Caudo-Frontal Depression: A Landmark for Local Anasthesia in the Dehorning of Sahel Goats (Capra hircus)

Shawulu, J. C.; Omeje, J. N.; Kwari, H. D.

doi:10.21608/jva.2013.45022

Caudo-Frontal Depression: A Landmark for Local Anasthesia in the Dehorning of Sahel Goats (Capra hircus)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.

² Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, University of Abuja, Abuja

³ Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri

10.21608/jva.2013.45022

Abstract

The variation in shape and mor- phology of the head among animals even within the same family is common. Work to determine skull shape have been carried out by some workers. In horned animals, the position of the horns may differ and therefore necessitate the explo- ration of land marks for local anaesthesia.
The caudofrontal depression of Sahel goats was studied to ascertain its involvement as a possible landmark for the deposition of local an- aesthetic substances during dehorning process in this breed. The location of the depression was seen to be along the temporal crest, dorsal to the temporal fossa between the eye orbit and the horns. Data obtained indicates that it has a breadth of 1.01±0.09cm at the left side and of 0.97±0.14cm at the right side in female animals. Males had 0.84 ± 0.04cm at the left and 0.85±0.13cm at the right side with a significant difference (p = 0.0074) between them. The mean distance of the de- pression from the orbital margins were both higher in the female (1.08±0.17cm for the left and 1.01±0.16cm for the right). Males had mean distance of 1.04±0.20cm and 0.99±0.20cm respectively. It was also discovered to be about half way (range 39.13% – 45.42%) the distance to the horn in the female and (range 21.14% - 24.12%) in the male. The depression was shallow but forms the region of the passage for the cornual nerve branch of the infratrochlear nerve as well as the superficial temporal artery branch supplying the horn. There was no significant difference in its entirety and has no sexual dimorphic features. It was thus concluded to be prescribed as a landmark for direct targeting of the infratrochlear cornual nerves and in the total elimination of blood loss from the superficial temporal artery during dehorning of the Sahel goats.

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