Evaluation of Orchiectomy and Ovariectomy Surgical Techniques in Degus (Octodon Degus)

Caesarean surgery and ovariohysterectomy in a precocial rodent Octodon degus

“…To date, studies relevant to female reproductive management such as ovariohysterectomy (OVH) and cesarean section (CS) are not available in the literature. Studying and describing these procedures is essential for implementing efficient reproductive management programs in captive settings such as research colonies, zoo colonies, breeding programs, and pet trade (Malbrue et al, 2019). Procedures such as OVH and CS have been described in other rodent species including hamsters (Fleischman, 1981), rats (Redobre, 2002), guinea pigs (Richardson & Flecknell, 2006;Prior, 1986;Jones, 1990), gerbils (Mighell & Baker, 1990) and rabbits (Richardson & Flecknell, 2006).…”

“…Procedures such as OVH and CS have been described in other rodent species including hamsters (Fleischman, 1981), rats (Redobre, 2002), guinea pigs (Richardson & Flecknell, 2006;Prior, 1986;Jones, 1990), gerbils (Mighell & Baker, 1990) and rabbits (Richardson & Flecknell, 2006). These reports concluded that there are four critical aspects to consider during OVH and CS procedures: i) respiratory compromise due to presaustral Journal of Veterinary sCienCe sure of the visceral organs on the diaphragm, ii) difficulty in maintaining proper body temperature during the procedure due to decreased thermoregulatory ability under anesthesia, exacerbated by incision of the abdominal cavity and small body size, iii) suture dehiscence due to gnawing behavior, and iv) cessation or decreased motility of the small intestine (paralytic ileus) as a consequence of abdominal pain (Redobre, 2002;Richardson & Flecknell, 2006;Malbrue et al, 2019). Degu is a caviomorph rodent; thus, the chinchilla and guinea pig protocols have also been used for degu.…”

“…Degu is a caviomorph rodent; thus, the chinchilla and guinea pig protocols have also been used for degu. However, degus is much smaller (170-250 g) (Ebensperger et al, 2004) than chinchillas (400-600 g) (Richardson, 2003) and guinea pigs (700-1100 g) (Terril & Clemons, 1998), and anesthesia and surgery are more complicated due to the difficulty of accessing the vascular and respiratory system function and because of the rapid loss of heat from such small-sized caviomorph rodents (Malbrue et al, 2019).…”

“…The duration of CS and OVH was defined as the time between the first abdominal incision and when the female was rotated from dorsal to ventral recumbency for post-surgical recovery (Malbrue et al, 2019). The initial recovery time was defined as the time between ventral recumbency and the first leg movement.…”

“…However, only two studies have provided relevant information regarding the reproductive management of degu. The first study (Malbrue et al, 2019)…”