 2 year old male Mongrel dog weighing 14 kg mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg body weight respectively.
was presented with a history of dog bite and non- General anesthesia was maintained by 2%
weight bearing lameness of the left hind limb. Isoourane. The femur was approached through
a cranio-lateral incision (Piermattei, 2004). The
1
Corresponding author : Email : drharikrishnavet@gmail.com tensor fascia lata was incised and the muscles
The Indian Veterinary Journal (April, 2018) 57
 Femur Fracture Tie-In Fixation in a Dog ...

Fig. 1 Photograph showing dog bite wound with non-weight Fig. 2 Skiagram showing complete transverse mid shaft frac-
bearing lameness. ture of femur.

to unilateral external skeletal xator with a

small piece of connecting rod which was xed
between the proximal extremity of the intra-
medullary pin and the proximal extremity of the
connecting rod using two clamps, one on either
end and the surgical incision closed in routine
manner. Protective bandage was applied cover-
ing the entire splint to prevent interference with
furniture (Ayyappan et al., loc. cit). Postopera-
tively Tab. Cefalexin @ 22 mg/kg b.i.d was given
orally for 7 days and Tab. Carprofen @ 2.2 mg/kg
b.i.d was given orally for ve days. Skin sutures
were removed on 12th postoperative day.
Fig. 3 Skiagram showing tie-in xation - Immediate postop.
The ESF to the IM pin signicantly
separated by blunt dissection and the fracture increased the rigidity. Immediate post-operative
ends were debrided and reduced with the help of radiographs showed excellent alignment and
bone holding forceps. A 3 mm Steinmann intra- apposition of the fracture fragments (Fig. 3).
medullary pin was placed in retrograde fashion Postoperative weight bearing was noticed on 7th
and a counter pin of same length was used to postoperative day following tie-in xation. The
assess the level of the distal pin tip in the distal external xator was removed on 45th postopera-
metaphysis of the femur. Proximal end of the tive day and IMP was removed two weeks later
intramedullary pin was left uncut. (George et al., 2007 and Vedpathak et al., 2011).
The Kirschner-Ehmer (K-E) splint was In the present case early mobility of the limb
constructed on the lateral aspect of the thigh. and weight bearing of the affected limb could be
Transxation pins of 25% transcortical thick- due to increased rigidity of the tie-in xator. The
ness (Ayyappan et al., 2009) were placed from fracture healed by callus formation.
the lateral femoral cortex till the trocar tip just External skeletal xation of long bones
emerges the far cortex. Predrilling was done is useful to treat to a wide variety of fractures
with a smaller Steinmann pin. Most proximal like open fractures, infected fractures, commi-
and distal pins were placed rst. Two transx- nuted fractures, certain osteotomies and cases
ation pins per fragment were used. All the four with delayed healing or when supplementation
transxation pins were connected to a 4.0 mm with other internal xation methods is required.
connecting rod using single pin small clamps. Thus, when these two methods are combined
The intramedullary pin was tied-in or connected they help in reducing almost all disadvantages

58 The Indian Veterinary Journal (April, 2018)

 N.V.V.Hari Krishna et al.
of both the techniques individually. The tie-in George, C., Nagarajan, L. and Manohar, B. M. (2007) Stain-
conguration approximately doubles the stabil- less steel and acrylic external skeletal xators as adjuncts
to intramedullary pinning for femoral fracture repair in dogs.
ity of the repair and prevents migration or the
Indian J. of Vet. Surg., 28(1): 37-38.
IM pin (Beale, loc. cit).
Piermattei, D.L. and Johnson, K.A. (2004) Approach to the
Summary femur through a lateral incision. In: An Atlas of Surgical
Approaches to the Bones and Joints of the Dog and Cat, 4 th
A complete transverse mid femur fracture in edn. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia. pp. 337.
a two year old male Mongrel dog was treated Simon, S. M., Ganesh, R., Ayyappan, S., Rao, G. D., Suresh-
successfully using tie-in xation without any kumar, R., Kundeve, V. R. and Das, B.C. (2010) Incidence
complications. of pelvic limb fractures in dogs: A survey of 478 cases. Vet.
World., 3(3): 120-121.
References
Unger, M., Montavon, P. M. and Heim, U. F. A. (1990) Clas-
Aithal, H.P., Singh, G.R. and Bisht, G.S. (1999) Fractures in sication of femur fractures and long bones in the dog and
dogs: a survey of 402 cases. Indian J. Vet. Surg., 20: 15-21. cat: Introduction and Clinical application. Vet. Comp. Orth.
Ayyappan, S., Shauzama, Md., Ganesh, T.N., Das, B.C. and and Traumatol., 3: 41-50.
Sureshkumar, R. (2009) A Clinical Study on External Fixators Vedpathak, H. S., Tank, P. H., Karle, A. S., Bhatia, A. and
for Long Bone Fracture Management in Dogs. Indian J. of Desai, B. D. (2011) Clinical evaluation of tie-in conguration
Vet. Surg., 30(2): 90-92. and intramedullary pinning for stabilization of femoral frac-
Beale, B. (2004) Orthopaedic clinical techniques femur frac- tures in dogs. Indian J. of Vet. Surg., 32(2): 111-113.
ture repair. Clin. Tech. in Small Anim. Pract., 19(3): 134-150.

Indian Vet. J., April 2018, 95 (04) : 59 - 61

Fetal Maceration in a Crossbred Cow

H. Hemalatha, K. Murugavel1, S. Kantharaj, D. Antoine and M.S. Raju

Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research, Kurumbapet, Puducherry- 605 009.
(Received : 03-08-2017 250/17 Accepted : 05-09-2017)

Abstract was removed per-vaginum by applying traction.

A crossbred Jersey cow aged four years at full Key words: Fetal maceration, Bovine.
term was reported with history of intermit-
In cattle, retained macerated fetus follow-
tent unproductive straining with foul smelling
ing fetal death, regression of corpus luteum and
discharge from the vaginal passage for the past
failure of the fetus to expel from the uterus
one week. Rectal examination revealed that the
occur at any stage of gestation (Roberts, 1971).
uterus was hard on palpation with crepitating
Failure of the expulsion of the fetus results in
bony structures. Vaginal examination revealed
bacterial invasion through the dilated cervix
that the cervix was three nger dilated with
and resulting in digestion of soft fetal tissues
fetal bones protruding through the partially
by a combination of putrication and autolysis
dilated cervix. Cervix was dilated manually by
(Noakes et al., 2001) leaving a mass of fetal
fanning the cervix with hand along with warm
bones within the uterus. These fetal bones may
saline solution. Under epidural anesthesia and
be embedded within the uterine wall resulting in
sufcient cervical dilation, macerated fetal mass
a chronic endometritis and severe damage to the
1
Corresponding author : Email : dr.murugavel@gmail.com

The Indian Veterinary Journal (April, 2018) 59