1 94 DISEASES OF THE URINAR Y AND SEXUAL APPARA TVS. 



ether and placed oa a table on her back and an incision made in 

 the linea alba at the umbilicus with a sharp-pointed bistoury, and 

 then the opening is made larger by means of a probe-pointed bis- 

 toury, cutting toward the diaphragm. The operator can find the 

 uterus easier by putting a sound into the uterus previous to the 

 operation. The finger is introduced into the abdomen close against 

 the wall and the horn of the uterus is felt and drawn toward the 

 opening, and by careful traction the ovary is drawn toward the 

 opening and cut ofE with the scissors ; the same procedure is fol- 

 lowed in the other ovary and the wound closed with an inter- 

 rupted silk stitch. 



The ovaries of the dog are small, round, elongated bodies 

 located at the posterior edge of the kidneys and are imbedded in 

 a deep fatty covering or pocket (see Fig. 54). 



Hoffmann cuts through the broad ligament and ligates the ovary 

 both above and below and cuts ofF the ovary with a blunt pair 

 of scissors. 



The abdominal wound should be stitched with a double row of 

 stitches. "We first sew the mgiscular coat with a continuous catgut 

 suture, and then sew the skin with an interrupted suture of silk; 

 an antiseptic dressing is useful, but not absolutely necessary. 

 The animals should be muzzled. 



Many operators perform castration in very young and old dogs 

 by opening the abdominal cavity at the linea alba and ligating the 

 uterus by two catgut ligatures about an inch apart on the body of 

 the uterus, and cut through between the ligatures. This method 

 has the advantage of being very simple, and there is little or no 

 danger connected with it, but the author has tried a number of 

 cases for experiment and found in a short time a great collection 

 of cream-like matter gathered at the ligated end of the uterus, 

 and distended that portion very much, which was noticeable in 

 the animal. 



Many operators advise castration through the flank, and proceed 

 in the following manner: Make au incision in the flank about 

 4 cm. long, midway between the last false rib and the thigh, in an 

 anterior direction, cutting through the skin and muscular 'layer; 

 then tear the peritoneum by means of the finger and pull the 

 ovaries through the opening and cut them ofE with the scissors, 

 and sew up the wound as described in the other operation. Fried- 



