74 DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS 



this point of the operation is illustrated in Fig. 33. The intestine is 

 now cut close to the pins, and the mesentery cut as shown in the dotted 

 line, the severed ends with the pins brought together and the pins tied 

 or held by forceps both top and bottom (Fig. 34), and the suture is com- 

 menced at the mesentery, putting in the Lambert stitch on one side, then 

 turn over the intestine and stitch the other side. The stitching is to be 

 done very carefully and evenly, as on this depends the adhesion of the 

 anastomosis. French recommends the ordinary milliner's instead of the 

 surgical needle, as it makes a cylindrical hole that has no ragged edge 

 and the opening adapts itself to the suture, preventing hemorrhage or 

 leakage; the tops of the pins are now cut off by means of a pair of wire- 

 cutters and withdrawn, one at a time, and the two openings left by the 

 pins are sutured; great care is to be taken to keep the margins of the 

 mesentery in apposition; the cut in the mesentery is now closed by means 

 of a continuous suture. The after-treatment consists in keeping the 

 animal on a strict liquid diet, juice of meat, clear soup, or bouillon for 

 at least a week or ten days. 



Prolapsus of the Rectum. 



{Prolapsus Recti et Ani.) 



Etiology and Pathological Anatomy. — The lower bowel is kept in 

 place by the peri-proctal connective tissue, the rectal ring, the levator 

 ani and the sphincter ani. By relaxing or distending these supports, we 

 find a prolapsus of the mucous membrane, or even the entire rectum 

 may be protruded (prolapsus recti), or a certain portion of the intestine 

 may become invaginated and only the invaginated portion protrude 

 (prolapsus recti cum invaginatione) or the prolapsed intestine may cause 

 a rectal hernia (hernia recti rectocele). If this prolapsus is not relieved 

 soon, it inflames very quickly and becomes torn and ulcerated, forming a 

 great swelling. It may become strangulated, and in rare cases gangre- 

 nous. It generally results from a relaxed condition of the rectal mucous 

 membrane or from excessive straining, from constipation, diarrhoea, or 

 labor pains, from the continued use of hot or irritating clysters, from 

 constitutional weakness of the sphincters and the peri-proctal connective 

 tissues. It frequently occurs in young dogs that have catarrh of the 

 lower bowel or as an accompaniment to distemper. 



Symptoms. — If the mucous membrane is slightly protruded, it is only 

 noticed during defecation or urination. It is seen in the form of dark 

 red wrinkles that protrude from the rectum as soon as the abdominal 

 pressure has ceased. If the whole bowel is prolapsed, we find under the 

 tail a cylindrical projection, which protrudes from where the anus was, and 

 hangs downward. The mucous membrane that is exposed is wrinkled 



