J 62 NEUROTOMY. 



point of operation and to which the divided sensory nerve 

 is destined. 



Neurotomy of a sensory nerve is always a painful opera- 

 tion, and its performance without anaesthesia is unjustifiable 

 from a humane standpoint, and cannot be so well done either 

 from the view of mechanical correctness or the carrying out 

 of antiseptic standards. Some neurotomies can be well per- 

 formed on the standing animal if it is quiet and the operator 

 is experienced, the parts being rendered insensitive b)'^ 

 means of cocaine or other local anaesthetic ; in the greater 

 neurotomies general anaesthesia may be desirable or neces- 

 sary from the humane or operative standpoint. 



The confinement of animals for neurotomy on the sensory 

 nerves of the extremities for the relief of lameness is always 

 to be viewed as a critical procedure for the reason that the 

 operation is generally made because of the local manifesta- 

 tion of a more or less general disease which may be accom- 

 panied by general fragility of the skeleton, and as a result 

 most casting accidents occur in cases of confining for 

 neurotomy or firing in cases of lameness belonging to the 

 great group of dry arthritis or spavin family. Casting must, 

 therefore, be done with the greatest possible care, and the 

 operating table is to be constantly and greatly preferred. 



Neurotomy is properly a last resort in lameness and should 

 not otherwise be performed. It has two great and ever 

 present dangers. If the part deprived of sensation is too 

 badly diseased to bear the weight and resist the insult result- 

 ant upon the part being called to do its normal or even an 

 extra amount of work, it must ultimately give way, the 

 bones become fractured, the tendons separate from the bone, 

 the intra-ungular tissues lose their integrity and the hoofs 

 become detached (exungulation) or other degenerative 

 changes take place as a result of causing a part to do a 

 work for which its condition unfits it. 



The second great danger occurs from wounds or other 

 traumatisms to the tissues distal to the operation when the 



