The Abdomen 143 



or two for signs of suppuration, and if such be discovered it must 

 be promptly opened and the matter evacuated. A subcutaneous 

 abscess without drainage is always dangerous. Indeed, fatal ter- 

 minations have been recorded where such seemed to have been the 

 sole cause of death either through septicemia or pyemia. Peter- 

 son lost two cases in this manner, eight and thirteen days after 

 the operation, respectively. Froehner says they are productive 

 of septic endocarditis. Where there is no infectious disease of 

 the teeth, or no discharging wound or disease process present, 

 whereby infection of highly virulent microorganisms could be trans- 

 mitted by the tongue of the animal, anything in the nature of a 

 protective bandage is best dispensed with, particularly when the 

 subcuticular suture is employed. As a rule, a dog soon learns 

 to work its muzzle in under a bandage to lick the wound. But, 

 in the excepted instances noted, it is advisable to protect the wound 

 as much as possible with gauze and linen bandages and a plentiful 

 supply of antiseptic powder. 



An animal that has been subjected to laparotomy should be 

 restrained from taking active exercise for a few days, so that no 

 risk be run of the sutures tearing out from some sudden movement. 



Occasionally, if non-absorbable sutures have been inserted in 

 the muscular wall, they fail to become encapsulated, and a sinus 

 is established long after apparent healing of the skin has taken 

 place. In such cases a director must be passed into the extremity 

 of the tract, and by means of a curved bistoury sufficient of the 

 parts laid open again to permit of the offending thread being ex- 

 tracted. 



As has already been stated, purulent peritonitis occurring as a 

 result of intestinal perforation owing to imperfect suturing in sec- 

 ondary operations, or from the presence of putrescible material, 

 or other causes, is an occasional sequel. If from symptoms of 

 collapse or local manifestations such condition can be diagnosed, 

 no time must be lost in reopening the cavity to establish drainage, 

 either in the same position or a new one. Internal lesions must 

 be attended to and the cavity irrigated with moderately hot water. 



Kummer related an instance of a dog tearing out the abdominal 

 sutures three weeks after operation, and succumbing as a result 

 thereof in thirty-six hours, and Moeller recorded a similar occur- 

 rence. Caution must be observed in the feeding of an animal 



