212 Animal Castration 



lookout for sepsis, and to take all reasonable precautions to pre- 

 vent it. 



2. Shock, When the operation is unnecessarily prolonged and 

 considerable blood lost, shock is by no means an unusual sequelae. 

 Shock is not so liable to occur when general anaesthesia is em- 

 ployed. If shock is of such a desperate character as to require 

 treatment proceed as follows: Protect the body from cold by 

 placing patient in a warm room and blanketing. Strychnine and 

 nitro-glycerine, or adrenalin chloride, may be administered hypo- 

 dermically. Alcohol and ammonia internally. If reaction does 

 not begin quite promptly resort should be had to normal saline- 

 solution subcutaneously or intra-veinously. 



3. Internal Hemorrhage. If for any reason the emasculator 

 fails to properly crush the artery internal hemorrhage to a lesser 

 or greater degree may be reasonably expected. If at the time of 

 spaying the bitch is in "heat," or in event of pregnancy, the 

 horns and tubes are greatly congested and enlarged. In such 

 cases the emasculator should not be depended upon to control the 

 hemorrhage. The ligature should be resorted to. Nature will do 

 much to prevent internal hemorrhage. However, death from such 

 a cause sometimes occurs. Unless the hemorrhage is very profuse 

 reopening the abdomen for purpose of controlling it is of doubt- 

 ful value. Ordinarily, the best plan is to administer stimulants, 

 consisting of strychnine, nitro-glycerine, adrenalin, chloride and 

 saline solution, and leave the abdominal cavity alone. 



4. Hernia. Careless or improper suturing and septic infection 

 are the causes of hernia following spaying operation. By exer- 

 cising extreme care in suturing the wound and fortifying against 

 sepsis by taking the necessary auseptic and antiseptic precautions 

 the occurrence of hernia will be extremely rare. 



5. Anorexia. In a few instances it is extremely difficult — even 

 in the absence of any perceptible grave systemic disturbance — to 

 induce the recently spayed bitch to eat and drink. They sometimes 

 actually die from starvation. Forced feeding with malted milk or 

 coco-emulsion cod liver oil is indicated. Drugs are of little avail. 



