20 



SURGICAL OPERATIONS. 



scientific veterinary surgeon. After extrac- 

 tion, thorough cleanliness with antiseptic 

 solution is necessary. 



(f) Bleeding. 



Except in an emergency, bleeding should be 

 left to the qualified veterinary surgeon. At 

 times, however, it is necessary for the atten- 

 dant to act, and the following rules should be 

 observed. Direct an assistant to hold the head 

 slightly turned to the right. Place a fairly 

 tight loop of rope around the neck towards the 

 chest. The operator, standing on the right 

 side will ojjserve the jugular vein standing out 

 prominently on the neck by the side of, 

 and a little above, the windpipe. Make 

 an incision into the jugular vein about half- 

 way between the jaw and the rope, with the 

 ordinary bleeding lancet, held firmly between 

 the thumb and first finger. Take care not to 

 puncture the further side of the vein. If the 

 vein be properly punctured, blood will flow 

 rapidly in a stream half an inch wide. Collect 

 the blood in a pint measure, and take away 

 from three to six pints, the amount depending 

 on the size and condition of the animal, and 

 the disease it is suffering from. As a rule a 

 i,ooolb. animal in good condition will stand 

 a loss of four pints; but sufiicient should bo 

 taken away to cause the pulse to become rapid 

 in number, and less in volume. As soon as 

 these effects are perceptible, loose the rope 

 around the neck, and take up the two edges 

 of punctured skin by passing a pin through 

 both of them held tightly together between the 

 fingers. Secure the pin in place by wrapping 

 around it a few strands of soft string, or hair 

 from the animal's tail. After the lapse of 

 about forty-eight hours the pin may be 

 removed. Bleeding may be necessary in 

 some cases of congestion or inflammation of 

 the brain, cerebral apoplexy, and occasionally 

 in acute "founder." 



(g) Passing Urethral Catheters. 



In the male the penis is first drawn and 

 grasped firmly in the left hand, and the 

 catheter, which is a long flexible tube, 

 specially made for the purpose, is passed with 

 the right hand. As it reaches the angle near 

 the rectum, an assistant should be ready to 

 turn the point towards the bladder by gentle 

 pressure just below the anus. When the 



instrument has reached the bladder, the stilet 

 inside the catheter can be withdrawn, so that 

 the urine will flow freely. In the female the 

 orifice is on the lower floor of the vagina, a 

 few inches inside, and the operation is much 

 easier than in the male, consisting of a direct 

 passage of the catheter into the bladder. 



(h) Trephining. 



This operation consists in boring a circular 

 hole through the bones of the face into one or 

 other of the nasal cavities, in the case of 

 obstinate nasal gleet, and is performed with 

 the special trephine for the purpose. Before 

 operating, a crucial incision is made into the 

 skin over the prominent nasal swelling char- 

 acteristic of the disease. The trephine is then 

 placed into actual contact with the bone, and, 

 bv a series of circular movements of the hand 

 backwards and forwards, a circular piece of 

 bone is sawn out. The discharge of offen- 

 sive pus at once follows the opening into the 

 cavity. Constant irrigation, according to the 

 instructions on the chart, must be practised 

 until healing takes place. 



(i) Tracheotomy. 



This operation is the opening of the wind- 

 pipe to admit of respiration when the larynx 

 is occluded. In severe cases of laryngitis, 

 sometimes in distemper, and occasionally in 

 other diseases this operation is necessary, 

 and sometimes urgently reciuired. About 

 one-third way down the neck, make a two- 

 inch long incision in the skin and through 

 the flesh, at the lowest portion of the neck, at 

 the middle point, that is, one-half way round 

 it; and cut, until the wind-pipe is exposed, 

 from above downward. Then cut direct into 

 the pipe with the knife blade, in a line parallel 

 to the long axis of the body, through 

 one ring. The breathing will at once take 

 place through the opening, which must be 

 kept patent by the insertion of a regular 

 tracheotomy tube. 



When the disease making the operation 

 recjuisite subsides, the tube can be removed, 

 and healing will at once take place, if the 

 wound be kept clean with antiseptic dressings. 



For Roarers a silver tube with lumen 

 capable of being more or less occluded can 

 be used; but for this purpose a circular 

 opening into the trachea has to be made by 

 an expert. 



