Pulling calves using a truck or tractor...

[milkmaid]

Wouldn't say I was really schooled in how to use it... just observation. I doubt I'd tell you anything you don't already know. You inject lidocaine into the entire surrounding area of where you need to cut/suture. Same as getting a cavity filled at the dentist or a cut sewed at the doctor's; they use lidocaine there too. If it's an open wound just inject into the sides of the cut.

I used 20cc's on a 6" incision per my vet's advice and it appeared to be sufficient (no reaction from cow while I worked). I saw it used recently on a dog with a 4" laceration on the hock, and we used around 15-20cc in the sides of the cut before stitching it up. Now, for big surgeries... my vet uses right around 200cc's of lidocaine on a DA surgery (similar incision to a c-section; about 12" and stays open about an hour). It's administered SC in a dozen or so injection sites, no more than 4-6" from where the actual incision will be.

I'm not sure on exact timing for how long to wait between injecting lidocaine and beginning work on the animal. My last trip to the dentist they waited at least 5 minutes. On DA surgeries they wait 5-10 minutes depending on whether or not they're in a hurry, LOL. With the dog I mentioned the vet waited about 3 minutes, maybe not even that much.

 

[3waycross]

Wouldn't say I was really schooled in how to use it... just observation. I doubt I'd tell you anything you don't already know. You inject lidocaine into the entire surrounding area of where you need to cut/suture. Same as getting a cavity filled at the dentist or a cut sewed at the doctor's; they use lidocaine there too. If it's an open wound just inject into the sides of the cut.

I used 20cc's on a 6" incision per my vet's advice and it appeared to be sufficient (no reaction from cow while I worked). I saw it used recently on a dog with a 4" laceration on the hock, and we used around 15-20cc in the sides of the cut before stitching it up. Now, for big surgeries... my vet uses right around 200cc's of lidocaine on a DA surgery (similar incision to a c-section; about 12" and stays open about an hour). It's administered SC in a dozen or so injection sites, no more than 4-6" from where the actual incision will be.

I'm not sure on exact timing for how long to wait between injecting lidocaine and beginning work on the animal. My last trip to the dentist they waited at least 5 minutes. On DA surgeries they wait 5-10 minutes depending on whether or not they're in a hurry, LOL. With the dog I mentioned the vet waited about 3 minutes, maybe not even that much.

Thanks that's about what I thought but you type a lot better than me! I'm sure it will help a lot of people and maybe save them some money.
Another thought, I doubt I would ever sew up an animal without giving it s shot of something for infection. What say Milkmaid????????

 

[milkmaid]

Another thought, I doubt I would ever sew up an animal without giving it s shot of something for infection. What say Milkmaid????????

Absolutely. 10-14 days of heavy doses of antibiotics to prevent infection. My vet likes penicillin at 5cc/100lbs. I've used that and liked it. LA200 at 5cc/100lbs every other day for 10 days worked well for the heifer I stitched up. I suppose you could use other antibiotics too as long as it's a broad spectrum antibiotic. I tried Excede once on a hernia repair (since the antibiotic is supposed to last about 10 days) and ended up with an infection. Penicillin cleared it right up, but I learned my lesson. I'm sticking with penn or oxytet in the future.

My vet also has me put any post-surgery cow on Banamine for 5 days.

 

[3waycross]

What dosage on the Banimine.

I forgot, also we always if possible looked for an opportunity to give a wound a chance to drain. We had a Mare that hit the end of an Aluminium gate pretty hard and laid her chest open. It was so deep that we had to suture the flesh before we could do the skin, my dad used what he called mattress sutures, don't ask I can't describe them. Anyway we had some rubberized material and made two Penrose drains and inserted one at each end of the wound about 5 in deep. Then after 3 days pulled out 1/2 of them and then pulled them all the way out the 5th day. I believe those drains and the Antibiotic saved her and considering she was a Buckskin left almost no visible scar.

 

[milkmaid]

Banamine: 1-2cc/100lbs every 24 hours. I give 2cc/100lbs the first few days and then drop down to 1cc/100lbs the last few days.

Some wounds (like your mare) need a chance to drain or you'll have a real mess on your hands. Others (like ones that aren't as deep) need to be stitched all the way up; keep in mind that any time you have a drain you also have an open door for bacteria to enter. May mean treating more aggressively with antibiotics when you have a drain.