ATRESIA ANI 139 



The communication between the bladder and 

 intestine may persist thus allowing the fecal mat- 

 ter to discharge into the bladder. A communica- 

 tion may also occur between the intestine and 

 urethra or the intestine and vagina. 



The young of any domestic animal could not 

 survive long without evacuation of the contents 

 of the digestive tube. Atresia ani occurs most 

 frequently in pigs and calves, though colts and 

 other animals are not exempt. This malforma- 

 tion is usually easily relieved by an operation the 

 nature of which depends upon the specific con- 

 dition existing. If there has been failure of ab- 

 sorption of the separating membrane it may be 

 ruptured by the use of a blunt instrument no 

 further treatment being necessary. In those 

 cases resulting from the failure of fusion of the 

 rectal and anal walls, the intervening tissue 

 should be very carefully dissected and the walls 

 of the rectum and anus approximated and 

 sutured. When there has been a failure of cuta- 

 neous invagination a crucial incision should be 

 made through the skin and the intervening tissues 

 bluntly dissected to the lumen of the rectum, then 



