126 CASTRATION OF CRYPTORCHID HORSES 



concerned himself with the location of the testicle but relies 

 wholly upon the vas deferens or gubernaculum, since when 

 either of these is recognized, the testicle is virtually within 

 his power. 



He thus proceeds upon the basis that he is not to find the 

 testicle for the reason that it is not lost but that it has 

 definite relations and attachments which permit of certain 

 displacements of the organ itself but not of its attachments. 



Having drawn the vas deferens out through the wound, 

 tension is exerted upon it which tends to cause the testicle 

 to follow, but sometimes the gland is too large to pass the 

 internal ring and the latter needs to be dilated by inserting an 

 index finger in it or the testicle needs to be guided through 

 the opening. 



We have described herein one method of castrating a 

 cryptorchid horse where the cryptorchidy is due to an arrest 

 in the development of the gland and of its descent. There 

 are other methods employed which introduce variations at 

 each step, many operators making the incision over the 

 external ring instead of near the median line. Other 

 operators avoid opening the internal ring and penetrate the 

 peritoneal cavity somewhat in front of and above the ring 

 through the small oblique muscle. When one plan has 

 been learned, the variations are easily applied. 



There are other causes of cryptorchidy which in rare cases 

 require a different procedure in order to extract the gland, 

 varying with individual cases, but the essentials for the 

 tracing and recognition of the testicle are the same. 



After the testicle is brought to the surface, it may be re- 

 moved with the emasculator or by such means as the opera- 

 tor may prefer. Cryptorchid testicles when due to arrest 

 in development are not vascular and there is little tendency 

 to hemorrhage after excision. Place an antiseptic tampon 

 in tha wound, pushing it well up against the internal ring 



