DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS 247 



SPAYING. — The removal of the ovaries to pre- 

 vent breeding. Cast the animal on her right side. 

 Give an anesthetic to prevent pain. When the 

 animal is unconscious, free the limbs sufficiently to 

 remove any pressure from the abdomen. Now 

 pinch up a fold of the skin in the left side, midway 

 between the prominent bone of the haunch or 

 pelvis, and the last rib, about 4 inches below the 

 backbone. Make an incision in the skin 5 or 6 

 inches long; now do likewise with the abdominal 

 muscles until the lining membrane of the abdominal 

 cavity is exposed. This membrane is then punc- 

 tured and an incision made as long as that in the 

 skin and muscles. Now kneel down in close contact 

 with the cow's back and insert the arm, passing the 

 hand within the brim or cavity of the pelvis. By 

 so doing both ovaries can be secured and detached. 

 This ended, the operation of uniting the abdominal 

 muscles follows by means of stitches and sutures. 



Great care is necessary in having the instruments 

 boiled and w^ashed in antiseptics, and in having the 

 fingers, hands, and arms severely clean and well 

 saturated with a strong antiseptic solution. The 

 operation should be made out in the open where 

 neither dirt nor dust are to be found. Extreme 

 care about germs will remove much of the risk 

 associated with the operation. 



In spaying a sow, she is laid on an inclined board 

 with the hindquarters up. The operator stands at 

 the back of the sow. The hair is first clipped from 

 the skin where the incision is to be made, high up 

 in the flank and midway between the haunch and 

 the last rib. The incision needs to be just large 

 enough to admit the two fingers. Ovaries are 

 located, pulled through the opening in the flank, 

 and removed by tearing off with the fingers. The 



