Perineal laceration in a Texel breed ewe: Case report

Abstract

The perineal laceration is one of the most common injuries related to the parturition, mostly in the equine specie, and, less frequently, in the bovine species. This disease is uncommon in ovine, therefore justifying the importance this case report. The present work aimed to present a case report of a third-degree laceration in a Texel breed ewe. Where received at the Veterinary Clinics School of the UNICENTRO, a Texel ewe, primiparous, 1.5 year of age, with historic of laceration during the birth of an only male lamb with 4,5kg. During the physical examination, all parameters were normal, but the laceration involved the dorsal commissure of the vulva, anal sphincter and a small portion of the vestibule. The preconized treatment was the immediate surgical intervention, once the animal was recent lambed and still not yet developed an intense local edema. Due the lesion at rectum and vestibule, were performed an epidural and infiltrative local anesthesia with lidocaine 2%. The vaginal vestibular mucosa suture pattern was Cushing, using an absorbable thread n.0. To the vulva reconstruction was necessary the resection of a segment of the mucous-cutaneous junction of each vulvar lip, followed by a single point suture, using a non-absorbable thread n.2-0. At the postoperative were administered sulfa + trimetoprim (15mg/kg, IM, SID) during seven days, and flunixin meglumine (1.1mg/kg, IM, SID) for three days. Daily wound cleaning was performed using povidine iodine diluted in NaCl 0.9% solution, finishing with a fly repellent around the perineal region. The suture was removed after 10 days, with the complete wound healing. Despite the successful surgery treatment outcome, the owner decided to discard the ewe after the lamb weaning.