752 DISEASES OP THE TAIL. 



bending the tail to make the animal move, or by squeezing it between 

 two sticks, which is done for the same object. At one time the root 

 of the tail was often injured by operations intended to eradicate 

 disease. Such injuries were sometimes inflicted on swine for the 

 purpose of bleeding. In oxen, pleuro-pneumonia inoculation 

 sometimes produces severe inflammation in the tail, especially if 

 septic material is employed. Sometimes the tail whilst soiled with 

 dung is accidentally wounded, or it may be bruised in a cattle truck. 

 Iujuries of this kind in oxen, when not promptly treated, are readily 

 followed by infective cellular inflammation, or ulceration, which 

 may extend to the vertebrae producing a chronic disease which was 

 formerly viewed as specific. Necrosis, resulting from cellulitis, 

 may set in and cause sloughing of portions of the tail. The outer 

 skin being closely applied to the caudal vertebrae, severe swelling 

 at the root of the tail is liable to be followed by necrosis, the pressure 

 exercised by the greatly distended skin impeding circulation. In 

 the horse sometimes the tail is excoriated and partially depilated 

 from incessant rubbing, the itching arising from irritation caused 

 by psoroptes or eczema. 



Symptoms and course. Injuries to the tail are easily detected. 

 Cellulitis is marked by diffuse swelling, which often extends to the 

 body causing fever, and other symptoms of constitutional distur- 

 bance and even death. In other cases the inflammatory swelling 

 leads to partial necrosis of the tail and sometimes sloughing of the 

 vertebrae. 



Cancer of the tail has been seen in the horse. Cadiot and Dollar 

 describe a case (" Clinical Veterinary Medicine and Surgery "). 

 Two growths as large as walnuts, and with firm, reddish, excoriated 

 surfaces, appeared on the lower surface of the tail about 4 inches 

 from its base. There were other smaller growths. Removal and 

 cauterisation produced temporary improvement, but the growths 

 recurred, and the horse was eventually slaughtered. On post- 

 mortem examination the tissues in the pelvic region, as well as the 

 spleen, liver, and lungs, were found to be invaded by the new growth. 



In dogs, the point of the tail is often raw from continually 

 striking against neighbouring objects ; it may be covered with a 

 dry scab or with fluid discharge. The animal may lick or even gnaw 

 the parts continually, exposing the last two or three caudal vertebrae. 

 The condition is commonest in short-haired and large dogs. Recovery 

 may follow proper treatment, but frequently amputation of the 

 extremity of the tail is necessary, and even this may fail to stop 

 the process, for the animals gnaw the exposed stump, and the difficulty 



