FISTULA IN ANO 71 



injections or suppositories, keeping the bowels at 

 rest by means of opium, and prescribing a sloppy 

 diet for a week or two. The animal should then 

 be placed on a substantial, nutritious diet and every 

 effort made to improve the general condition by 

 proper exercise and a good course of tonic medicine. 



Fistula in Ano 



This is a fistulous opening in the anal region. 



Causes. — Laceration of the rectum by foreign 

 bodies, such as needles, fish bones, or spicules of 

 bone, with subsequent abscess formation, neglected 

 hemorrhoids, and constipation are common causes 

 of this ailment. 



Symptoms. — The patient is continually licking the 

 anal region and demonstrating the irritation that 

 exists there by rubbing it along the ground. Upon 

 examination a fistula, discharging pus, is seen near 

 the anus. 



Treatment. — The extent and depth of the sinus 

 must be accurately determined by aid of a probe 

 gently and cautiously introduced. By means of a 

 grooved director and bistoury the sinus should then 

 be laid open, cutting through all tissues, even the 

 sphincter ani if necessary, in order to provide thor- 

 ough drainage. The abscesses must be evacuated, 

 the fistulous walls curetted, and the wound tam- 

 ponaded with iodized gauze, which should be re- 

 moved within twenty-four hours. The wound is 

 then irrigated with antiseptic lotions until healed. 



A new line of treatment for fistulse and similar 

 conditions has lately come into vogue with remark- 

 ably good results. The fistulous tracts are first 

 syringed out with hydrogen peroxid and as much 

 pus as possible removed; a mixture of bismuth sub- 

 nitrate and paraffin is then injected, so as to com- 



