THE OPERATION EOR ROARING. 87 



If the patient has been cast, anaesthetized and turned 

 upon his back, turn him upon his side, remove the confining 

 apparatus, and, while he is recovering from the anaesthesia, 

 keep the laryngeal incision open and the larynx free from 

 blood. The hemorrhage from the operation is the greatest 

 when it has been performed under general anaesthesia, less 

 if cast and the operation performed under local anaesthesia 

 and by far least of all when it is performed upon the stand- 

 ing animal with the aid of cocaine-adrenaline anaesthesia. 



As soon as the operation has been completed upon the 

 standing animal, the head may be released and the patient 

 returned to the stall. It may be allowed to eat or drink at 

 convenience. The same is true of the patient cast for the 

 operation, and only local anaesthesia applied. Patients 

 cast and chloroformed should be prevented from eating or 

 drinking for some hours and should be fed sparingly for 

 three or four days. 



During the first 48 hours after operating, especiall}^ after 

 the bilateral operation, the patient should be closely watched 

 in reference to dyspnoea either from hematoma in the 

 ventricles or from edema or emphysema of the parts. If 

 dyspnoea becomes at all apparent, tracheotomy should be 

 promptly performed, or what we greatly prefer, a laryngeal 

 tube should be inserted and fixed securely to the margins 

 of the external wound by means of stout sutures, and further 

 security given by passing strong tapes about the neck and. 

 tying firmly. 



Ordinarily the ventricular wounds should not be disturbed, 

 after the operation. The external wound should be dressed 

 antiseptically daily till healed ; a period of about three 

 weeks. Horses used for ordinary work purposes may 

 usually be returned to their work after five to six weeks. 



