S)6 ANIMAL CASTRATION 



Instrumoits — 



1. Miles' hooked castrating' knife. (Fig. '25.) 



2. Emaseiilator. (Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8.) > 



3. Hair clippers. (Pig. 145.) 



4. Spaying needle. (Figs. 151, 152.) 



5. Strong tlax or braided silk for flank sutures. 



Sterilization of Iiistniiiieitts and Clcaiifiiiif/ TIaiuIs of Operator — The 

 in.struments should l)e boiled for fifteen to twenty minutes. The operator's 

 hands should he thoroughly washed with soap and warm water, using a 

 scrub brush, and rinsed in Lysol or cresolis compound, (U. S. P.) one 

 tablespoonful to each quart of water. 



Preparation of Operative Fielel — AVith clippers the hair in the flank 

 region should be I'emoved, after which thoroughly wash the parts Avith soap 

 and warm water, using a si'rul) l)rush, then witli Lysol or cresolis com- 

 Ijound, (U. S. P.), one tablespoonful to each ([uart of water. As a further 

 ])recaution against septic infection the skin sliould be painted with tincture 

 of iodin. 



Opereitive Technie — The most popular and satisfactory method of 

 operating is flank laparotomy, which is as follows: With IMiles' hooked 

 castrating knife make a flank incision in the same manner and the same 

 size as foi- heifer sjiaying. All the details of this incision are well illus- 

 trated and descriljed under the head of heifer spaying, and the reader is 

 urged to refer to this chapter before reading further in regard to the 

 technie of the operation. 



Tlie flank iiu'ision itself is by far the most important step of the opera- 

 tion, and remember that there is only one proper way to make it. Learn 

 how it should be made and make it that way. 



If invading the left flank, the op(>rators" left lunul should l)e forced 

 through the abdominal incision and a careful search made — toward the 

 pelvic region — for either the testicle or spermatic cord. One or both of 

 them will soon l)e encountered. ISring the testicle outside the abdominal 

 cavity if the cord is sufficiently long to permit it. Then sever the cord 

 with an emasculator and drop the stump of the cord back into the abdom- 

 inal cavity. If the cord is not long enough to ])ermit of the testicle being 

 brought out of the abdomen, the emasculator or ecraseur may be pa.ssed 

 through the incision and the cord severed inside the abdominal cavity. 



The wound is now sponged off with antiseptic solution and closed by 

 three interrupted sutures. 



After-Care — Limit the diet for five days, liemoval of stitures at the 

 ex])iration of eight days. If "stitch abscess" forms, the sutures may be 

 removed at an earlier date. 



