Effect of Lignocaine and a Topical Vapocoolant Spray on Pain Response during Surgical Castration of Beef Calves

Abstract

This study assessed the efficacy of pre-operative injected lignocaine and peri-operative topical vapocoolant spray, administered as most practical for incorporation into routine calf castration procedures. Calves were randomly allocated to: (1) sham castration (SHAM); (2) surgical castration (CAST); (3) surgical castration with lignocaine (LIG); and (4) surgical castration with vapocoolant spray (VAPO). Calf behavioural responses were scored at different stages of the sham castration or castration procedure. Maximum ocular temperatures were measured at three time-points relative to restraint and treatment. There were significant effects of treatment (p < 0.001) and stage of procedure (p < 0.001) on calf behavioural response. SHAM calves were more likely to display less severe responses compared to all other calves and LIG calves were more likely to display less severe responses compared to VAPO calves. Calves were more likely to display more severe responses to extrusion of the first spermatic cord compared to all other stages of castration, and to extrusion of the second spermatic cord compared to severing of the second spermatic cord. There was a significant effect of time (p < 0.001) on ocular temperature, with ocular temperature being greater following sham castration or castration. In this study, there was no evidence of pain reduction during castration of calves by either lignocaine or vapocoolant spray.

Evaluation of Electroencephalography, Behaviour and Eye Temperature in Response to Surgical Castration in Sheep

“…Likewise, in the current study, it did not appear that lignocaine attenuated pain responses to the procedure. This is also in line with other studies evaluating surgical castration in calves [28] and piglets [33] where pain responses were still observed in animals treated with lignocaine. Time of administration also plays a role, a longer period between treatment and castration may result in improved efficacy.…”

“…However, this was not the case in the present study as castrated lambs that did not receive any pain mitigation displayed an increase in eye temperature immediately after castration at 0 h. This is in line with other research in sheep, where an epinephrine infusion, with no painful intervention, resulted in an increase in eye temperature [25]. Different again are some studies in cattle undergoing castration that have found no change in eye temperature as a result of the procedure [27,28]. Different responses in eye temperature between sheep and cattle in response to painful or stressful scenarios may warrant further investigation.…”

Analgesia for Sheep in Commercial Production: Where to Next?

“…Similarly, caudal epidural lignocaine did not mitigate the behavioural response to rubber ring tail docking in adult dairy cows on days 0, 2 and 6 post-procedure [ 125 ]. Local administration of 240 mg of lignocaine into the spermatic cords and scrotal neck prior to knife castration in calves did not appear to reduce the pain response as assessed using visual analogue scales (pain scores) [ 232 ]. Lignocaine does appear to be of benefit when calves are castrated using rings or bands: 100 mg of lignocaine delivered into the testicles and scrotum has been shown to obliterate the cortisol response to ring castration, but not surgical castration with traction, use of an emasculator, or burdizzo (clamp) castration [ 233 ], while 200 mg delivered into the spermatic cords and scrotal neck did result in a reduced cortisol response and reduced active pain behaviours following burdizzo (clamp) castration, and near obliteration of the cortisol response and pain behaviours following ring castration [ 234 ].…”

“…Again, no placebo was possible, but the women receiving the ice pack pre-treatment reported moderately lower pain scores post-procedure. In 2–4 month-old calves ( n = 10), a topical vapocoolant spray was applied to the scrotum prior to incision and then to the spermatic cords after exteriorisation of the testes for castration, but there was no evidence of an analgesic effect, based on post-procedural behaviour scoring and infrared thermography of the eye [ 232 ].…”

The efficacy of vapocoolant spray for the improved tolerance of catheter pain in emergency patients

“…2017, 2018, Van Der Saag et al . 2019). Unfortunately, due to variation in skin characteristics between species and target location for anaesthesia the results of these studies cannot be readily extrapolated to dogs and cats (Fjordbakk & Henning 2011, Lomax et al .…”