72 CANINE MEDICINE AND SURGERY 



pletely fill the whole tract, and the opening plugged 

 to prevent the escape of the mixture. 



The formula for this bismuth-paraffin paste is as 

 follows : 



Bismuth subnitrate 120 grams 



White wax 20 grams 



Paraffin 20 grams 



White vaselin , . 240 grams 



The mixture is heated to liquefaction before 

 being used and is injected by a metal syringe that 

 has been previously ^yarmed. The treatment may 

 be repeated every five days as long as necessary. 



Atresia Ani 



Imperforate anus is a congenital defect and often 

 escapes notice for some hours after the puppies are 

 born. Upon examination the anal opening is found 

 to be absent,, but the position of the anus may be 

 found by a bulging of the perineum caused by the im- 

 prisoned feces. In some cases the opening is merely 

 occluded by the skin and all that is required to 

 rectify the condition is the excision of an elliptical 

 portion of the integument. In others, however, the 

 rectum ends as a blind tube and is not attached to 

 the anus proper. When such is the case, after re- 

 moving an elliptical portion of the skin the end of 

 the rectum must be sought for, brought back into 

 the wound, opened, and stitched to the raw margin 

 of the wound. Occasionally the rectum is entirely 

 absent, and of course treatment is then hopeless. 



The after-treatment consists in the application of 

 antiseptics and keeping the parts clean. 



Obstruction of the Anal Glands 



Situated on either side of the anus, the ducts 

 communicating with the rectum just anterior to the 



