Surgical procedure for tail docking in Equines Dr Adnan Ahmad Riphah College of veterinary sciences lahore

3. Steps

4. Tail
The tail of a horse comprises between 15 and 21 vertebrae.
The tail of the horse and other equines consists of two parts,
i. Dock
ii. Skirt.
The dock consists of the muscles and skin covering the coccygeal
vertebrae.
The term "skirt" refers to the long hairs that fall below the
dock.(Hair does not grow at all on the underside of the dock)

5. Uses
• To keep away biting insects
• Position and movement of the tail may
provide clues to the animal's physical or
emotional state
• Tails of horses are often groomed in a number
of ways to make them more stylish for show
or practical for work.

6. Tail docking
Tail docking is the surgical removal
of part of tail.
Amputation VS Dock ?

8. Anatomy
The caudal (coccygeal) vertebrae vary considerably in number
between fourteen and twenty-one ( Avg. 18)
From the first to last they become reduce in size (exception few at
beginning)
In old age the first fused with the sacrum, and sometimes with the
second. The arch of third may be open.
The ventral surface has a median groove (Sulcus vasculosus) for
the coccygeal artery.

9. • Anterior notches are absent.
• The transverse process gradually fade out and
vertebrae are reduced to cylindrical rods of
diminishing size.
• The last one has pointed end.

10. Caudal vertebrae of horse

12. Skeleton

13. Indications
• Irreparable injury
• Malignant tumors
• To prevent horse getting the tail over the reins
• Improve the appearance of hind quarters
• It fashion to dock hackney horses

14. Preparation
It is mostly done in standing position.
Turn back the hairs at the site of operation
Maintain them in position by string tied around tail clip the hair
below this point.
In case of malignant injury we perform at base of lesion.
In mares if possible leave sufficient space to cover the vulva in
mares
Aim between the two vertebral joint

15. Control
• If docking knife is use ,use proper restraining
procedure.
• Local anesthetic solution hypo-dermatically

16. Docking knife
Docking knifes are act in guillotine fashion
and some are made so that two flaps are left
which are suture as describe
The docking knife invented by McKenny has
advantage of having a sliding action of the
blade and only require the steady pressure of
the handles to make it cut through the part
immediately.

17. Alternative precautions
• To have the horse standing in the stall close to
the near trevis with tail held out behind the
heel post while the operator stand to the left.
• To have the tail held over the half door which
serve as protection against kick.

18. Procedure
To use docking knife ,have the tail held fully extended and
stretched backward in the straight line with the body.
Place the knife in the position and with vigorous movement sever
the tail with one stroke.
Blood spurts in a fountain from the four main arteries in the
stump.

19. Haemostasis
• By applying a tape ligature around the tail and
leaving it in position for 24 to 36 hours.
• Apply antiseptic pad cotton wool on the
stump and fixing it in position by bandage
wound tightly around the tail.
• By hot iron (Anesthetic agent?)

20. Complications
Complications are less common but:
Tetnus (wise to give ATS before)
Necrosis.

21. Amputation
• When operating at the base of the tail
proceed as for amputation of limb, incise the
skin so as to map out two elliptical flaps on
the superior and inferior aspects of the part.
• Reflect the flaps to the point of section, which
is made through a joint.
• Disarticulate the vertebrae and remove the
tail.
• Arrest the haemorrhage by ligation of vessels.

22. Dust some sulphanilamide powder on a wound
Suture the cutaneous edges .
Insert Also Halstead suture through the base of flaps to keep their
surface in apposition and prevents the formation of space between
them.
Apply tincture iodine and protective dressing of cotton wool .

23. Amputation