CHAPTER XVII. 



OPERATIONS ON THE LIMBS AND TAIL. 



Operation for Overgrown or Ingrowing Nails. — ^In dogs that 

 have insufficient exercise it is common to find the nails very 

 long, the animal suffering a good deal of pain and becoming 

 lame in consequence. The dew claws, in particular, if neglected, 

 grow to considerable length and often curl round so that the 

 points become embedded in the flesh. They are shortened by 

 merely cutting a portion off with instruments similar in pattern 

 to bone forceps or wire nippers. The instruments should always 

 be applied in a vertical direction, not transversely, as there is 

 less danger of splitting the nail. The claws should not be cut 

 too short or they will bleed and remain sore for several days ; 

 when cut to the sensitive structures the application of fomenta- 

 tions containing some sedative or antiseptic drug is beneficial. 



Removal of Dew Claws. — In some dogs the dew claws are 

 continually becoming injured and require to be amputated. 

 Sometimes the nail has no bony attachment, being united to 

 the limb merely by a piece of skin. In these cases, after 

 removing the hair and thoroughly cleansing the part, the 

 claw is snipped off with a strong pair of scissors, and the 

 edges of the skin united by sutures. When there is a distinct 

 bony union the skin is drawn down towards the nail and 

 incised by a circular sweep ; it is then pushed back and the 

 protruding bone removed as high up as possible. The skin 

 is sutured and the wound treated antiseptically. 



In the majority of cases a local ansesthetic is all that is 



