How to Give First Aid to Injured Livestock

First aid is the initial assistance provided to sick or injured livestock in the event of an accident until the animal can receive full treatment to restore its health.

To ensure prompt and effective first aid, an animal first aid box should be equipped with essential items such as bandages, blunt-ended scissors, wound wash, cotton wool, tweezers, tick tweezers, self-adhesive tape, sterile gauze dressings, safety pins, and disposable sterile gloves.

Factors to Consider While Giving First Aid Treatment To Livestock

To handle an animal with confidence, the first aider's knowledge and experience are crucial. They should judge the degree and nature of the injury, any complications, and the animal's condition. For instance, they should consider the size and type of wound (e.g., fracture, burn, or small wound).

Thoroughly clean the wounds with potassium permanganate solution. If the wounds are septic, clean them with hot saline water.

If the wound is bleeding, apply a bandage using a gauze cloth or cotton and apply sulphonamide powder. Additionally, assess whether the bleeding is from an artery or a vein. Arterial blood is brilliant crimson and pulses, while venous blood is dark red and seeps.

Examine the injured tissue and determine the extent of the damage. Know the type of animal that is injured. Severe injuries in cattle may require them to be recommended for slaughter. If the animal is a beloved pet, consider recommending taking it to the theater or hospital. Consider the affected body part, the time factor, and the animal's considerations.

Types of Injuries In Livestock

Injuries in livestock can be classified based on the type of cause.

1. Mechanical injuries are caused by physical trauma, such as cuts, punctures, or fractures.
2. Chemical injuries result from exposure to harmful substances, such as pesticides or cleaning agents.
3. Thermal injuries occur due to exposure to extreme temperatures, such as burns from hot water or heat lamps.
4. Electrical injuries are caused by contact with live wires or electric fences, which can cause burns or even death.

Note: It is important for livestock owners to be aware of these types of injuries and take preventative measures to ensure the safety and well-being of their animals.

How to Treat Open Wounds in Livestock

When treating open wounds in livestock, it is important to take the necessary precautions to reduce the risk of infection. If the wound is incised, it is recommended to shave the surrounding area away from the wound to prevent contamination, and then gently shave the edges of the wound.

The wound should be washed with soap and water and then dried using clean, sterile cotton wool or gauze. In the case of a deep wound, it may be necessary to stitch it. 

How to Treat Lacerated Wounds in Livestock

To properly care for a wound, several steps should be taken;

First, the area should be shaved to prevent any hair from getting into the wound. Then, any foreign particles should be removed from the wound to prevent infection. The area should then be washed with soap and clean water.

Applying fly repellent is also recommended as it discourages flies and avoids the deposition of microorganisms, which can improve the healing process. It's important to remember that healing is a natural phenomenon that takes time.

To protect the wound and prevent further infection, it should be dressed with plaster gauze or cotton wool, and a disinfectant should be used. 

How to Treat Punctured Wounds in Livestock

When treating punctured wounds in livestock, it is recommended to shave the area surrounding the wound and utilize a probe to check for foreign bodies. Afterward, apply antibiotics either locally or through injection, depending on what is more effective.

Local treatment should be combined with systemic treatment whenever possible. It is important to leave the wound open to allow for drainage.

If the puncture wound is not on a straight path, it may be necessary to create another wound through the incision to allow for proper drainage.

How to Treat Closed Wounds in Livestock

In the case of closed wounds, the primary objective of treatment is to manage pain and minimize bleeding and inflammation. This is achieved through the use of ice packs, compression, elevation, and immobilization of the affected limb or area.

To effectively clean the wound, it is important to thoroughly flush it with a diluted disinfectant, saline solution, or even water. This will remove any contamination and bacteria and provide gentle pressure on the macerated tissues to promote the healing process. Topical antibiotics may be applied if necessary.

Fractures in Livestock

Fractures in livestock can be classified into several categories, which include closed (simple), open (compound), comminuted, epiphyseal (growth plate), greenstick (hairline), and pathologic fractures.

The different types of fractures in livestock are classified based on their characteristics and severity.

Types of Fractures in Livestock

1. Simple Fracture: Here, the bone is clearly comminuted across and can be transverse, oblique, or longitudinal.
2. Compound Fracture: Here, the bone penetrates outside, and it is very serious and usually associated with bleeding.
3. Depressed Fracture: This occurs in the skull and compresses the brain.
4. Comminuted fractures are those that cause splitting and sometimes fragmentation.
5. Greenstick fracture: This occurs when the bone bends instead of breaking. It's common in young animals and mature ones due to a deficiency in vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.
6. Impacted Fracture: These have the broken end of the bone and enter another fractured portion; sometimes the bones break and lie parallel to each other.

Signs and Symptoms of Fractures in Animals

Swelling in the affected area, inability to move the limb, and whimpering are all common clinical signs. Inflammation can manifest as pain, swelling, and crepitations - a sound that occurs when bones rub against each other. Other signs of inflammation may include loss of mobility, abnormal posture, and gait.

How to Treat Fractures in Livestock

Most animals with broken bones are typically best treated through a surgical operation that realigns and stabilizes the affected bones. Various options exist for stabilizing bones, such as bone plates and screws, pins that are inserted into the bone, or external frames that connect to the bone through the skin using pins.

Before administration, animals are usually anesthetized. For pets, general anesthesia is used, while for larger animals, local anesthesia is applied to the affected area. The use of local anesthesia may result in injury to the area being treated. Once the animal is anesthetized, the following steps are taken:

Reduction: This involves aligning bone fragments or broken ends.

Apposition: Broken ends are brought together to restore their original position.

Immobilization or fixation: This step ensures that there is no movement of the bone fragments, which can cause friction and prolong the healing process.

Types of Immobilization or Fixation in Livestock

1. External immobilization or fixation: Involves the use of splints, also known as co-agitation or co-capitation splints. These splints can be made of wood or plastic. For establishing arm slings, plaster of Paris (POP) and bandages are used.

Before applying external fixation, it is important to protect the skin with a cushion, such as cotton wool, to avoid the risk of developing gangrene. Gangrene is caused by the death of local cells around a wound due to necrosis, which can be prevented by using a cushion. Additionally, some atrophy may also occur.

2. Internal immobilization or fixation: To immobilize or fixate internally, intra-medullary pins and bone plates of various sizes can be used. Once this is done, the pin is removed, and further operations are performed to ensure that the pin has fused with the broken bone. To protect the animal's body against bacterial infections, antibiotics are administered. Painkillers, anti-inflammatory agents, and B-complex vitamins are also given to aid in the healing process. Examples of anti-inflammatory drugs include Dexamethasone, Colvason, Betamethasone, Indomethacin, and Butazolidine.

Thermal Injuries in Livestock

Thermal injuries are caused by burns, which are categorized by their depth of penetration. A thermal burn refers to skin damage resulting from exposure to extremes of temperature from a liquid, solid, or gaseous heat source, and can include burns from hot surfaces, hot liquids, or flames.

Full-thickness burns, also known as third-degree burns, typically do not cause much pain and can appear white, brown, or charred, feel firm and leathery to the touch, and will not blanch. Examples of full-thickness burns include burns from flames, hot oils, or superheated steam.

1. First-degree burns affect the hair and skin but do not destroy the very superficial layers of the skin.
2. Second-degree burns. These destroy the superficial layers of skin.
3. Third-degree burns. These destroy the whole skin but not the underlying fascia and muscles.
4. Fourth-degree burns. These destroy the skin (underlined fast) and have additional consequences for muscles.
5. Fifth-degree burns affect the underlined skin, fascia, and muscles, plus the bones and cartilage in the portal.

Consequences of Burns in Livestock

Burns in livestock can cause significant harm to animals, resulting in pain and shock. The destruction of skin provides a pathway for microorganisms and pathogens to enter the body, potentially leading to toxemia from damaged tissues.

The severity of burns can result in swelling, blistering, scarring, shock, and even death. Additionally, burns can cause infections by damaging the animal's protective skin barrier.

Treatment for burns varies depending on the cause, depth, and extent of the injury.

Treatment of Burns in Livestock

In the treatment of burns in livestock, the first step is to apply cold water to the affected area to reduce temperature and pain. Scientific painkillers should be administered to relieve pain. In case of severe burns, a blood transfusion may be necessary, and normal saline can be used to replace lost ions.

The depth of the injury determines the treatment for burn wounds. Superficial burns may require the use of emollients and the application of antimicrobial substances such as topical antibiotics, povidone-iodine, silver compounds, silver sulfadiazine, or chlorhexidine.

Abscesses in Livestock

An abscess is a collection of pus surrounded by fibrous tissue that can occur in any part of the body where pyogenic bacteria can establish and multiply. Eventually, fibrous tissue replaces most of the pus. It is a localized collection of pus in discrete foci that usually arises from acute inflammation caused by pyogenic microorganisms. Acute cases typically last between 1 and 10 days and are caused by one of four pyogenic bacteria: Trueperella, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus.

An abscess is characterized by heat, pain, tenderness, redness, swelling, and often fever. It also interferes with the functions of affected organs and nearby lymph nodes (which contain defensive cells), causing increased swelling due to defensive mechanisms by lymphocytes and other cells.

Pus, which constitutes an abscess, contains living polymorphs such as neutrophils, living and dead microorganisms, debris from dead tissue cells, and leukocytes.

Note: All these are suspended in inflammatory exudates.

Treatment of Abscesses in Livestock

If an animal has a superficial abscess, it can be treated by incision and drainage. The first step is to clean the wound thoroughly to promote drainage. Avoid applying excessive pressure, as this may force infected pus into the bloodstream.

Administer oral or injected antibiotics to prevent further infection. In addition, anti-inflammatory drugs such as flunixin meglumine, tolfenamic acid, meloxicam, and ketoprofen, as well as antibiotics like procaine penicillin and erythromycin, should be considered for treatment.

Remember to handle the wound gently and seek veterinary assistance if necessary.

Before opening an abscess, consider the following:

1. First, it is important to wait until the abscess is ripe and has developed pimples before attempting to open it.
2. Painkillers may be given to alleviate pain.
3. Care should be taken to avoid damaging important arteries, veins, and nerves.
4. When creating openings, it is important to ensure they are located away from potential infection sources, such as the mouth, prepuce, respiratory tract, and anus.
5. Before opening, the area should be cleaned thoroughly, and any hair should be removed and cleaned with antiseptics.
6. The opening should be large enough to drain all the pus, and it should be placed at the lowest point to facilitate drainage by gravity.
7. After the pus is drained, antibiotics should be administered systemically to the infection and directly into the cavity, which is opened. Infected wounds should never be stitched or closed.

Conclusion

First aid plays a crucial role in providing immediate assistance to sick or injured livestock before they can receive full medical treatment. Equipping an animal first aid box with essential items is essential to ensure prompt and effective care.

When giving first aid treatment to livestock, factors such as the nature and severity of the injury, the animal's condition, and the type of wound should be carefully considered. Different types of injuries, including mechanical, chemical, thermal, and electrical, require specific approaches for treatment.

Treating open wounds involves proper cleaning, shaving of the surrounding area, and dressing with suitable materials. Lacerated wounds should be carefully cleaned, and fly repellents can aid in the healing process. Punctured wounds require the removal of foreign bodies and appropriate antibiotic treatment. Closed wounds necessitate pain management and thorough cleansing to minimize inflammation and promote healing.

Fractures in livestock demand surgical intervention for realignment and stabilization. External or internal immobilization techniques are employed to ensure proper bone alignment and minimize movement. Thermal injuries, such as burns, can cause significant harm and require immediate attention. Treating burns involves cooling the area, administering painkillers, and applying suitable antimicrobial substances.

Abscesses, characterized by pus-filled collections, can be treated through incision and drainage, along with appropriate antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication. It is important to handle abscesses with care, waiting for them to ripen before opening and ensuring thorough cleaning to prevent further infection.

Overall, understanding the types of injuries and appropriate treatment methods is vital for livestock owners to ensure the safety, well-being, and prompt recovery of their animals. Remember to seek professional veterinary assistance when necessary to provide the best care possible.