COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF RUMENOTOMY IN SHEEP AND GOATS

Comparative studies of rumenotomy were carried out on 17 animals; 8 goats and 9 sheep. Although, it was easy to secure small ruminants for surgery in the recumbent position, rumenotomy in the standing animal was safe and much more easier than in the recumbent one. When the animal was not able to persist standing, sternal recumbency was a good option. The standing position was the unique solution in case of frothy
tympany. Suturing of the rumen to the peritoneum in a continueous seromuscular pattern formed a non elastic ring around the rumenotomy opening that hindered the passage of the large foreign bodies. The animals with frothy tympany and the recently trocarized cases should be handled carefully to diminish contamination. The foreign bodies were coiled ropes, coiled plastics or coiled leather in most cases. In the standing small ruminants it was easy to withdraw the sutured ruminal surface out of the abdomen, where it was thoroughly flushed with normal saline.