Surgical technique for tubal ligation in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
Surgical tubal ligation was used to sterilize urban free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) as a methodology of a larger study investigating the influences of intact, sterile females on population dynamics and behavior. Deer were either trapped in clover traps (n = 55) and induced with an i.m. injection of xylazine and tiletamine/zolazepam or induced by a similar protocol by dart (n = 12), then intubated and maintained on isoflurane in oxygen. Over 3 yr, individual female deer (n = 103) were captured in Highland Park, Illinois, with a subset of females sterilized using tubal ligation by ventral laparotomy (n = 63). Other sterilization procedures included tubal transection by ventral (n = 1) or right lateral (n = 2) laparoscopy and ovariohysterectomy by ventral laparotomy (n = 1). One mortality (1/ 67, 1.5%) of a doe with an advanced pregnancy was attributed to a lengthy right lateral laparoscopic surgery that was converted to a right lateral laparotomy. The initial surgical modality of laparoscopy was altered in favor of a ventral laparotomy for simplification of the project and improved surgical access in late-term gravid does. Laparotomy techniques included oviductal ligation and transection (n = 14), application of an oviductal mechanical clip (n = 9), ligation and partial salpingectomy (n = 40), and ovariohysterectomy (n = 1). As of 2 yr poststerilization, no surgical does were observed with fawns, indicating that these procedures provide sterilization with low mortality in urban white-tailed deer.
MacLean
Robert A
RA
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Wildlife Ecology, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Mathews
Nancy E
NE
Grove
Daniel M
DM
Frank
Elizabeth S
ES
Paul-Murphy
Joanne
J
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000601:surgery; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D003670:Deer / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011155:Population Control / Q000379:methods; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome