Routine castration in 568 draught colts: incidence of evisceration and omental herniation.
BACKGROUND
Castration is one of the most common routine surgical procedures performed in the horse, from which a number of potential complications can arise. We undertook a prospective evaluation of short-term complications associated with castration of draught colts over a 3-year period (1998-2000).


OBJECTIVE
To compare castration complications in a large number of draught foals with previously published literature.


METHODS
Five hundred and sixty-eight draught colts, age 4 or 5 months, were castrated in field conditions. Foals were observed for complications for 24 h post operatively.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in complication rates between open and closed surgical techniques. Inguinal/scrotal hernia rate was 4.6% (26/568) prior to surgery, and evisceration of the small intestine occurred in 4.8% (27/568). Foals observed to eviscerate underwent immediate surgical correction with an overall survival rate of 72.2% (13/18). Omental herniation was seen in 2.8% (16/568) of colts.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed no difference between the closed and open techniques of castration and the rate of omental herniation or evisceration. The evisceration rate in combination with the omental and presurgical herniation rates approached 12.2%, which is high enough to warrant further examination.


CONCLUSIONS
Future investigation should help to assess predisposing factors for evisceration. Regardless of the technique employed, herniation appears to pose a significant risk to draught foals undergoing castration.
Shoemaker
R
R
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada.
Bailey
J
J
Janzen
E
E
Wilson
D G
DG
D000818:Animals; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006736:Horses / Q000601:surgery*; D015994:Incidence; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D009852:Omentum; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014782:Visceral Prolapse / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary