202 



ANIJIAL CASTRATION 



tisiii usually ends in recovery, but not without more or less extensive, 

 adhesions. A good technic will avoid both kinds. 



4. Hernia — Hernia is of two kinds, omental and intestinal. The latter 

 occurs only when the sutures are too wide apart and gaping wounds left. 

 Omental hernia may oeenr from an insufficient number of sutures or from 

 the sutures lieing improperly placed. If tlie through-and-through suture 

 is used, care must be taken in every case to see that all layers of the skin, 

 muscles and peritoneum are included in each suture. If the peritoneum 

 and alxlominal walls were sutured sejiarately, both, and partieulai-ly the 

 pci-itoneum, must be so sutured as to leave no gaps. 



Fig. 199 — Protection of wound after spaying. 



."), Anorexia — This may result from the misuse of anesthetics, from a 

 failui'e to emi)ty the intestinal canal before operating, from constipation 

 following the operation, and of course, from peritonitis. Its treatment 

 consists in removing the cause, or better still, in avoiding it. 



(), Eventration — The tendency of some animals to self mutilation and 

 eventraticm from the fourth to the eighth day following spaying has never 

 lieen satisfactorily explained. Rough manipulation of the abdominal viscera 

 is l.ielieved to be an important cause. Shutting the animal up away from 

 others with which it has been accustomed to associate, or away from its 

 owner and the resulting homesickness and nervousness is probably a con- 

 tributing factor. Tt may be prevented by putting a stiff wide collar on the 



