312 CANINE AND FELINE SURGERY 



the rectum, the prolapsed portion resting on a piece of 

 sterihzed mackintosh. Cocaine or general anaesthesia (see 

 p. 23) may be used. A round metal sound or probe (an 

 ordinary clinical thermometer case answers \'ery well) is 

 inserted into the lumen of the rectum, and half a dozen inter- 

 rupted silk sutures are passed through the bowel downwards 

 on to this and back again \\ith a curved needle close to the 

 skin of the anal orifice, in order to prtn-ent the intestine from 

 completely disappearing into the abdomen \\hen the inverted 

 portion is cut off. A circular incision is then made with a 

 sharp scalpel half^^•a^■ round hcloii' the sutures ; more sutures 

 are then inserted close to the sphincter to unite the cut edges 

 firmh', and the other half is then excised and treated in the 

 same way. 



Aftcr-trcatmcnt. — The patient should be kept quiet for ten 

 da^'s, on a milk diet only for the first week, the bowels being 

 kept as still as possible. Doses of opiuni are useful for the 

 first two days, but suppositories should be a\'oided at first in 

 the majorit}' of cases, as the rectum should be kept as emptv 

 as possible. The anus should be kept clean by the use of 

 antiseptics. Sawdust, broken cork, peat nioss, or an^• dusty 

 bedding, should be avoided in the kennel, as, indeed, in an\' 

 case ^\•here a wound is under treatment. A stricture may 

 follow, but this is not usual, and as a rule a good result 

 follows. 



In one case which came under the author's observation, a bull terrier, 

 about eighteen months old, was brought in for treatment, with an everted 

 rectum which had been in that condition for two days. It had been re- 

 placed and kept in position by sutures which eventually gave way. It was 

 excised under chloroform, about 2 inches being removed. Opium was 

 administered internally, and the patient kept as quiet as possible. This 

 was February 25, 1897. On March 9 a further portion, about an inch 

 in extent, became prolapsed, and was excised under cocaine, and on 

 ?vlarch 23 a still further portion of about half an inch under a mixture of 

 cocaine and eucaine. About ten minutes afterwards the dog strained and 

 put out quite 5 inches of intestine through the anal opening. This was 

 returned, the anus sutured across, and 30 grains of cannabis indica extract 



