744 DISEASES AND ABNORMALITIES OF THE YOUNG ANIMAL. 



eiforts and pawing are observed, yet nothing is passed. The animal 

 shows signs of great pain and misery, and if help is not afforded it dies 

 in agony. 



In young female animals in which the rectum is absent, it often 

 happens that the intestine opens into the vagina, and the faeces are 

 expelled by that canal. Eainard has witnessed this malformation in 

 several Fillies, and his attention was also drawn to four young Pigs — ■ 

 male and females — in which the anus was absent. They were the litter 

 of one Sow. It is therefore well to ascertain, in the case of female 

 animals destitute of an anus, whether the meconium or faeces pass by 

 the vulva. 



Treatment. 



The symptoms lead the veterinary surgeon to examine the defecating 

 organs, and to discover the character of the obstruction. If there is 

 only a simple membrane occluding the anus, this projects like a large 

 vesicle, owing to the pressure made upon it by the faeces. This mem- 

 brane, which is really the skin, has usually a deep red tint, and is soft 

 and thin, offering but little resistance. The prominence it forms is 

 quite soft and pits on pressure. In such a case all that has to be done 

 is to incise the membrane — in a crucial manner, if deemed best. A 

 long, narrow, sharp-pointed bistoury is the most suitable. After well 

 ascertaining the entrance to the rectum, the skin is punctured, care 

 being taken not to allow the knife to pass too deep ; a director may be 

 employed to complete the incision, and to guard the intestine from 

 injury. No sooner is this incision made than the meconium escapes ; 

 then the crucial division may be made with a pair of sharp scissors. 

 The index finger should be introduced as far as possible into the intes- 

 tine, to make certain that all is right there. 



In order to prevent the opening closing by cicatrisation, a suppository 

 or tent may be introduced into the rectum, and withdrawn every now 

 and again in order to allow the fteces to be expelled — injections assist- 

 ing in the latter ; or the angles of the divided skin may be snipped off 

 by scissors, so as to hinder their union. The lips of the wound are 

 subsequently lubricated by a little carbolized oil or grease, and, provided 

 inflammation does not set in, recovery is certain. 



When the prominence is not present, and yet there is complete occlu- 

 sion, with all the above-mentioned symptoms, the operation is more 

 difficult. The perineal raphe is sought for, as on its course the anus 

 should be found. This is carefully felt, when the prominence formed 

 by the end of the intestine will be discovered. Then a short incision 

 is made through the skin only, in the middle line ; the subcutaneous 

 tissues are dissected away until the bulging of the intestine is reached ; 

 this is drawn outwards between the lips of the wound by forceps or a 

 ligature, an opening is made into it, and the contents removed. The 

 margins of the opening are then secured to the borders of the external 

 wound by some fine sutures, and attention is paid to the parts during 

 the healing process, in order to prevent the artificial anus becoming too 

 contracted. 



"When the rectum is absent to a more or less considerable extent (in 

 some cases it is reduced to a mere fibrous cord), then but little benefit 

 can be conferred. In a few instances nature has effected a partial 

 remedy, in establishing an artificial opening by ulceration through 

 organs and textures, and the faeces have escaped by the fistula. 

 Eainard mentions this natural colotomy as occurring in two young 



