{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,24]],"date-time":"2026-10-24T07:00:52Z","timestamp":1792825252580,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769126400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A retrospective study on 135 cases of teat and udder surgical conditions in 129 small ruminants is described. On 19 repairs of teat lacerations, a primary- and a secondary-intention healing in 13 (68%) and in 4 (21%) cases, respectively, was observed; 2 (11%) had poor response and consequent mastitis. Good outcome and first-intention healing in 100% of the fistula repairs (2 cases), thelectomies (5 cases), teat neoplasm removals (14), and mastectomies (2 cases) were observed. Among 26 teat curettage cases, all 18 (69%) unilateral lesions treatment had a good outcome versus the 8 (31%) with bilateral lesion that suffered definitive relapse. In 67 skin udder neoplasm removals, a primary- and a secondary-intention healing in 59 (88%) and in 8 (12%) cases, respectively, was observed; however, 2 of the latter suffered mastitis. These procedures are associated with a good prognosis, and the percentage of favorable outcomes was high. Wound infections and dehiscence were the main complications observed. More interest in teat and udder surgery on small ruminants should be encouraged, and farmers should be made aware that the animal can often return into production at a reasonable cost; however, their post-operative care is the key to success.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci13020112","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T13:55:34Z","timestamp":1769176534000},"page":"112","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Surgery of Teat and Udder in Small Ruminants: Lesions, Techniques and Outcomes of 135 Cases"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Sebastian A.","family":"Mignacca","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pathology Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Backweston Campus, W23 VW2C Celbridge, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Benedetta","family":"Amato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, Bristol Veterinary School, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ASP Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marcello","family":"Music\u00f2","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9330-5038","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanna L.","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"223","article-title":"Survey on surgical affections of udder and teats in small ruminants in Ismailia and North Sinai governorates","volume":"13","author":"Awad","year":"2008","journal-title":"Suez Canal Vet. 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