I40 



OVARIOTOMY IN THE BITCH. 



ovary, while beyond it can be felt the ovarian ligament. 

 Engage the ligament between the end of the index finger 

 and the abdominal wall, and with a firm and vigorous move- 

 ment, using the finger end and nail as a curette, rupture 

 the ovarian ligament by drawing the finger toward the in- 

 cision, and with the aid of tension upon the cornu draw the 

 ovary out through the abdominal incision and divide the 

 broad ligament as before. Remove the cornua with the 

 attached ovaries by rupturing them transversely near the 

 bifurcation by means of linear tension. 



If the bitch be pregnant and especially if far advanced 

 the uterine cornua will lie upon the abdominal floor, much 

 enlarged and very much more flaccid than the nongravid 

 uterus and feeling very much like intestines. The change 

 in the position of the uterus has caused the unfolding of the 

 duplicature of the broad ligament so that it no longer covers 

 the cornu. In such cases the operation is performed in the 

 same way except that rupturing the blood vessels by linear 

 tension does not insure against hemorrhage and it is neces- 

 sary to ligate the ovarian and uterine arteries with catgut 

 or silk. In cases of pregnancy the entire cornua should be 

 drawn out and a strong ligature placed around the uterus 

 or vagina, and the ovaries, uterine cornua and their con- 

 tents be removed en masse. Release the upper posterior 

 limb and close the cutaneous wound by a continuous suture. 



Dangers. Rupture of the uterine cornu alluded to above. 

 It is always to be remembered that the leaving of one 

 ovary in position even though the other gland with the two 

 cornua and uterus are removed, induces intense oestrum 

 and renders the animal if anything more disagreeable than 

 before the operation. 



The ureter may be mistaken for the cornu but is smaller, 

 is closely attached to the abdominal walls, and does not 

 have the broad ligament with its large deposit of fat. The 

 kidney is far larger than the ovary, more exposed, and 

 located more anteriorly. 



