224 DISEASES OF THE URIXARY AND SEXUAL APPARATUS 



either narcotized with morphia or ana?sthotizecl with ether. Before operat- 

 ing the animal shoukl have food withheld for twenty-four hours, and the 

 region of the incision carefully prepared, first by shaving all hair in the 

 immediate region, and then carefully disinfecting it. 



Operation on the Linea Alba. — The bitch is given a narcotic, or ether- 

 ized, or both, and placed on a table on her back and an incision made 

 in the linea alba at the umbilicus, with a sharp-pointed bistoury, and 

 then the opening is enlarged by means of a probe-pointed bistoury, cutting 

 toward the diaphragm, the size of the opening is just large enough to 

 freely admit the index finger. Some operators introduce a sound into 

 the uterus previous to the operation, but this as a rule, is unnecessary, as 

 familiarity with anatomy, will easily detect the difference Isetween intes- 

 tine and the fallopian tubes. The finger is introduced into the abdomen 

 close against the wall and the horn of the uterus is felt, the end of the 

 finger is hooked under it and drawn toward the opening, and by careful 

 traction, the ovary is drawn toward the opening and cut ofT with the 

 scissors; sometimes it is necessary to tear the ovary from its attachments 

 to get it to the surface. The same procedure is followed in the other 

 ovary and the wound closed with an interrupted silk stitch. 



Many operators perform castration in very young and even in older 

 dogs, by opening the abdominal cavity at the linea alba and ligating the 

 uterus by two catgut ligatures about an inch apart on the body of the 

 uterus, and cut through between the ligatures. This method has the 

 advantage of being very simple, and there is little or no danger connected 

 with it, but the writer has tried a number of cases for experiment and 

 found in a short time a great collection of creamlike matter, gathered at 

 the ligated end of the uterus toward the ovary, and distended that portion 

 very much, which was noticeable by an enlargement of the abdomen. 

 This result can be prevented to a great extent, by ligating and cutting each 

 horn separately, and as high and near the uterus as possible. This compli- 

 cates the operation, and as the prime ol;)ject of the operation is to pre- 

 vent the recurrence of the periods of ''heat," as the ovary is not removed 

 • by this mode of operating the phenomenon recurs at the regular periods 

 and while it is true it is impossible for the animal to become pregnant, 

 it still is not an operation to be desired. 



Castration by Flank Operation. — Many operators advise castration 

 through the flank, and jM'ocecd in the following manner: Make an inci- 

 sion in the flank about 4 cm. long, midway between the last false rib and 

 the thigh and the transverse process of the vertebra, in an anterior direc- 

 tion, cutting through the skin and muscular layer; then tear the peri- 

 toneum by means of the finger or knife, or lifting the peritoneum by 

 means of a pair of forceps, cut it through with a scissors, then the index 

 finger is introduced into the abdominal cavity, the fallopian tube is 



