CASTRATION OF SWINE, DOGS AND CATS. 207 



(3) CASTEATION OF SWINE. 



Swine are usually castrated during the first few weeks or months 

 of life, though not infrequently one is required to operate on old 

 boars. No particular danger attends castration of these animals 

 provided that previous to operation the scrotum and inguinal canal 

 be examined for inguinal hernia, which in them occurs with some 

 frequency. The pig being laid on its back on a table and held by 

 one or two assistants, the operator presses the testicles towards the 

 base of the scrotum with the left hand. He then incises the covering 

 of the testicles, parallel to the scrotal raphe, and about § to | inch 

 distant from it, allowing the testicles to protrude. Although in 

 young animals simple division of the spermatic cord with scissors 

 is not always attended with danger, yet torsion is preferable, and 

 is carried out, after dividing the posterior portion of the cord, by 

 passing the index finger through the spermatic cord, just above the 

 epididymis, whilst the cord is grasped a short distance above the 

 epididymis with the thumb and index finger of the left hand. The 

 index finger of the right hand is then rotated, and the cord twisted 

 until the testicle falls away. Another method consists in dividing 

 the posterior part of the cord with a knife, laying the remaining 

 portion on the index finger of the left hand, and scraping it with a 

 blunt knife until completely divided. 



Older boars are best castrated with clams, ligature, or cautery. 

 The operation can be performed in the standing position, though 

 the animal's head must be firmly secured, and its hind limbs fixed 

 by passing a couple of poles between the legs, so that it can neither 

 lie down nor move to either side. The operation is, however, most 

 conveniently performed with the animal lying on one side. No 

 particular after-treatment is necessary, but the animal should be 

 placed in a separate, cool, clean stall. The clams can be removed 

 after twenty -four hours, though they are generally left in position 

 until they fall away. Griin recommends castrating boars by ligating 

 the spermatic cord with a dry, thin catgut ligature. 



(4) CASTEATION OP DOGS AND CATS. 

 Dogs bear castration well at all ages. The animal is placed on 

 its back, and the scrotum and tunica vaginalis are opened as above 

 described. In young animals the spermatic cord may be simply 

 snipped through with scissors or scraped with a knife. The point 

 of division is just above the epididymis. In older animals ligation 



