A survey of the common small animal surgical procedures at a regional state veterinary clinic in Namibia
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Date
2020
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Abstract
A retrospective study to investigate the nature of surgical cases presented to Katima Mulilo State Veterinary Office in Namibia was conducted on 167 small animals between 2011 and 2016. Overall, significantly more dogs (87.4%) than cats (12.6%) were presented for surgical procedures (p<0.05). Significantly more non-elective (58.7%) than elective (41.3%) procedures were performed (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the proportion of castrations (23.4%) and ovariohysterectomies (18.0%), the two main elective procedures performed during the study period (p>0.05). A greater proportion of male (58.2%) than female dogs (41.8%) were presented for surgical treatment (p<0.05). Significantly more non-elective (65.8%) than elective procedures (34.2%) were performed in dogs (p<0.05; n=146); however, significantly more elective (90.5%) than non-elective procedures (9.5%) were performed in cats (p<0.05; n=21). All the adult cats were presented for elective procedures (n=16). A significantly greater proportion of adult dogs were presented for non-elective (60%) than for elective (40%) procedures (p<0.05). A significantly greater proportion of pure breed dogs were presented for non-elective (71.4%) than for elective (28.6%) procedures (p<0.05; n=14). The results of the study revealed that state veterinarians in rural/semi-urban state offices should better stock their clinics more for dogs than cats. As for dogs, these clinics should be more stocked for bite wounds, castrations, bone fractures and ovariohysterectomies and to prepare for castrations and ovariohysterectomies when they prepare surgical materials for cats.
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Keywords
Elective surgery, Non-elective surgery
Citation
Segwagwe, B., et al. (2020). A survey of the common small animal surgical procedures at a regional state veterinary clinic in Namibia. Alexandria Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 66(1), 118-128.