Emergency crop surgery question

[Opiumbrella]

Do you think you might want to try crop surgery yourself? I can walk you through it step by step. It's not complicated. You would need a competent helper to assist you. The only hard part is gluing the incision back together when you're finished cleaning the contents out of the crop. There is very little risk involved as the crop has no moving parts. The only risk is infection, but an oral antibiotic can help that.

I’m prepared to do it. I was just needing some advice about the stitches. And how people knotted them. I’ve read so many accounts of people doing it successfully, but having the wounds continuously open when using glue. So I got medical grade sutures that are dissolving for the crop itself. And non dissolving for the outer layer of skin.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Do you think you might want to try crop surgery yourself? I can walk you through it step by step. It's not complicated. You would need a competent helper to assist you. The only hard part is gluing the incision back together when you're finished cleaning the contents out of the crop. There is very little risk involved as the crop has no moving parts. The only risk is infection, but an oral antibiotic can help that.

I tried. I hit through the first layer of skin, but can’t cut the crop. I had to bandage her and come try and figure something out. Why can’t I get through the crop?

 

[azygous]

What were you using for a cutting instrument? And were you alert to off-setting the crop incision from the outer incision? This is crucial since each offset stabilizes the other while healing. The crop is a thick walled sac, while the outer skin is typically quite thin. Next time be aware that you are slicing into a leather pouch not a thin layer of skin.

I suggest a single sided razor blade, sterilized.

 

[Opiumbrella]

What were you using for a cutting instrument? And were you alert to off-setting the crop incision from the outer incision? This is crucial since each offset stabilizes the other while healing. The crop is a thick walled sac, while the outer skin is typically quite thin. Next time be aware that you are slicing into a leather pouch not a thin layer of skin.

I suggest a single sided razor blade, sterilized.

I did. I ordered surgical scalpels but they were not quality apparently. I raced to tractor supply got a castration kit, and used the blade in that. It was much easier. This is what I removed, and this is her now, mad that she has a sock on over her dressings.

 

[Opiumbrella]

What were you using for a cutting instrument? And were you alert to off-setting the crop incision from the outer incision? This is crucial since each offset stabilizes the other while healing. The crop is a thick walled sac, while the outer skin is typically quite thin. Next time be aware that you are slicing into a leather pouch not a thin layer of skin.

I suggest a single sided razor blade, sterilized.

Thank you for reply. I started to panic a little. But after I got the right tool everything went smoothly. Hopefully she recovered well.

 

[Opiumbrella]

What were you using for a cutting instrument? And were you alert to off-setting the crop incision from the outer incision? This is crucial since each offset stabilizes the other while healing. The crop is a thick walled sac, while the outer skin is typically quite thin. Next time be aware that you are slicing into a leather pouch not a thin layer of skin.

I suggest a single sided razor blade, sterilized.

She is really skinny from starving almost to death, and then getting this crop issue. Do you think a tiny amount of powdered bird nutrition for tube feeding in the water would be ok, so that’s still watery but has a few calories in it? Or I should I wait the 36hrs for any nutrition at all? I’m very concerned about her getting weaker. And she is demanding food, which is a good sign.

 

[azygous]

She should have fluids and liquid food right away. But only smalls amounts on a frequent basis. Avoid letting her fill her crop or overfill. Is she able to eat and drink on her own? If so, provide all the water she needs. Then give her small amounts of soft foods, soft boiled egg, yogurt, thin gruel with the powdered tube feed. After one week, she should be able to handle going back to regular feed, but avoid scratch grains for another week. By the third week she should be fine with grit and whole grains again.

 

[Opiumbrella]

She should have fluids and liquid food right away. But only smalls amounts on a frequent basis. Avoid letting her fill her crop or overfill. Is she able to eat and drink on her own? If so, provide all the water she needs. Then give her small amounts of soft foods, soft boiled egg, yogurt, thin gruel with the powdered tube feed. After one week, she should be able to handle going back to regular feed, but avoid scratch grains for another week. By the third week she should be fine with grit and whole grains again.

Yes she is drinking on her own. And trying to peck at anything that she thinks may be food. I will feed her small amounts every few hours. Thank you!

 

[Sally PB]

Yes she is drinking on her own. And trying to peck at anything that she thinks may be food. I will feed her small amounts every few hours. Thank you!

Please let us know how she does.

Good luck and hugs.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Please let us know how she does.

Good luck and hugs.

She is doing amazing so far. Energetic, she has an appetite, she os mad about the sock and the bandage, and keeps biting me all good signs. I just gave her liquid nutrition, she is pooping normally, and quite vocal as usual.