"I told the proprietor that there was no chance of recovery except by an operation; and, even then, I thought it exceedingly doubtful. I was desired to operate, and I took him home.
"The head was now almost twice as large as when the accident occurred, proceeding from a quantity of coagulated blood that had been effused under the skin covering the skull. I gave him a dose of aperient medicine, and on the following morning commenced my operation.
"The hair was clipped from the head, and an incision carried immediately from between the eye-brows to the back part of the skull, in the direction of the sagittal suture. Another incision was made from this towards the root of the ear. This triangular flap was then turned back, in order to remove the coagulated blood and make a thorough exposure of the skull. I was provided with a trephine, thinking that only a portion of the bone had been depressed on the brain, and it would be necessary, with that instrument, to separate it from its attachment, and then with an elevator remove it; but I found that the greater part of the parietal bone was depressed, and that the fracture extended along the sagittal suture from the coronal and lamdoidal sutures. At three-fourths of the width of the bone, the fracture ran parallel with the sagittal suture, and this large portion was depressed upon the tunics of the brain, the dura mater being considerably lacerated. The depressed bone was raised with an elevator, and I found, from its lacerated edges and the extent of the mischief done, that it was far wiser to remove it entirely, than to allow it to remain and take the chance of its uniting.
"[In] a few days, the dog began to experience relief from the operation, and to be somewhat conscious of what was taking place around him. He still requires care and attention, and proper medicinal agents to be administered from time to time; but with the exception of occasionally turning round when on the floor, he takes his food well, and obeys his master's call."[1]
Trans. Vet. Med. Assoc
., i. 51.
[Contents]/[Detailed Contents, p. 7]/[Index]
[Chapter XVII — Medicines Used in the Diseases of the Dog]
These are far more numerous and complicated than would, on the first consideration of them, be imagined. The Veterinary Surgeon has a long list of them, suited to the wants and dangers, imaginary or real, of his patients; and he who is not scientifically acquainted with them, will occasionally blunder in the choice of remedies, or the application of the means of cure which he adopts. Little attention may, perhaps, be paid to the medical treatment of the dog; yet it requires not a little study and experience. I will endeavour to give a short account of the drugs, and mode of using them, generally employed.