Ii8 OVARIOTOMY IN THE CAT. 



performed no bandage is necessary and the patient will not 

 disturb the sutures. If asepsis has not been strictly fol- 

 lowed infection may occur and the consequent irritation 

 cause the patient to tear the sutures out, which may lead to 

 protrusion of the intestines or other abdominal viscera. If 

 the sutures do not include the deeper layers of the abdominal 

 wall hernia is liable to occur and require a second operation. 



31. OVARIOTOMY IN THE CAT. 



Instruments. Same as for the bitch. 



Technic. The cat may be spayed by either the flank 

 method or through the linea alba. The point of incision in 

 either case is the same as in the bitch but owing to the 

 smaller size of the animal it is necessary to make the wound 

 quite small. The abundance of hair or fur in the region 

 renders it essential that an ample area be shaved and the 

 surrounding hair be saturated with a disinfectant and care- 

 fully brushed away from the operative area. The cat being 

 more subject to infection than the bitch the aseptic precau- 

 tions must be of the strictest possible character. The opera- 

 tive area must be thoroughly disinfected and cleansed and 

 equal care must be taken not to introduce irritant disinfect- 

 ants into the wound. A great danger also exists in the ten- 

 dency of the abdominal muscle layers to readily become 

 separated by pressure from the finger and form a pocket in 

 which wound discharges accumulate and constitute a danger- 

 ous seat for infection. Great care must therefore be taken to 

 make a clean incision directly into the peritoneal cavity and 

 to avoid separating the peritoneum from the muscles or the 

 muscular layers from each other. The uterus and ovaries 

 of the cat are naked and far more easily distinguished than 

 in the bitch, there being no extra deposit of fat in the broad 

 ligament. The sutures are to be applied to the wound in 

 the same manner as in the bitch. 



