[2022/02/02, 06:45:14] Gary Bauer: Had an interesting question/suggestion from a colleague. Below is that together with my reply....please add your thoughts/suggestions. Hi Gary. Have you ever considered the option of blindfolding the eyes of rhino (s is done in human anaesthesia) for short procedures? I think the tarsorrhaphy is indicated for longer procedures. I think that even short procedures can end up with corneal damage. I however don’t know if there is an applicable product available for rhino. Morning Manie. Yes, I thought about it, and there are 2 aspects that may make it difficult. . The one is that "adhesive ability" on a rhino skin will be poor as a result of dust, mud sweat, etc. Secondly, if one does a tarsorrhaphy, you will be surprised how much muscle tension there is in the eyelids. I think the application of KY or Clinica Gel every few minutes will be a more practical option for short procedures. Maybe when rhino immobilisation moves to combinations that produce less muscle tension will it be possible to use surgical veld-type coverings. I however think that we will go back to tarsorrhaphy as a result of the factors mentioned above, as well the mass and thickness of the eyelids [2022/02/02, 06:46:30] Gary Bauer: As an add on to the above, I have tried a wrap around the head over the eyes of 100mm Elastoplast to keep lids closed. The 3 I tried, all started opening after about 3 to 5 minutes. [2022/02/02, 07:14:02] Gary Bauer: An interesting thought also - how many times have you seen wet patches on the blindfold where the eyes are?? [2022/02/02, 07:19:11] Manie du Plessis: [2022/02/02, 07:47:54] Ulf Tubessing: What about a DIY thing stuck to eyelids with superglue? Obviously taking care not to get SG in eye/on eyelids! [2022/02/02, 07:49:52] Henry Labuschagne: Gary. Would a bandage contact lens or a TEF be impractical in a rhino ? [2022/02/02, 07:58:17] Ben Muller: Another aspect that I think is extremely important is when an animal is put lateral and the legs are pumped - as Pete Morkel explained - is to ensure to put your hand over the bottom eye to protect it, depending on terrain and how the animal is lying. Serious damage can be done to the bottom eye if it is in contact with the ground. Often my hand is scarred after pumping, so don’t want to imagine what happens to the eye if there is no protection there. [2022/02/02, 08:07:29] Erik Verrynne: Ben. What is the reason why they are not able to close their eyes again? Is it drug induced or the mechanical pressure of the blindfold? [2022/02/02, 08:19:12] Henry Labuschagne: I have used patches made of canvass and glue it to the skin around the eyes with Genkem contact adhesive. [2022/02/02, 08:20:03] Andy Fraser: Ben, the tyres or nose cushions described a few days ago keep the dependant eye totally off the ground when the animal is in lateral recumbency [2022/02/02, 08:20:11] Henry Labuschagne: I prefer a TEF and allow free movement of eyelids . [2022/02/02, 08:44:54] Bart Gazendam: A bit out of the box and a bit more trouble, but would it not be possible to create blindfolds with cups like this? It works very well on horses and if you create different sizes (eg big rhino – smaller – smallest) it should probably fit well? For some of the shorter procedures, probably not ideal for transport. [2022/02/02, 08:45:36] Bart Gazendam: The cups are hard plastic and can be bought also in different sizes/ with holes, without holes, halve cups, whole cups etc. [2022/02/02, 08:47:10] Erik Verrynne: That is exactly what I had in mind Bart. Fill it with an eye drop containing eye gel to prevent infection and dehydration, and it will be good for transport as well. [2022/02/02, 08:48:47] Erik Verrynne: “I agree Pete. What I am contemplating as alternative to stitching the eyelids closed to prevent damage and drying out, is an eye gel filled cap over the eyes under the blindfold or even part of the blind fold?” [2022/02/02, 10:52:50] Paul Reynolds: The trouble is no gel will last longer than 10min max. Then you still have the exposed cornea despite the hard cap. [2022/02/02, 10:57:24] Xander de Kock: Contact lenses? [2022/02/02, 10:57:58] Willem Burger: Brilliant !! [2022/02/02, 11:01:29] Paul Reynolds: They’re pretty fiddly. Also, I am not sure one gets such big lenses, you would have to have them specially made. [2022/02/02, 11:05:23] Erik Verrynne: I was thinking of using a pad impregnated gel inside the cup to keep the environment around the cornea moist and clean. I suppose we will not know unless we tried it [2022/02/02, 11:10:42] Paul Reynolds: Funny thing, I thought exactly same thing. A gel cap with haptics that sort of inserts into the fornix [2022/02/02, 11:15:48] Morne de la Rey: Mould and cut a silicone sheet to the shape and size of eye, slip this in under the eyelids. Put your gels between eye and pad, with the cup on top of that. [2022/02/02, 11:17:02] Manie du Plessis: [2022/02/02, 11:18:10] Manie du Plessis: Maybe modify clips like this to keep eyelids closed? [2022/02/02, 11:26:46] Paul Reynolds: I would still rather do tarsorrhaphy. [2022/02/02, 11:28:29] Erik Verrynne: Let’s try it Paul. I can see the value of stitching. But I also need to look for a faster alternative that allows me a free release when I need it. It is all about having options. [2022/02/02, 11:28:57] Paul Reynolds: That’s spot on [2022/02/02, 12:27:43] Gary Bauer: Don't miss the point of the indication for the temporary tarsorrhaphy - an immobilization lasting longer than 15-20 minutes. Anything shorter lubricating gel applied once or twice is sufficient (I.e. every 5 minutes or so). Animals that need to be transported with their eyes closed is a completely different kettle of fish and should be handled as such. Here there are so many variables at play that if the blindness is required to prevent injury to the rhino itself or damage to the transport vehicle en route, it may be enough reason to justify a soft release after re-immobilisation at destination. Most discussion above is off the primary indication mentioned for a temporary tarsorrhaphy. Drugs used, levels of sedation/tranquilisation during transport, length of time of travel, etc etc. will all dictate whether and what temporary method of causing blindness should be used. 2022/02/02, 19:05:49] Henry Labuschagne: I think you will cause an entropion effect and cause damage to the cornea. 2022/02/02, 20:56:52] Ulf Tubessing: Gary, how much time does the tarsorrhaphy on its own add to the immobilisation? Then I can just see a rhino being reversed without stitches removed 😬 [2022/02/02, 22:35:43] Gary Bauer: Probably a minute each side so 2 minutes....agreed as we get older, chances of leaving sutures in is there. [2022/02/03, 06:17:40] Ulf Tubessing: Not so much older but in a rush to get things done.
