296 VETERINARY STUDIES 



Docking 



The docking of lambs is a simple and very useful operation, 

 and may be done at the time of castration, i.e., at 7 to 14 days 

 old. The tail is cut off preferably at an articulation between 

 the vertebras, leaving a stump of about one and a half inches, 

 with enough skin for covering the bone and good healing. This 

 is secured by pushing the skin of the tail toward the body be- 

 fore cutting. 



The cutting may be done with chisel and block of wood or 

 hand pruning shears or by an ordinary castration emasculator. 



If chisel or pruning shear is used, older lambs may bleed seri- 

 ously. For such lambs docked by shear or chisel the tail should 

 be tightly tied with string somewhat above the point of inci- 

 sion. It is much more convenient to do this before cutting off 

 the tail. The strings should be removed after a few hours. 



A good emasculator removes the tail without causing hemor- 

 rhage. Further treatment of the wound after operation is 

 usiially unnecessary. 



Abscess 



It is sometimes necessary for a stockman to open an abscess. 

 As a rule the operation is reasonably safe where the abscess is 

 superficial and "pointing," i.e., distinctly soft at some point 

 near the surface. Some judgment is necessary in considering 

 the location and proximity to important structures, like articu- 

 lations or well known, large blood vessels. The purpose of this 

 operation is merely to get a foreign and harmful substance, pus, 

 out of the way of nature's healing processes. 



Procedure. — Make an incision, usually at the point where the 

 abscess is softest under pressure, and then extend it freely to 

 the lowest point where a pocket could otherwise form. For the 

 first incision by an inexperienced operator, something like a 

 cork may be slipped over a slender blade to control the depth 

 and extent of the incision. 



The animal should be well confined ; otherwise an unexpected 

 movement may cause slashing incision. For any such operation 

 there should be at hand one or two pairs of snap artery forceps 

 for clamping on a possible bleeding vessel. 



Treatment. — Free drainage is all that is necessary in many 

 cases. After the pus cavity has been drained it may be desir- 



