160 ANIMAL CASTEATION. 



raw surface to form adhesions instead of two. The 

 short incision, because we know that the fatality in 

 operations involving the peritoneal cavity is in ratio 

 with the length of the incision. The sound is recom- 

 mended to avoid undue handling of the abdominal 

 contents in the effort to locate the uterus. Lastly, 

 silver wire is preferred as a suture, because " stitch 

 abscess" is absent when it is used while silk often 

 makes a veritable capillary drainage from the ab- 

 dominal cavity and thus allows microbic injection 

 from without. 



The ligature of the horns may be either encysted 

 or absorbed (we have seen both conditions in bitches 

 re-operated on for professional friends). Blood left 

 in the abdomen will be promptly absorbed if the 

 wound is well closed. 



There are twofafe complications of canine oophor- 

 ectomy which merit a passing notice. One is a 

 gradually increasing intestinal obstruction due to the 

 ligated horns forming an intestinal adhesion which 

 grows more aud more acutely angular as the uterus 

 pulls on the gut as it (the uterus) becomes atrophied. 

 The remedy is abdominal incision and breaking up 

 of the adhesions (we have operated on such cases 

 successfully). 



The other is interesting from a physiological stand- 

 point. Occasionally a properly spayed bitch will 

 suffer at intervals from vaginal hemorrhage ; some- 

 times it is a mere etain, sometimes blood discharged 

 in clots points to rupture of the vessels of the vaginal 

 mucosa. It is not attended by heat and appears to be 



