Animal Castration 225 



should be supported at each end and raised about 10 inches from 

 the floor. Two assistants are necessary. Rubber gloves should be 

 worn by the operator and both assistants. The animal is carefully 

 placed under the glass, after which one assistant should grasp the 

 head and fore feet and the other assistant grasp hind feet, and hold 

 the posterior parts in such position as to cause the discharged scent 

 fluid to be deposited against under side of glass. Most of the fluid 

 will at this time be discharged quite promptly. Very little will be 

 kept in reserve. In fact, the operation could be proceeded with 

 to completion without the glass. 



Instruments— 1. Scalpel. 2. "Rat tooth" haemostatic forceps. 

 3. Curved scissors (Fig. 35). 



Anatomy — The anis is a large irregular elliptical depression 

 surrounded by loose flabby skin which bulges over site of anal 

 (scent) glands. These glands are two in number located on each 

 side (laterally) of the anis. There is about one-half inch space 

 between the anis and center of the anal glands. 



Fig. 207 — Diagramatic Illustration Showing Scent Secreting and Expelling Apparatus. 



A, Anis; B-B, Jet or Nipple-like Openings of Anal Ducts; C-C, Ducts; 



D-D, Anal Glands; E-B, Sacs or Reservoirs. 



The scent secreting apparatus is large, and consists of numer- 

 ous small glands — closely associated — surrounding a sac or reser- 

 voir for storing up the fluid. They are covered by skin, subcuta- 

 neous connective tissue, and two thin layers of muscular fiber, viz. : 

 Iscio cavernous and bulbo-cavernous muscles. The glandular 

 organ is surrounded by a well defined envelope. Each gland is 

 supplied with an excretory duct. These ducts project through the 

 lateral walls of rectum immediately anterior to anis. Their open- 

 ings are nipple or jet-like for the purpose of governing direction 

 of the stream. Whenever the skunk considers itself in danger its 

 behavior is as follows : 1 . Turns posterior parts toward the object 

 of attack. 2. Elevates tail. 3. Inverts rectum which exposes 



15 



