304 CANINE AND FELINE SURGERY 



one can be saved and left intact, the bitch will still remain 

 able to procreate her species. 



In cases of purulent metritis (see p. 298), this operation 

 gives good results if the patient is not emaciated and 

 exhausted, or septic intoxication has not already commenced. 

 In operating, particular care must be taken to avoid punc- 

 turing the uterus or allowing any of its contents to fall into 

 the abdomen. The cut ends must be disinfected with the 

 greatest care. The ligatures are put well above each ovary 

 and around the body of the uterus respectively, two being 

 used for each before making the incision between them. 

 Fig. 186 shows a diseased uterus and appendages removed 

 in this way. 



Hysterotomy (Caesarean Section). 



In this operation the uterus is incised and the contents 

 removed. The subject is prepared in the same way as for 

 oophorectomy, the abdomen being incised and the uterus 

 exposed. The latter organ is then drawn to the edge of the 

 wound or withdrawn altogether from the abdomen, being 

 placed on a warm cloth which has been boiled or otherwise 

 rendered aseptic. The uterus is incised in a longitudinal 

 direction, the situation chosen being one as free from blood- 

 vessels as possible, and the foetus or foetuses (with the 

 placentae) are removed. After their withdrawal the interior 

 of the womb must be swabbed out with antiseptic solution, 

 particularly near the wound. The edges of the latter are 

 then drawn together by two, or in some cases three, rows of 

 silk or catgut sutures : the first row consists of silk or catgut, 

 and is passed right through the wall of the uterus ; the second 

 and third are made of silk or fine catgut and are of Lembert's 

 pattern, thus completely burying the first row, and so lessen- 

 ing the risk of septic infection. When more than one fcetus 

 is present, an attempt should be made to extract them all 

 through the one opening, because if the womb has to be 



