lo6 CANINE AND FELINE SURGERY. 



sutured to the abdominal wall, and care being taken only to 

 pass through the serous and muscular coats of the bowel. 



The chief trouble to be dealt with is the straining which 

 often takes place afterwards, and causes a return of the pro- 

 lapse. This is to be guarded against by keeping the animal 

 as quiet as possible, resort being had to the medicinal use of 

 morphia, given hypodermically or in the form of suppository, 

 if necessary. After-treatment consists in careful attention to 

 the diet, which should be sparing and of a kind likely to in- 

 fluence the consistency of the faeces and keep them soft and 

 pultaceous. 



When the rectum has been out for some days and adhesions 

 have taken place it is often impossible to return it, and excision 

 must be practised. 



Excision. — This can be done under the influence either of 

 a general or a local anaesthetic, the patient being placed on 

 the operating table in the abdominal position. Antiseptic solu- 

 tions are thoroughly applied to the exterior and interior of 

 the rectum, and the protruding portion is allowed to rest on 

 a thoroughly clean cloth soaked in antiseptic. A round metal 

 sound or probe (an ordinary clinical thermometer case answers 

 very well) is inserted into the lumen of the rectum, and four 

 or five catgut interrupted sutures are passed through the bowel 

 down on to this and back again, close to the sphincter of the 

 anus, in order to prevent the intestine from disappearing com- 

 pletely into the abdomen when the everted portion is cut off". 

 A circular incision is then made with a sharp scalpel below 

 the sutured portion, and the prolapsed part removed. After- 

 treatment consists in the application of antiseptics to the anus, 

 the patient being kept on soft, sloppy diet in order to avoid 

 constipation, and care taken that no violent exercise is indulged 

 in for at least a week or ten days. The results are excellent 

 if the animal is not too weak to stand the operation.^ In one 

 case which came under our notice a young bull-terrier had 



1 "Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics," Vol. X., p. 174; "Veter- 

 inary Record," Vol. X., p. 213. 



