142 THE VETERINARY SCIENCE. 



OPERATING BY SEARING. 

 This method is used in some places, and is performed by 

 letting the testicles out and putting on an iron clamp in the same 

 place as a wooden one. Cut the cord off close to the clamp, and 

 have a hot iron, dip it in oil, and burn the end of the cord and 

 artery ; this sears it and prevents it from bleeding. Now remove 

 the iron clamp and operate on the other testicle in the same way. 

 By oiling the hot iron it keeps it from sticking to the cord and 

 pulling off the scab. 



OPERATING WITH LIGATURES. 

 This way is not much used for horses, but is a very good 

 method for bulls and boars. In this method the testicles are let 

 out in the same manner as in the other ways, and the cords are 

 tied with a strong piece of twine to prevent bleeding, and cut off 

 just below where they are tied. But of all these methods of 

 castrating we think the safest and best is the clamps. If the colt 

 is ruptured it requires a more careful operation, which will be fully 

 described in connection with scrotal hernia. 



HOW TO TREAT THE COLT AFTER CASTRATION. 



If the weather is chilly, damp or east winds, keep the colt in 

 at nights, in a box stall, clean and well bedded, turn him out 

 every day that is fine and let him have nothing but grass to eat. 

 If the operation was done with the clamps remove them the second 

 day, and in cutting them off cut the string on the front end, 

 spread the clamp well apart in the front so as to allow it to drop off 

 the cord ; in doing this be very careful not to pull down the cord 

 out of its place. If the colt swells very much bathe the cuts with 

 warm water until you soften them, then take butter on your 

 fingers and insert it into the cuts and open them up, allowing the 

 discharge to run out. A little swelling on the point of the sheath, 

 as long as it is not too large and the animal feeds well and has a 

 whitish discharge from the cuts, is not considered serious and 

 need not alarm you. These are natural results of castration. 



BLEEDING FROM THE CORDS (HEMORRHAGE.) 



The blood may come from the veins of the scrotum or from 

 the arteries of the cords. If it is coming from the veins you can 

 tell it by its dribbling away from the cuts and its dark color. If 

 it is from the artery of the cord it comes out in spurts, and is of 

 a bright red color. 



