CHAPTER I. 

 POLYPI OF THE GLANS PENIS AND SHEATH. 



In young animals the extremity of the glans penis and the margins 

 of the sheath are not infrequently studded with polypi, soft swellings of 

 papillomatous or verrucous appearance, sometimes of considerable size, 

 which interfere with micturition, and deform the glans. The existence 

 of these growths is shown by very well marked signs — viz., difficulty in 

 micturition, deformity of the sheath, deviation of the jet of urine, ob- 

 struction in the passage of the penis, and more or less marked deformity 

 of the penis itself. 



These polypi are of the same nature as those so common in dogs, 

 viz., papillomata. 



The diagnosis is very easy. On digital examination the growths 

 are almost always found at the base of the sheath. 



At an early stage the prognosis is benign, provided intervention is 

 promptly undertaken. If the disease is of old standing, or is not treated, 

 the animals may become somewhat thin. They suffer pain, caused by 

 retention of urine and inflammation of the sheath ; urethritis may even 

 be set up. 



The treatment is fairly easy, and is exclusively surgical; but as it 

 necessitates casting the animals the bladder should first be examined 

 per rectum, and operation should never be attempted until the bladder 

 has been emptied so as to avoid possible rupture. The animal being 

 fixed on its back, the penis is withdrawn from the sheath, and the 

 polypi can then be snipped off with scissors, the wounds being slightly 

 cauterised to arrest haemorrhage : in the case of the sheath, rather ex- 

 tensive wounds must sometimes be produced; these may be sutured. 



To prevent the wounds afterwards becoming infected and suppurating, 

 the sheath should be regularly washed out with an antiseptic solution 

 and the animal kept on a very clean bed. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE SHEATH. 



This condition is much more common in the ox than in the horse on 

 account of the different anatomical structure of the parts, and the 

 methods of keeping and using oxen. 



