Untersuchungen über den Einsatz von topischer Kryobehandlung und Lokalanästhesie bei der Kastration männlicher Saugferkel

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of topical
vapocoolant, local anesthetics (LA) and fixation of the spermatic
cord with a clamp during piglet castration. Based on serum cortisol
measurements, the impact of various castration-methods on pain and
stress was examined. Additionally, the wound healing process was
assessed. A total of 221 male suckling piglets, three to five days
old, were randomly assigned to eight different treatments and
groups: Group 1: fixation, no castration; Group 2: fixation,
cryogen spray, no castration; Group 3: fixation, castration; Group
4: fixation, cryogen spray, castration; Group 5: fixation,
castration, LA dropped into the wound Group 6: fixation, cryogen
spray, castration, LA dropped into the wound; Group 7:
intratesticular (i.t.) LA, fixation, castration; Group 8: fixation,
cryogen spray, castration, fixation of the spermatic cord with a
clamp, LA dropped on the fixed cord. The cryogen spray (ethyl
chloride) was applied from a distance of 10 cm to the scrotum until
a skin temperature up to -12 °C was achieved. The local anesthetic
(40 mg procainehydrochloride with 0.05 mg epinephrine) was either
dropped into the wound after removal of the testes (Group 5 and 6),
injected into the testes 10 minutes prior to castration (Group 7)
or dropped on the spermatic cord after removal of the testes (Group
8). The concentration of cortisol in the serum of the piglets was
measured 30 minutes before and 30 minutes, one hour, four hours and
one day after castration/fixation. Wound healing was evaluated one
day, four days, seven days, 14 days and 21 days after castration.
The results of the cortisol measurements indicated that handling
has a minor impact on the neuroendocrine stress response compared
to castration. None of the examined castration methods (Groups 4-8)
induced a significant minor stress reaction than the conventional
method of castration (Group 3). Fixation of the piglet and
application of cryogen spray caused significantly higher average
cortisol concentrations than fixation alone half an hour after
treatment(Group 2 vs. Group 1). A minimizing effect on castration
induced stress using a cryogen spray prior to castration was not
evident (Group 4 vs. Group 3). After dropping a local anesthetic
into the wound (Group 5), the average cortisol levels of the
piglets were by trend lower than those of conventionally castrated
piglets (Group 3) half an hour after castration. Four hours after
castration, the average cortisol concentration of piglets of Group
5 and 6 were significantly higher than that of Group 3. The
preoperative intratesticular application of the local anesthetic
had no significant effect on pain induced stress half an hour and
one hour after castration compared to the average cortisol
concentration of conventionally castrated piglets (Group 3). Four
hours after castration, the cortisol levels of the animals of Group
7 were significantly higher than the cortisol levels of Group 3
piglets. The application of cryogen spray combined with the use of
a clamp to fix the spermatic cord (Group 8) led to a significant
increase in serum cortisol concentration one hour after castration
compared with the serum cortisol concentration of conventionally
castrated piglets (Group 3). The wound healing was not affected by
using the cryogen spray or by intratesticular application of the
local anesthetic. When local anesthetics were dropped into the
wound and when the spermatic cord was fixed with a clamp, the wound
healing was significantly impaired.