158 CANINE AND FELINE SURGERY 



Prognosis must be guarded, but the prospects are much 

 better than in the case of removal of fluid from the chest. 

 The life of the patient may be saved for a much longer 

 time, and occasionally permanent benefit results, as the 

 follo^^•ing cases show : 



In consultation with Mr. Charles Taylor, M.R.C.V.S.,a French poodle 

 bitch, four years old, which had recently developed ascites shortly after 

 rearing a litter of puppies, was operated upon. A large quantity of fluid 

 was withdrawn, and the bitch was put on iodide of potassium twice a day. 

 The fluid showed no signs of recurrence, and the patient made an excellent 

 and permanent recovery, remaining in the same owner's possession for 

 some time afterwards.' 



Mr. R. Gillard,^ M.R.C.V.S., records a case of permanent recovery in 

 a wire-haired fox-terrier, male, aged four years, from whose abdomen 

 I J pints ^\as removed cm the first occasion, and a further quantity on a 

 second occasion. 



' F.R.C.V.S.' also reports in the I'efi'rinan' Recorti CNovemher 13, 1904) 

 a case of permanent reco\ery after withdrawal of fluid from a six-year-old 

 fo.x-terrier dog. 



Laparotomy. 



This consists in opening the abdominal cavity either with 

 a view to exploring'^ or operating upon some of its internal 

 organs, the removal of foreign bodies, for dystokia, or as a 

 treatment for ascites and tubercular peritonitis.* On the day 

 preceding any major abdominal operation, the patient should 

 be bathed and the site of incision (together with some distance 

 around it) shaved and disinfected as directed on p. 50. No 

 solid food should be given for about twelve hours before, 

 although a little milk or beef-tea may be taken. 



Operation. — Administer a general anaesthetic (see p. 23), 

 with the patient in the abdominal position, and then turn 

 the animal over on to its back, fixing it there with hobbles, 

 the limbs being well extended. Rigidly disinfect again and 

 incise the skin in the median line, the actual situation 



1 Veterinary Journal, vol. Ix., p. 125. - Ibid. 



' Veterinary Record., September, 1900. 



* Watson Cheyne, British Medical Journal, December 23, 1899. 



