The Dog's Medical Dictionary: An encyclopædia of the diseases, their diagnosis & treatment, and the physical development of the dogSewell, Alfred Joseph
Science
The Dog's Medical Dictionary: An encyclopædia of the diseases, their diagnosis & treatment, and the physical development of the dog
Sewell, Alfred Joseph
Dogs -- Diseases -- Dictionaries
Then as to the danger, there is no comparison between the two. I
have only once had any bad results from the use of cocaine; but with
chloroform, sometimes, in spite of every care and precaution, the dog
will, when under its influence, suddenly collapse. Besides, when a dog,
in a case such as I have just described, struggles very much against
receiving the chloroform, it takes longer to get him under the influence
of the drug than one taking it quietly; and then, often as a consequence,
the dog at last becomes exhausted, and if the chloroform is persevered
with, it takes too strong effect—the heart’s action becomes weak, the
breathing heavy, and collapse may occur—the result is, one is obliged to
leave off the operation to administer restoratives to save the patient’s
life.
In many operations, as the excising of tumours (even large ones, weighing
six or seven pounds), removing thorns from the eye, sewing and dressing
painful wounds, cocaine is equal to chloroform in its effects, for it
completely deadens for a time the parts to which it is applied, though
the animal retains complete consciousness.
It is particularly valuable when removing mammary growths, so frequently
seen in bitches. On many occasions I have removed a growth of this kind
weighing, in some instances, seven to eight pounds, without subjecting
the dog to the least pain; and I may here remark that the application of
cocaine does not in any way retard the healing process.
Cocaine for most purposes is best used dissolved in water; the quantity
of the solution required depends upon the size of the growth that is
going to be removed. For small tumours, say the size of a large walnut,
a four per cent. solution is generally sufficient. Of this about twelve
minims should be injected under the skin, say three drops at each corner
of the growth, then in the course of about ten minutes the parts will be
completely insensible to pain and ready for operation. The same strength
of solution is also strong enough for eye operations, including the
removal of growths on the haw. In such cases the solution of cocaine
must be dropped into the eye. About five or six drops is all that is
required; one drop to be placed into the eye every minute until the
quantity required is given, then wait ten minutes for the cocaine to take
effect. In cases of operation for inverted eyelid, the use of cocaine is
invaluable.
When removing large growths, a five per cent. solution is necessary,
giving the same quantity—about twelve minims—injecting one minim just
under the skin all around the tumour, and where the skin is going to be
cut.
There are other local anæsthetics as eucaine, which is said to be safer
than cocaine; but in my opinion it is not nearly so good, at any rate
with dogs, and the latter is perfectly safe when used in proper doses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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