150 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH 



is to be recommended in some cases where the diagnosis 

 is in doubt. In other cases the Roentgen rays will assist 

 in locating the foreign body. However, this method is 

 rather difficult owing to the location of the. stomach and its 

 relationship to the adjacent organs. 



Prognosis.— The prognosis depends upon the character, 

 size and condition of the foreign body, the general condition 

 of the animal and the possibility of its removal. In most 

 cases the prognosis should be made unfavorable. 



Treatment.— Medical.— Emetics are often of value in 

 removing foreign bodies from the stomach. Subcutaneous 

 injection of apomorphin hydrochlorate (0.005-0.01) should 

 be administered and the vomitus carefully inspected to 

 determine whether or not the foreign body has been ejected. 

 Should this method fail, surgical means should be employed 

 as early as possible. 



Surgical. — This consists in performing laparotomy and 

 gastrotomy as follows : 



Laparotomy.— This operation should be performed at the 

 median line whenever it is possible to do so. When the inci- 

 sion is made through the linea alba, healing may not be quite 

 so rapid as if it were made just to one side through the 

 muscular tissue. The former position is to be preferred, 

 however, as there is little or no hemorrhage to interfere with 

 the operation, and, as both sides of the wound are alike, the 

 edges can be more evenly approximated by suturing. 



The animal being secured in the dorsal position, and 

 under general anesthesia, the skin at the field of opera- 

 tion is clipped and shaved of all hair and cleansed, first with 

 soap and warm water and then with antiseptic solution 

 (boric acid 2 per cent.; creolin 2 per cent.; mercuric bichlorid 

 1-2000). 



When the operation is not extremely urgent, it is best to 

 apply an antiseptic pack (boric acid powder) over the field 

 of operation after cleansing for the twenty-four hours preced- 

 ing in order to ensure better antisepsis of the skin. Sterilize 

 the following instruments: Scalpel, probe pointed bistoury, 

 scissors, artery forceps, a full curved needle and suturing 

 material. The incision is made with a sharp scalpel through 



