156 WOUND TREATMENT 



Sheep have loose abdominal walls, and in addition the 

 '.kin is protected by wool. Abdominal fat is usually 

 quite abundant, and as sheep are not inclined to greatly 

 resist confinement in any position^ they seldom suffer 

 from injuries of the abdominal walls. 



Neither are swine frecpiently the victims of abdominal 

 wounds, though brood sows with large, pendent abdomens 

 receive lacerations of the mammary glands occasionally, 

 and various complications may ensue. This is the most 

 frequent form of injury among these animals. Swine 

 may wound one another in combat, or receive wounds 

 from dogs or wolves, but this is not of frequent occur- 

 rence. Having more or less fat underlying the skin, they 

 may receive extensive and deep wounds without making 

 eventration imminent or necessarily a sequel, the result 

 of a post traumatic necrosis of tissue. 



Abdominal wounds are classified variously by different 

 authorities. We shall for convenience here consider 

 them under four classifications, as follows: 



1. Contusions with subsurface solution, 



2. Lacerations without eventration. 



3. Wounds with eventration and without visceral perforation. 



4. Penetrant wounds with visceral perforation. 



Contusions with Subsurface Solution of Continuity 



Contusions with subsurface maceration of tissue fre- 

 quently occur in horses and mules. This type of injury 

 is occasioned by any heavy blow that is sufficiently force- 

 ful to sever any one of the several layers comprising the 

 abdominal parietes. Contusions are so directed as to dis- 

 place relations of the various layers of the abdominal 

 wall, by rupturing tissue, allow of considerable extrava- 

 sation of blood and serum. Such injuries are accom- 

 plished by falls or kicks, or ])y, the animal being crowded 

 against door jambs or gate posts, or bunted by cow's 

 horns. 



