26o Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



for local pathologic conditions, including prostatic *^ enlargements. 

 It is also sometimes resorted to as a means of improving the temper 

 of vicious animals and to correct roving habits and also onanism. 

 The operation being very painful, the animal should be anesthetised 

 and hoppled in the dorsal position. Of the several methods by 

 which the organs may be removed, viz., clamping with cauterization, 

 torsion, emasculation, excision after ligation, the last-named is the 

 best, because there is less risk of subsequent secondary hemorrhage 

 than with the others. Owing to the dog's habit of licking his 

 wounds bleeding may be started from vessels which have not been 

 ligated. In any case the best results are always obtained by 

 operating under strict asepsis and stilling all venous oozing, when 

 the scrotal wound may be immediately closed with a buried suture, 

 and healing is quick to follow. When blood clots are allowed to 

 accumulate or pockets to form, there generally follows a violent 

 inflammatory reaction and liability to peritonitis by extension. 



The technic of ligation and excision is as follows : Render instru- 

 ments and suturing material sterile by boiling and thoroughly cleanse 

 the hands and scrotum. Grasp the testicle between thumb and fore- 

 finger of the left hand, thereby stretching the skin over the gland. 

 Expose the latter by one free incision down to the tunica propria. 

 Seize the gland and draw it out of the scrotal sac. The tunica 

 reflexa becomes retracted some distance up the cord anteriorly, but 

 remains adherent to the tail of the epidydimis posteriorly. Apply 

 a stout silk ligature to include both cord and tunica reflexa, and re- 

 move the gland with scissors, cutting the cord on the occluded side 

 close to the ligature. 



The skin wound should be closed with a subcuticular suture. 

 If the parts do not suppurate healing will follow per primam, but 

 they should be kept under observation for a few succeeding days. 

 If pus forms it may be evacuated in the usual way and granulation 

 allowed to take its course. 



Cagny has proposed a somewhat novel method. He ties a cord 

 temporarily round the scrotum above the testicles to keep these 

 organs in the bottom of the scrotal sacs. He then makes an incision 

 in the median line, draws both glands out and twists the two testi- 

 cular cords one upon the other after the manner in which two 

 strings are twisted upon each other. A catgut ligature is applied 

 to the twisted cords, they are severed below the point of ligation, 

 the stump is returned to the scrotum, and the integument sutured. 



