Performance of Fast Absorbable Sutures and Histo‐Glue for Closing Incisions in Brown Trout

Abstract

Telemetry has become a standard tool in fish research, but tagging methods still need refinement to achieve better results and to improve animal welfare. One of the problems reported from evaluations of surgical implants is unsatisfactory wound closure. Thus, researchers struggle to find better ways to close incisions, typically for tags implanted under field conditions. Problems are regularly encountered when closing incisions with traditional absorbable or nonabsorbable sutures, including decreased growth, slow wound healing, and erythema and necrosis at the suture site. We compared survival, growth, tag expulsion rate, and incision healing among three groups of dummy transmitter‐tagged wild Brown Trout Salmo trutta for which incisions were closed with two types of suture material (absorbable and fast absorbable) and histo‐glue. The tagged fish were kept in seminatural ponds for 20 d. Survival did not differ among groups, but growth of the tagged fish was lower than that of the control group. Histo‐glue gave the best healing but resulted in a high tag loss rate (33%). The fast absorbable sutures did not disappear faster than normal absorbable sutures, and healing and tag loss were similar. The use of fast absorbable sutures may hold potential for improving the procedure and should be further tested.

Telemetry observations of predation and migration behaviour of brown trout (Salmo trutta) smolts negotiating an artificial lake

“…The incisions were generally healed, and most sutures were shed. One individual (Frequency = 142.301 MHz) showed clear signs of expulsion of the radio tag through the body wall (Jepsen, Larsen, & Aarestrup, ; Jepsen, Mikkelsen, & Koed, ). This particular tag was found in the outlet of the lake in May 19.…”

“…showed clear signs of expulsion of the radio tag through the body wall (Jepsen, Larsen, & Aarestrup, 2017;Jepsen, Mikkelsen, & Koed, 2008).…”

Suitability of surgically implanted 8‐mm passive integrated transponder tags for small‐bodied fishes

“…Techniques to close the incisions (liquid-based cyanoacrylate) were not originally applied in an attempt to reduce handling stress and potential mortalities (Archdeacon et al, 2009;Jepsen, Larsen, & Aarestrup, 2017;Skov et al, 2005;Wagner, Cooke, Brown, & Deters, 2011). However, we were able to improve tag retention for johnny darter, common shiner, and tadpole madtom using adhesives to close incisions during experiment two (Jepsen et al, 2017). Using cyanoacrylate to close surgical wounds has been advised against for several fish species (Wagner et al, 2011) and resulted increased mortality for johnny darter and tadpole madtom in the current study.…”

Effects of passive integrated transponder tags on short‐term feeding patterns in European perch (Perca fluviatilis)

“…Several authors have found that the growth of tagged fish decreases up to 2–3 weeks after tagging; thereafter growth rates rebound and become similar to those of control groups (Pickering et al ., 1982; Bateman & Greswell, 2006; Navvaro et al ., 2006; Acolas et al ., 2007, Jepsen et al ., 2017). This initial decrease could be associated with the fewer multiple feeding events of tagged fish.…”