BLENNORRHCEA IN THE DOG. " 53 



secretion may be estimated by slightly pressing with the fingers along 

 the course of the sheath from behind forwards. The greater portion 

 of the muco-pus contained within the cavity of the sheath is thus 

 expelled. When protruded, the penis is seen to be covered with this 

 muco-pus, some of which may easily be collected on the flattened end 

 of a director. 



Very rarely indeed is the mucous membrane of the urethra affected. 

 One may carefully manipulate the whole course of the exposed portion 

 of the penis and of its inferior border (where the urethra is situated) 

 without causing the smallest droplet of pus to exude. Urine is easily 

 and painlessly voided, showing that the mucous membrane of the 

 urethra is unaffected. But although in blennorrhoea in the dog the 

 urethra is very generally healthy, cases are occasionally seen where the 

 process has extended to the entire surface of the penis, and to a short 

 portion of the urethra. Methodical compression from behind forwards 

 then causes the discharge of a little greenish muco-pus. The mucous 

 membrane covering the penis and prepuce may be at first a little 

 infected, especially behind the corona glandis and the cul-de-sac ; after- 

 wards the hypersemia disappears, and the membrane resumes its 

 normal appearance, — the morbid secretion, however, persisting. In 

 time the parts may show small granulations of lymphatic origin, 

 scarcely exceeding a grain of millet in size. When the mucous mem- 

 brane is thus changed, pressure over it is always a little painful. 



There are neither general nor local complications beyond the 

 genital organs. The disorder produces no febrile symptoms, at least 

 at first. One simply notes that the majority of animals, when lying 

 down, appear to suffer from an itching sensation which causes them to 

 lick the base of the sheath. 



Blennorrhoea occurs under varying circumstances, and from many 

 different causes. Very frequent in young animals, it appears usually 

 during distemper, and is especially common in dogs, which show 

 exanthematous outbreaks on the belly. At all ages it may accompany 

 eruptive disorders. It is often seen in animals suffering from acute 

 or chronic parasitic or dyscrasic diseases of the skin. It affects even 

 the best nourished during the course of eczematous eruptions, a fact 

 which has caused some to regard it as due to gout. Others have 

 referred it to repeated coitus, especially between large males and small 

 females. For a long time it was regarded as contagious, but this has 

 not been proved either by clinical observations or by experiment. 

 Renault and Delafond in vain tried to communicate the disease from 

 dog to dog. They collected some of the muco-pus and deposited it on 

 the mucous membrane of the prepuce or penis. They even made sure 



