Brain damage in pigs produced by impact with a nonpenetrating captive bolt pistol (original) (raw)
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Brain damage in sheep from penetrating captive bolt stunning
Australian Veterinary Journal, 2002
To determine the severity and distribution of structural changes in the brains of adult sheep stunned by penetrating captive bolt. The unconstrained heads of ten, anaesthetised, unhorned, 2-year-old Merino sheep were impacted at the summit of the head with a penetrating captive bolt pistol. Six sheep were ventilated and four received no respiratory support. Two hours after impact, brains from the six ventilated sheep were perfusion-fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde. Sixteen whole, serial coronal sections from each brain were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemically for amyloid precursor protein, a sensitive marker of axonal and neuronal reaction in the brain after trauma. Pathological changes in these brains were then quantified by morphometric analysis. Structural change in all impacted brains was a mixture of focal injury around the wound track and more widely distributed damage in the cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum and brainstem, but varied considerably in severity between individual sheep. All nonventilated sheep died rapidly following respiratory arrest. After penetrating captive bolt stunning, damage to the central reticular formation, axonal connections, and the cortical mantle is the likely reason for failure of respiratory control and traumatic loss of consciousness.
Australian Veterinary Journal, 2000
Brain damage resulting from penetrating and non-penetrating stunning of Nelore cattle using pneumatically powered captive bolt guns was evaluated. Heads were shot using penetrating captive bolt gun with 160 psi (P1; n = 10), 175 psi (P2; n = 10), 190 psi (P3; n = 12), and non-penetrating operating with 220 psi (NP; n = 10). Skin and bone thickness, bolt penetration angle, bolt penetration depth, haemorrhage over the cerebral hemispheres and laceration were assessed. Only P1 had shots that failed to perforate the skull (n = 2; 20%). Bolt penetration depth and haemorrhage over the right cerebral hemisphere was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater for P3. Subarachnoid haemorrhage over the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes was higher for NP. Lacerations were observed only for penetrating gun in the cortical region of frontal and parietal lobes. Subarachnoid haemorrhage surrounding the brainstem and laceration in the midbrain and pons was only found for P3. Thus, penetrating captive bolt gun operating with 190 psi is more effective to achieve unconsciousness.
Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 2000
Because of concern that the stunning of cattle with captive bolt guns (CBGs) could, if used on an animal with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), cause embolism of infective brain tissue and carcass contamination, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries commissioned research to assess the risk of haematogenous dissemination of CNS material after stunning. We have devised two methods to investigate this risk. The first involves the concentration of embolic tissue in buffy coat Cytoblocks that can be embedded for sectioning, microscopy and immunocytochemistry. The second method is an ELISA for the presynaptic protein, syntaxin 1B. The methods were validated by analysis of several bovine tissues, including blood samples deliberately contaminated with brain. We then studied jugular venous blood obtained before and after the stunning of 60 cattle with CBGs. Samples obtained, after stunning, from five of the cattle contained CNS tissue within the Cytoblocks and yielded positive syntaxin assays. Syntaxin was also detected in samples from one other animal that had been stunned with a pneumatically operated CBG. The described methods should allow an assessment of the risk of neuroembolism associated with different types of CBG and may also be useful in other contexts.
Traumatic axonal injury in lambs: a model for paediatric axonal damage
Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 1999
Axonal injury (AI), an important determinant of clinical outcome after traumatic head injury in adults, has been little studied in child neurotrauma. In this experimental model, 10 anaesthetised, ventilated and physiologically monitored 4-5 week old lambs sustained a temporal impact to an unconstrained head. Examination of the brain 2 hours post-impact using amyloid precursor protein immunostaining, a sensitive marker of axonal damage, revealed widespread multifocal AI in the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres, brain stem and cerebellum in all cases. Impact contusions (predominantly microscopic) (8/10), contralateral contusions (2/10), parenchymal haemorrhage (10/10) and focal subarachnoid haemorrhage (10/10) were also present. Unusual multifocal cerebellar granular layer necrosis occurred in all impacted lambs.The pattern of AI in these lamb brains 2 hours post-impact was similar to that found in adult sheep using the same experimental paradigm.
Acta neurochirurgica, 2002
The captive bolt gun (slaughterer's gun) is a tool used in the meat industry for "humane killing" of animals. Used with the intent of suicide, the captive bolt gun causes very serious injuries. We analysed 19 self-inflicted head injuries with captive bolt gun during the past 20 years. Autopsy of 20 pigs killed by this method was also performed. All 19 cases were middle-aged men from rural areas, with low level of education, and without a previous psychiatric history. Five of them used the captive bolt gun daily in their professional activities, while the remaining 14 handled it only sometimes. In seven cases suicide was primarily successful, while in five patients, despite intensive medical care, serious craniocerebral injuries eventually resulted in death. Total mortality was 63.2%. The clinical appearance of the entrance wound and the imaging characteristics of the cranial trauma are very specific, and can be easily differentiated from firearm or other penetrating in...
Animal models of traumatic brain injury: A critical evaluation
Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2011
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the main cause of death in children and young adults living in the industrialised world. Animal models of brain trauma have generated an abundant amount of data that has helped gain an insight into the events that occur during and after injury. The pathogenesis of TBI is incompletely understood, in large part because patients often present with a complexity of lesions of varying severity and regional distribution. Thus, no single animal model is entirely successful in reproducing the complete spectrum of pathological changes observed after TBI. Brain injuries are broadly divided into two groups; focal and diffuse. Focal injuries are characterised by contusions (i.e. damage at the site of the blow) and lacerations, often accompanied by hematoma. In contrast, diffuse injuries involve brain swelling, ischemic brain damage and diffuse axonal injury (DAI) observed in the direct vicinity and also remote from the site of impact. Animal models are necessary to fully elucidate these acute and chronic changes that occur after TBI and to establish new therapeutic strategies and extend the pharmacological approach towards more effective treatment for head-injured patients. In this regard, animal models have contributed substantially to our understanding of the mechanisms of TBI in humans. In this review six established animal models of head trauma are evaluated in this study, namely, fluid percussion, rigid indentation, inertial acceleration, impact acceleration, weight-drop and dynamic cortical deformation. The validity of animal models, including how animal models constitute theories about brain injury, is also addressed.
Achieving humane outcomes in killing livestock by free bullet I: Penetrating brain injury
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 2019
Humane killing of farm animals by free bullet is a commonly used second-best option in emergency situations and disease control operations. Theoretical justification has been weak in experimental reports of firearm system use in the field. Veterinarians require an in-depth understanding of killing with free bullet to take corrective action when systems fail under field application. This review describes the technical considerations in choosing safe, effective firearm systems to effectively kill minimally restrained livestock at close range. Frequently referenced firearm/bullet recommendations are excessively powerful and unnecessarily hazardous. Based on ballistic energetic performance and mechanical design, the rifle chambered for low energy pistol ammunition, using non-toxic controlled expanding bullets, has the technical capability to deliver immediate insensibility and death at a distance of 5 m or less. At 1 m distance, the .410 shotgun with steel or porcelain shot meets the en...
Domestic animal-related neuro-trauma: An account, from a tertiary institute
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, 2013
Context: Experience of animal-related neurotrauma at an apex institute, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. Aims: The aim of this study is to review epidemiology, clinical findings, and outcome of animal-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) evaluated and treated at our institute. Settings and Design: A retrospective study consisting of demographic data, clinical findings, radiological details, and outcomes. Materials and Methods: The clinical and imaging records of 30 patients treated for animal-related TBI at the emergency services, from January to July 2010. Outcome was assessed by Glasgow outcome scale (GOS). Statistical Analysis Used:
Effect of Impact on Different Regions of the Head of Lambs
Journal of Comparative Pathology, 2001
The heads of anaesthetized lambs aged 4-5 weeks were subjected to impact (temporal, frontal or occipital) of constant strength with a humane stunner. Two hours later, the brains were perfusion-fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and serial whole coronal slices processed by routine methods. Sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin or labelled with a monoclonal antibody to amyloid precursor protein, a sensitive marker of axonal injury and neuronal reaction. Microscopical evaluation of axonal, neuronal and vascular damage was performed with a quantitative grid system. Frontal impact produced the greatest damage, followed by occipital then temporal impact. An unusual lesion found in the majority of lambs subjected to impact was multifocal necrosis of the cerebellar granular layer. The findings should assist clinicians in evaluating the probable outcome of traumatic head injury in domestic animals.