CASTRATION OF SWINE 7!) 



Scrotal Hernia 



Occurrence.— This condition is of frequent occur- 

 rence in swine and is notic(>d at or soon after birth, 

 probably 90 per cent, of all cases being congenital. A 

 small percentage of cases manifest the condition a few 

 weeks after birth, and sometimes this state may not be 

 noticeable until the animal is about two months old, 

 such cases being undoubtedly the I'esult of injury, with 

 a hereditary predisposition probably as a contributing 

 factor. 



Classification. — For convenience, hernise of swine 

 shall be regarded in two classes: intra-vaginaJ, which 

 comprises the major portion of all eases, and extra- 

 vaginal, or interstitial, the more uncommon. The inlrn- 

 vaginal hernia is a condition where the protrno- 

 ing portion of intestine is lodged alongside the cord 

 between the tunica vaginalis intima and tunica vagi- 

 nalis reflexa. In such cases the tunica vaginalis re- 

 flexa is intact, and the bulk of intes+ine extending as 

 far as the scrotum may be quite considerable, or, as is 

 often the case, the herniaed mass may be very small. 



In extra-vaginal or inter.stitial hernia there exists a 

 rent in the tunica vaginalis reflexa permitting the pro- 

 fusion of the ectopic intestinal structure in the inter- 

 stice outside of the tunica vaginalis reflexa. Depending 

 upon the exact location of the rent in the tunica vagi- 

 nalis reflexa, it becomes necessary to modify the tech- 

 nique for the correction of the ailment. If the rent 

 happens to be situated near the inner abdominal ring, 

 the covered operation for castration usually done will 

 not serve to reduce the condition. In such cases the 

 ligation of the cord including the vaginal sheath will 

 not close the rent, it being situated anterior to the 



