SPAYING.
—The removal of the ovaries to prevent breeding. Cast the animal on her right side. Give an anesthetic to prevent pain. When the animal is unconscious, free the limbs sufficiently to remove any pressure from the abdomen. Now pinch up a fold of the skin in the left side, midway between the prominent bone of the haunch or pelvis, and the last rib, about 4 inches below the backbone. Make an incision in the skin 5 or 6 inches long; now do likewise with the abdominal muscles until the lining membrane of the abdominal cavity is exposed. This membrane is then punctured and an incision made as long as that in the skin and muscles. Now kneel down in close contact with the cow’s back and insert the arm, passing the hand within the brim or cavity of the pelvis. By so doing both ovaries can be secured and detached. This ended, the operation of uniting the abdominal muscles follows by means of stitches and sutures.
Great care is necessary in having the instruments boiled and washed in antiseptics, and in having the fingers, hands, and arms severely clean and well saturated with a strong antiseptic solution. The operation should be made out in the open where neither dirt nor dust are to be found. Extreme care about germs will remove much of the risk associated with the operation.
In spaying a sow, she is laid on an inclined board with the hindquarters up. The operator stands at the back of the sow. The hair is first clipped from the skin where the incision is to be made, high up in the flank and midway between the haunch and the last rib. The incision needs to be just large enough to admit the two fingers. Ovaries are located, pulled through the opening in the flank, and removed by tearing off with the fingers. The flank incision is then closed by the necessary number of stitches.
This operation is sometimes performed in mares. But being rather uncommon the process is less understood. In this case it is best to call your veterinarian or someone in the community well skilled in the operation. In all cases of spaying let severe cleanliness be the rule and practice, from the very beginning to the very end.
SPLINT