CANINE PATHOLOGY 
461 
Case No. 11 . — Caesarean Section .—An English setter, primi- 
para, was attended in difficult parturition. She had been in labor 
twenty-four hours, and had born two puppies. On examination a 
third foetus was found wedged in the inlet of thc^pelvis, dorso- 
lumbar presentation. It was pushed hack and extracted without 
difficulty, by forceps, two other foetuses being made out in the 
left cornua. 
The animal was left for the night, thinking that nature would 
accomplish the rest, as the strength of the mother was good, and 
much relief had been afforded by removing the foetus. The next 
morning found the animal straining violently, weaker, with a 
foetid discharge from the vulva, the position of the foetuses being 
the same as the night before. 
As the foetuses were so far away, and the forceps of no avail, 
it was decided to operate. 
She was etherised and an incision made through the left flank. 
The uterus was brought to the opening, and an incision made as 
high up as possible, and the dead foetus together with their mem¬ 
branes removed. The cornua was dressed antiseptically and the 
external opening closed by quill sutures and a thick layer of 
collodion. 
After twenty-four hours, she began to nurse her two puppies, 
and had quite recovered from the operation and ether. 
The wound did very well, healing by first intention in its 
upper two-thirds, and by granulation in the remainder, within a 
short time. 
A similar operation was performed on a small Skye terrier, 
which was in pup by a full sized png. Parturition was rendered 
impossible by the size of the foetal head. The operation was per¬ 
formed early, and the lives of both mother and offspring were 
saved. 
In cases where the operation is indicated it is best to operate 
as soon as possible, for later on the strength of the mother is 
weakened, and the lives of the young are endangered. 
The operation should be performed through the flank, as the 
incision through the linea alba interferes with the function of the 
mammary glands; besides, the wound does not heal as kindly, for 
at this period the mammae are more or less swollen and congested. 
