Clinical anatomy of regional anesthetic sites in the head region of the male adult Zebu cattle (Bos indicus)

Abstract

The basic knowledge of the applied anatomy of the head region is important in clinical practices since regional anesthesia is the only choice for ruminants. Thus, using three head region samples we aimed to reveal the proper anesthesia sites of clinically important nerves of adult male Zebu cattle through a surface approach. Our study revealed that either the mean distance of 4.26 ± 0.46 cm from the lateral canthus of the eye or the mean distance of 4.66 ± 0.57 cm from the base of the horn along the temporal line was the suitable site for the cornual nerve blocking. Similarly, the supraorbital nerve emerged mean of 3.63 ± 0.32 cm dorsomedial to the mid-orbital rim and the infraorbital nerve emerged mean distance of 4.46 ± 0.15 cm rostral and dorsomedial to the facial tuber. Finally, the mental nerve blocking site was measured at a distance of a mean of 3.63 ± 0.15 cm caudoventral to the canine tooth and a mean of 3.9 ± 0.36 cm ventral to the lip commissure. These data may be helpful for the field veterinarians to desensitize the regions related to various surgical conditions such as dehorning, disbudding, sinus trephining, and wound management in lip and cheek in Zebu (indigenous) cattle.