A Brief Analysis of Treatment Methods for Hip Joint Dislocation in Cattle
Hip joint dislocation in cattle is extremely difficult to reduce, and most veterinarians classify it as an incurable disease. We now report the course of successfully reducing 1 typical case of hip joint dislocation in cattle as follows:
Jie Jinbao's household in Shangfan Village, Changqiao Township, Guangchang County, 1 three-year-old yellow cattle bull. Chief complaint: On the morning of April 20, 2001, the cattle was tethered for grazing on a path embankment not far from the village. When someone went to change the grazing area in the afternoon, the cattle was found fallen beside the road and unable to stand. After learning of this, we quickly rushed to the scene.
1 Diagnosis
Several people lifted the sick cattle up. The hind limbs showed mixed lameness, with short steps forward, insufficient movement of the left hind limb hip joint, and a depression below the hip joint. The cattle raised its steps slowly and weakly, had difficulty stepping backward, and when standing touched the ground with the tip of the hoof, positioned slightly forward. Palpation of the hip joint of the affected limb caused a pain response. It could be diagnosed as hip joint dislocation.
2 Surgical Reduction
2.1 Restraint The affected limb of the cattle was placed uppermost, and lateral recumbency restraint was performed. The three healthy limbs of the front and hind quarters were tied together with rope to ensure the safety of the operator.
2.2 Local anesthesia 20 mL of 2% procaine was injected into the joint cavity of the affected area for local anesthesia.
2.3 Surgical reduction At the beginning, we had 3 people grasp the affected limb, intending to pull the hip joint apart and then push it upward to restore it. However, because the muscles in this area are well developed, the rear body moved along when pulling, making it impossible to complete. Later, the percussion method was used, and it was successfully reduced.
The specific method was as follows: A miscellaneous wood support stick about 130 cm long was used. After wrapping the upper part of the hoof of the affected limb with rags, the wooden stick was placed in and bound tightly with hemp rope, and the affected limb was pulled straight forward. The operator squatted at the cattle's abdomen and steadied the affected limb, while the assistant struck the upper end of the support stick with a wooden hammer, from light to heavy, striking 2 times. The operator then inserted the left hand into the inner side of the leg and pushed the upper end of the femur from below upward, while the right hand pressed the lower end of the femur at the knee joint from above downward. When the assistant struck and pulled the dislocation apart, a "click" sound was heard, indicating that the hip joint had returned to its original position. After reduction, a round sharp needle was used to puncture 2 needles along the lower edge of the hip joint and the front and rear of the femur, each needle at a depth of 6-7 cm. After needling, 100-150 mL of white liquor was poured onto the affected area and rubbed forcefully.
3 Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment
Papaya 40 g, Achyranthes bidentata 40 g, rhubarb 40 g, Atractylodes lancea 30 g, bitter orange 30 g, Ligusticum chuanxiong 30 g, peach kernel 30 g, Stephania tetrandra 30 g, Akebia quinata 30 g, safflower 40 g, licorice 40 g, with 200 mL white liquor as the guiding agent. Grind the Chinese medicines into fine powder, brew with boiling water, wait until warm and administer by drenching, continuously for 2 doses.
4 Nursing Care
Stop work use, strengthen care and rearing, and prevent random movement. The cattle recovered health within 1 week and began work use at the end of the week.
5 Analysis and Summary
5.1 During reduction of this cattle, the affected limb was first pulled by hand, which was extremely difficult to pull. Because the muscles in this area are well developed, the rear body moved along while pulling, so it was ineffective; after we adopted the percussion method, the above problem was solved. The percussion method can concentrate the force on 1 point. The severity and number of strikes should be directed by the operator, and random striking must be avoided.
5.2 The dislocated femur of this cattle was displaced inward, and this method was effective. If the femur is dislocated outward, the method the operator should adopt is: place the left hand on the outer side of the affected limb to press the upper end of the femur from outside inward, and place the right hand on the lower end of the femur to push upward. Vigorously strike the upper end of the wooden stick to pull the femur dislocation apart. With the two working in coordination, ideal results can be achieved.
5.3 Reduction should be timely, preferably not exceeding 3 d. If the joint is dislocated for too long, connective tissue is likely to grow in the joint cavity.
5.4 When the owner tethers the cattle for grazing, the cattle should be tied in a relatively flat and safe place to prevent falls and injuries.