DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 191 



should encourage the bleeding. I have seen cases where it would be 

 retracted from this treatment in five or six hours ; but in some cases 

 you may have to keep it up for twenty-four hours. It will generally 

 retract when the swelling is reduced, unless there is great injury to 

 the muscles ; and after it enters into the sheath, try cold water, and 

 I do not think it bad practice, in some cases, to put a stitch or two 

 through the sheath to keep it in for aa hour or two. In some cases it 

 is necessary to give constitutional remedies, and in nearly all cases 

 give diuretics, iodide of potassium and nitrate of potash. This may 

 result from the debility caused by strangles, influenza, etc., and the 

 treatment is similar. But it may lose the power of retraction in a 

 stallion from too frequent coition ; the muscles have been strained, 

 and so lost the power of contraction. Such a case requires a great 

 deal of time, and so long as he is in this condition he is useles ; but he 

 may completely recover after having been in this condition for a long, 

 time, even as long as twelve or eighteen months. If it is due to this 

 cause he is apt to be in high condition, and it is necessary to reduce 

 him some, but still feed him tolerably well ; give nutritious food and 

 some exercise ; apply cold water to the penis and peroneal space, and 

 use a suspensory bandage and keep it up, for hanging down tends to 

 increase the irritation. Try the effects of iron and nux vomica, etc., 

 to improve the condition. The penis is also sometimes the seat of 



Warts and Growths, of various kinds, often prove troublesome 

 and painful, especially when urinating. They are more common in 

 the gelding than the stallion, and may result from the penis not 

 being properly protruded when urinating. Sometimes they are of 

 a malignant character, which generally ends fatally, sooner or later. 

 Your attention is generally directed to it, but in examining for 

 soundness it might be overlooked. If a horse is in health, and the 

 sheath is well developed, there is not much the matter with the 

 penis. But if he is debilitated and tucked up in the flanks, and 

 has a small sheath, there may be trouble. There may be ulceration 

 of the glans penis, from the causes I have mentioned. Get hold of 

 the penis, have it nicely washed in soap and water, and touch the 

 parts with nitrate of silver, carbolic acid, sulphate of copper, etc. 

 In case of warts, remove them with the knife, and if you think 

 there is danger of them growing again, touch with nitrate of silver, 

 or the actual cautery, and keep the parts clean. Sometimes the 

 penis is one solid growth of these, and in most cases it is necessary to 

 throw the animal. I do not think it bad practice if there is hem- 

 orrhage to touch with the hot iron ; and if the horse is in poor con- 

 dition, give tonics, good food, etc. Sometimes the glans penis is so 

 swollen that the only chance of saving the animal's life is by ampu- 

 tating the penis, which looks like a very formidable operation — but it 

 is not a very serious affair. First insert the catheter, and in cutting 

 bring it to a point and secure the arteries ; or you may, in some cases, 

 arrest the hemorrhage by using cold water, and if you can keep the 

 catheter in for a day or two, it is all the better, which will prevent 

 cicatrization, for if it occurs, you will have ursemic poisoning and 

 death — and this is the trouble I have had. But you can generally tell 

 whether this is taking place. In about nine or ten days, just when 

 you think it is about getting well, the urine is passed in a small 

 stream ; so that if you can keep the catheter in do so. Keep the 

 sheath clean and allay the irritation by astringents-. Some recom- 

 mend taking the warts off by ligature, but it is not best. 



