The utmost need for pragmatic combination of surgical sutures and local anaesthetic that would evoke minimal post-surgical stress response and allow uncomplicated healing is essential for successful surgeries. Fifteen Sahel goats were randomly allocated into three groups A, B and C to quantitatively assay (ELISA) serum cortisol profiles following rumenotomy, as markers of surgical stress. Diazepam at 0.2 mg/kg was administered intravenously to groups A and B with subsequent lidocaine HCl and bupivacaine inverted-L block respectively. Group C did not receive any treatment. Chromic catgut (CCG) and polyglycolic acid (PGA) sutures were used for rumen and abdominal muscles closure for groups A and B respectively and nylon for skin closure. Blood samples were taken at post anaesthetic induction (PAI) and post-surgery at 0, 5, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h. The Group A goats expressed serum cortisol that was significantly high 52.76 ± 6.12 ng/mL at 5 h post-surgery. At 8 h post-surgery serum cortisol for both groups A (72.53 ± 3.79 ng/mL) and B (61.59 ± 3.90 ng/mL) were at their peak. Serum cortisol levels compared to the baseline data were significantly different (P < 0.05) at 5, 24, and 48 h for the CCG goats. The serum cortisol levels at 72 h drastically decreased to 20.53 ± 8.74 ng/mL for groups A and 17.59 ± 2.45 ng/mL for group B and were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Cortisol responses unambiguously indicate that diazepam-bupivacaine induce less stress than Diazepam-lidocaine, hence a preferred anesthesia. Moreover, polyglycolic acid sutures are associated with less inflammatory reaction than chromic catgut.

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Standing and lateral recumbency positions have been used as a standard approach for most surgical procedures for large and small ruminants, respectively, without appropriate attention to the associated surgical stress. The study aimed to assess the level of surgical stress in Kano Brown goats (KBGs) based on their serum amyloid A (SAA) profiles by undergoing rumenotomy in lateral recumbency (Rumen Skin Clamp Fixation-RSCF and Stay Suture Rumenotomy-SSR) and a standing position restraint. A total of 24 KBGs were equally allocated by number and sex in groups A, B, C, and D. Groups A and B underwent RSCF and SSR in lateral recumbency, respectively, while group D underwent a rumenotomy in a standing position performed in a custom made mobile small ruminant surgical chute. Animals in groups A, B, and D were diagnosed with rumen foreign bodies, whereas group C was used as a control with a negative diagnosis. At 48 h post-rumenotomy, the mean SAA concentration in group B (137.88±66.87 g/L) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the value in group C (34.59±0.57 g/L). The females in group B had a significantly higher (P<0.05) mean concentration of SAA at 48 hours (210.15±123.73 g/L) than groups C (35.18±0.08 g/L) and D (48.35±12.15 g/L). In group A, at 24 hours, SAA concentration (115.61±20.96 µg/L) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of group B (31.51±2.59 µg/L) and group C (34.86±3.21 µg/L) in males. Rumenotomy in the standing restraint position was associated with minimal surgical stress, hence it’s recommended over the conventional lateral recumbent position techniques.