338 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



Treatment. There is no tfeatment possible except for frac- 

 ture of the symphysis, and reunion of these parts is assisted by 

 suturing with silver wire, as follows : Make the skin incision imme- 

 diately over the symphysis and to one side of the penis in the male. 

 Avoid injuring the dorsal vessels of the penis in the male and the 

 plexus of veins from the clitoris in the female, as hemorrhage there- 

 from is somewhat difficult to control. Separate the subjacent mus- 

 cular tissue until the fractured parts are exposed. Drill correspond- 

 ing holes in each half, close to the symphysis, introduce the wire, 

 approximate, twist the wire, and treat it and the wound in the way 

 already described. After this operation allow the animal perfect 

 rest and quiet until reunion is accomplished. 



The Penial Bone. Ben-Danou has recorded an instance of 

 fracture of this bone in a Bulldog which was probably the result 

 of brutal handling by some person immediately after the animal had 

 copulated. Taylor has also recorded a case resulting from a fight. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. In the Ben-Danou case the penis 

 was tumefied and discolored. The animal made fruitless attempts 

 to urinate during which a few drops of blood escaped from the 

 meatus. Passage of the sound was arrested by an obstacle the na- 

 ture of which could not be determined. Anuria being complete the 

 bladder became much distended. The animal died three days later. 

 At the necropsy it was found that the bone was fractured at jts 

 narrowest portion and the two broken extremities were overriding 

 and embedded in the penial tissues. The urethra was twisted out 

 of its natural position. 



Treatment. Treatment in case of this nature would be by 

 slitting up the prepuce and amputating the organ at the seat of in- 

 jury, in the meantime withdrawing the urine by aspiration of the 

 bladder. 



The Femur. Fractures of the femur occur mostly in the 

 middle third in adult animals and in the lower third in young ones. 

 Stockfleth saw one case in which both the neck and inferior third 

 were broken. They are usually accompanied by considerable over- 

 riding or displacement through muscular action, thereby causing 

 shortening of the leg. In fracture of the shaft the broken ends are 

 sometimes forced so far apart as to result in ligamentous union 

 with permanent lameness unless remedied surgically. 



According to Sir Astley Cooper's experimental observations, 



