SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF CONCURRENT SCROTAL AND INGUINAL HERNIAS IN A UNILATERAL CRYPTORCHID WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP

Abstract

An uncommon case of scrotal and inguinal hernias in a 6 months old unilateral cryptorchid West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Federal Univer-sity of Agriculture, Abeokuta-Nigeria. The ram was noticed few days after birth with two bulging mass-es around the ventral region which gradually increases in size as the animal grows. On examination, the content of the swellings were reducible and the right testicle was not palpable within the scrotal sac. Ultrasonography confirms the hernia contents as intestinal loops. The animal was sedated with xylazine HCL administered intramuscularly at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg and anaesthetized epidurally with 1.5mls of 2% lignocaine HCL administered into the lumbosacral space. Herniorrhapy was performed on the scrotal hernia, followed by orchidectomy while the inguinal hernia was corrected using hernio-plasty. Cryptorchidism may have predisposed to the hernias in this case. Thorough assessment of cryptorchid animals is essential as the opening created by the non-descendent testis could be a risk factor for herniation; therefore such affected ram should not be used for breeding purposes because of the heritable nature of the defect.