1 88 CANINE AND FELINE SURGERY 



small quantity of blood-stained mucus. In the early stages 

 the temperature may be raised ; in the later stages it 

 becomes subnormal. The ej-es and face have a curious, 

 anxious expression. After some days the body becomes 

 emaciated, fits of vomiting occur, and the patient is great!)' 

 prostrated. In cats this stage is often reached before the 

 patient is brought to the practitioner, and it is usuall)- too 

 late to save the animal's life. 



Palpation of the abdomen between the hands ^^•ill in many 

 cases enable the foreign body to be located, and its removal by 

 medicinal or surgical means must then be decided upon. If 

 it has onl}- recenth' been swallowed, and from its size, etc., the 

 practitioner considers that purgatives, external manipulation, 

 or enemas, will effect its removal, and the patient seems in 

 no immediate danger, medicinal means ma}- be tried ; other- 

 wise the earlier the abdomen is opened the better. 



Operation. — The patient is prepared, secured, and anaes- 

 thetized, in the same way as for laparotomy (see p. 158). 

 Having opened the abdomen, a search is made along the 

 intestine until the foreign body is reached, and an attempt 

 is then made to pass it along the gut towards the rectum, 

 where it may be seized \\ ith forceps by an assistant. This 

 must be done very carefully, as, if the agent has been 

 in one place for long, the bowel wall will be ver}- much 

 weakened and is easily torn. If this can be accomplished, the 

 abdominal wall is sutured, and a prognosis of success is almost 

 assured. If this is not possible, the gut must be opened, this 

 operation being technically known as enterotomy. Or it 

 may be even necessary to excise a portion, this being termed 

 enterectomy, the cut ends being united afterwards. 



Enterotomy. 



The portion of intestine containing the foreign bod}- is 

 brought into view through a slit or hole in a piece of macintosh 

 or jaconet cloth, which has been boiled and soaked in anti- 



